1). Start with the best ingredients.  These lay the foundation for a delicious meal.  Some Korean cooking essentials would include quality dried anchovies and kelp for stock, quality {and I can’t emphasize that enough} fish sauce, unrefined toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, pastes and flakes.  I would recommend sourcing ingredients that are as natural and wholesome as possible without any artificial colors, preservatives, sweeteners, etc.  Ingredients for packaged sauces or pastes, in particular should comprise of what the actual ingredient is called.  For example, too often inferior soy sauces that moonlight as the actual thing are in fact, fakes.  A closer look will reveal that some “soy sauces” are actually just veggie protein, caramel color, corn syrup and sodium benzoate- not actual soy, so buyer beware.

2). This could be part of tip #1 but for killer soups and stews, make your own stock.  It makes all the difference in the world.  When I first started cooking Korean food, I would rush this step and that was a big mistake.  Take the time to develop the flavors here.  It is what all of your other layers of flavor will bloom from.  For most classic stews and soups, you start with dried, gutted anchovies.  Gutting these are important as without doing so, it can leach out a bitter aftertaste.  Combine these with carrots or Korean radish for a natural sweetness, lots of onion and garlic {with the inner bitter green sprouts removed} and pure, filtered water.  Simmer this for 30-45 minutes and skim off any foam that rises to the top.  In the last 15 minutes or so, add the rinsed kelp.  You don’t want to boil the kelp for too long as again, it can lead to a bitter aftertaste.  Seriously, making your own stock is crucial.

3). Low and slow.  Hot and fast heat can kill some of the essential nutrients from some ingredients like miso or soybean paste.  My father is a big fan of my hot and spicy stews and one of my secrets is to simmer it for most of the day to allow the flavors to mingle and merry.  By the time it reaches his bowl, the soup has reached a delicious depth and richness.  I make sure to garnish with fresh green onions right before serving for a soft sharpness from the onions and crisp texture.

4). Add a little something sweet to balance out the savory, salty and spicy.  For jajangmyeun, I sprinkle in just a bit of sugar, for kimchi, I add an Asian pear, for soups and stews, I add carrot or sweet radish and so on and so forth.  It’s like when you’re baking and add a pinch of salt to cookies or cakes.

5). Aim for different colors and textures.  Bibimbap is so popular for this very reason.  In one bowl, you experience so many different flavors, textures and colors.  The same idea translates to the many banchan or side dishes that can be found accompanying every Korean meal whether it be breakfast or supper.

My homemade ramen is hot, buttery and comforting yet fast, easy and healthy.  It sounds too good to be true yet here it is, to be enjoyed time and time again with the most minimal of efforts.  You could be from craving to satisfaction in less than 15 minutes from start to finish, depending no how “fancy” you want it to be.

At the base of this easy, healthy ramen is homemade chicken stock.  I regularly make large bubbling pots of the stuff then portion it all out before freezing to use at my leisure.  This base is what really makes this ramen oh so rich and comforting.  Homemade is the way to go and ensures that your noodle soup is the best that it can be with layers of developed flavors.  Today, I chose to jazz it up a bit by heating it with some fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric.  This step is not necessary but really helps to round out the asian flavors.

Speaking of flavors, you really have the freedom to make this your own.  These just happen to be my toppings of choice.  It’s pretty much how I order it when I go out to a restaurant.  You could serve this with braised chicken or pork belly, maybe garnish with cilantro or sprouts and a poached egg or bean sprouts.  I often opt for egg noodles but you could also go the healthier route with brown rice or buckwheat noodles.  It’s completely up to you.  The options are endless but the solid flavor base remains the same when you begin with a tasty stock.  This ramen bowl is also very nice when finished with a drizzle of infused chili oil.  However, my favorite part of this is that it comes together in no time.  It’s also convenient as a vehicle for leftovers.

Homemade Ramen

 

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1-2 servings

Ingredients

• 4 c homemade chicken stock
• ½” piece of fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric
• 2 bundles of noodles of choice
• ½ c cooked shrimp
• 1 hard boiled egg
• 1 chopped scallion
• 2 tb fried onions

Instructions

1. In a medium sized pot, heat the stock with the garlic, ginger and turmeric.
2. When it reaches a boil {or about 15 minutes later}, add the noodles and cook until al dente.
3. Fish out the garlic, ginger and turmeric pieces if desired and serve with shrimp, egg, scallion and fried onions.

3.4.3177

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Honey garlic shrimp is savory and sweet, glazed with a thick garlic and honey infused sauce.  6 ingredients + 15 minutes to better-than-takeout!

I’ve talked about it on my instagram plenty {remember my other 15 minute salmon meal?} but let’s be honest, sometimes, I just don’t feel like slaving over the stove.  Maybe it’s the dead of summer, maybe it’s been another one of those 12 hour days or maybe just because.  Yet, I also don’t want to succumb to greasy take out.  The solution?  One of my 15 minute meals from my repertoire.  This honey garlic shrimp is one of my favorites.

The base of this dish gets a proper flavor boost from infused garlic and ginger oil.  Not just any oil, but a rich and toasty sesame oil which in itself boasts tons of flavor.  As I mention in the video, I highly recommending selecting quality ingredients for this {and any dish you may cook!} because it really does make a difference, especially if there are only 6 ingredients in all.  Make sure that your soy sauce is authentic {not the filler/by product water downed stuff}.  It should be properly fermented for at least 6 months, taste clean and contain only 3-4 ingredients.  After all, it is one of the key ingredients here, paired with the honey.

I used local, raw honey which I use for everything from combatting allergies {it worked for me!} to face masks.  I digress.  From its initial infusion of the garlic and ginger, it immediately boosts the flavor profile from the start.  Then the honey kicks in and since it isn’t as sweet and say, sugar, it yields a gentle sweetness that balances out the salty bite from the soy.  The shrimp only go in for a momentary dip so they still remain naturally sweet and succulent but since the sauce is thick and sticky, it clings on to the shrimp well and produces glazed pieces of shrimp with a wonderful aromatic sauce.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Honey Garlic Shrimp

 

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• ½ tb of toasted sesame oil
• 2-3 freshly minced garlic cloves
• 1 ts freshly grated ginger
• ½ c soy sauce
• ½ c raw honey
• 1 lb wild caught shrimp {any size}

Instructions

1. In a pan, gently heat the sesame oil. Brown the garlic and ginger in it.
2. Add the soy sauce and honey and cook down until it reduces by ⅓.
3. Toss in the shrimp to coat. It shouldn’t need more than a few minutes to cook all the way through.
4. Serve hot/warm with rice, quinoa, rice noodles, etc.

3.4.3177

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Korean potato salad is creamy, savory, a little bit sweet and crunchy.

Korean potato salad, on a Korean bapsang {table} as a regular banchan {side dish}.  I initially thought it was weird.  I’ll admit it.  Growing up, I’d become accustomed to enjoying it with fried chicken or at picnics and bbq’s whenever I’d be invited by friends.  Eating it with kimchi and rice seemed…strange.  However, as with most things, the older I got, the more everything my mother did made more sense.  That could be an entire dedicated post in itself but before I digress, today we focus on potato salad.

Korean potato salad is completely different than its American counterpart in that it’s full of a variety of crunchy veggies, a subtle hit of sweetness and a lighter dressing.  Today, I used a confetti of finely diced carrot, onion and bell pepper with chunkier bits of cucumber but my mother was often known to add in chopped fuji apple as well.

It’s not that potato salad intuitively works in a Korean meal.  It’s not until you actually sit down to enjoy it all together in its delicious tapestry of flavors does it start making sense.  The cool refreshing sweetness strikes a balance against what will typically be a rich a spicy stew.  Its creaminess cuts through the sharp bite of kimchi.  Its the delicate balancing act of sweet and savory, cool and creamy that makes it a staple when throwing a large Korean feast.  Seriously, take a look next time.  You’ll find it there, wedged between thick streaky slices of LA galbi and silken tofu seafood soup.

Korean Potato Salad

 

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 chopped potatoes
• 2 eggs
• ½ tb baking soda
• ½ c chopped cucumber + salt
• ¼ c diced onion
• ¼ c diced bell pepper
• ¼ c diced carrot
• ½ tb sugar
• Salt to taste
• ¼ c of mayo

Instructions

1. Bring the chopped potatoes and water to cover to a boil together and cook until tender.
2. Cover the eggs in at least an inch of water and sprinkle in the baking soda. Bring to a boil and when it does, turn off the heat and clamp on the lid for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water and peel/chop. Reserve 1 egg yolk.
3. Liberally sprinkle the cucumber with salt and set aside for 10 minutes then rinse/drain.
4. Cover the onions with cold water and set aside for 10 minutes then rinse/drain.
5. Combine the potatoes, egg, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, carrot, sugar, salt and mayo together.
6. Before serving, garnish with the reserved crumbled yolk.

3.4.3177

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Korean street toast is a popular on-the-go breakfast or snack that is filled with a fluffy veggie omelette topped with cheese and a sweet drizzle on crispy buttery toast.

Korean street toast is a new{ish} phenomenon.  All of my friends and colleagues returning from trips to Korea gushed about this yummy on-the-go breakfast that was well worth the long lines and hype.  Its seemingly humble package of eggs in buttery toast will wow you at first bite.  I knew I had to try it myself so when I last visited Los Angeles, I made a bee line for one as I knew it would be the quickest route to my mouth, save a trip overseas.  Boy did it not disappoint.  Korean street toast is a delicious balance of sweet and savory with a fluffy veggie omelet, melting cheese and simple butter grilled toast.  It really is the simple things.  This sandwich proves that.

It all begins with the soft tender bite of sautéed veggies.  The one I had in LA contained shredded carrots and cabbage so today, I’m replicating that.  Eggs get whipped into submission to create a fluffy omelet and I show you in my video how to further get that soft fluffy center.  This then gets stacked with cheese.  American is a classic choice as is white bread.  No pretension.  No frills.  Just good old fashioned satisfaction a la diner style meets Korean street fusion food.  Before getting sandwiched by that buttery toast I keep talking about, it gets a final sprinkle of quirky fun with sugar and ketchup.  However nonsensical this may seem, it somehow works.  It’s that play on savory with just the subtlest hint of sweet that really balances out all of the flavors.

I made this hot and fresh for my husband two mornings in a row and his initial hesitation melted right away as he tucked into this freaky fusion.  It’s not like you can taste the sugar.  It’s not meant to be dessert.  It’s like when you add salt to sweets or sugar to tomato sauce.  It merely enhances the flavor.  Further more, for a guy who doesn’t really love ketchup, he says it really works in this sandwich.  You can push this meal over the edge with a few customizations such as breakfast meats, gourmet cheeses or more sophisticated veggies {I’m looking at you, purple leeks} but for me, this is simplicity at its best.

Korean Street Toast

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1 sandwich

Ingredients

• ½ tb oil
• ½ c shredded carrots/cabbage
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 slice American cheese
• Light sprinkle of sugar
• Drizzle of ketchup
• 2 slices of white sandwich bread + butter

Instructions

1. To a pan add the oil and carrots/cabbage. Sauté until soft and season with salt and pepper.
2. Whisk in the eggs. Scramble the center slightly for fluffiness. Flip when cooked.
3. Assemble the sandwich by toasting the bread with butter.
4. Add cheese to one side then add the egg.
5. Lightly sprinkle the top of the egg with sugar and drizzle with ketchup.
6. Serve hot/warm.

3.4.3177

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Sweet and spicy Korean chicken is a dish I grew up on.  It was a staple in my mother’s repertoire as it took as little as 15 minutes from pot to plate.

To bolster the base, she often added in potatoes but you can certainly keep this as straightforward as I have or add on to it as you like.  Either way, you’ll end up with flavorful and succulent chicken, cooked in sweet and spicy Korean sauce.  Don’t like the heat?  You can scale back the gochujang {Korean red pepper paste} or add in more honey.  Don’t like sweet?  You can easily omit it altogether and add in chiles.  Don’t like potatoes?  Try wilting in some greens.  The point of this recipe is that it’s quick and easy while still being delicious and adaptable to your taste.

When time is not of the essence, I like the sauce/marinade to soak in.  It doesn’t really need longer than 15 minutes.  It’s something my mother never did and we always enjoyed this meal.  She would pile it over hot sticky rice with a side of kimchi and other veggie side dishes.  I remember my baby brothers would specially request it if too much time went by without it as it served as a classic dish while we were growing up.  To this day, the smell of it makes me think of being a child, in our home and looking forward to my very favorite time of day {supper, duh!}

Since taking this dish with me as I’ve moved further away from home, it’s always yielded some reassurance, no matter where I am.  It’s also not “too exotic” to serve to my more timid colleagues that aren’t familiar with Korean cuisine.  At the end of the day, chicken and rice seems to prevail as a common comfort food, no matter which way you spin it.  I’ve played around with it over the years but the chicken and rice combo still wins for me, though, I’ve served it on quinoa, risotto, polenta, mashed potatoes and pasta and garnished it with everything from cilantro to crushed nuts.  Still, the base remains the same…delicious, comforting and familiar.

Sweet and Spicy Korean Chicken

 

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tb Korean red pepper paste
• 1 ts toasted sesame oil
• 1 ts honey
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 ts grated ginger
• 2 chopped chicken quarters or breasts

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the pepper paste, sesame oil, honey, garlic and ginger.
2. Massage the chicken into the sauce/marinade. Let sit for 15 minutes on the counter.
3. In a frying pan glazed with ½ tb sesame oil, cook the marinated chicken.
4. Serve over rice and garnish as desired.

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Kimchi reigns supreme in Korean cuisine.  You’ve heard me wax poetic about it before.  It’s a powerhouse of health, brightens any meal and is zesty and delicious to boot.  However sometimes, you just don’t have time to properly ferment the classic stuff.  This is when cucumber kimchi comes in.  It takes all of 15 minutes from start to finish and still mimics the flavor without all the elbow grease.  Of course, I still urge you to get on the fermented band wagon with kimchi leading the way, but if you’re pressed for time, you can’t ask for more in kimchi than this cucumber one.

Growing up, we pretty much always had this with every meal and if cucumber wasn’t in season, my mother would whip up the same dish with celery, romaine, greens or really anything else that was around.  The bright and vibrant nature of this kimchi really accents a heavy dish or bubbling stew but my husband can be found just munching on it by itself.  It’s subtly sweeter than regular kimchi and has a satisfying crunch factor.  The heat is mild though if it bothers you, you can certainly halve it.  My mother would sometimes add in fish sauce or rice vinegar.  Those are both optional as well.  This kind of kimchi salad is best served fresh.

As for the main ingredients, you can certainly make this with any cucumber you’d like though, if the skin on yours is rather thick, you can peel off some of it so it doesn’t interfere with the overall texture of the kimchi.  I prefer the seedless kind, also known as hot house, green house or english cucumber.  My mother was partial to the kirby variety.  I often get asked if crushed red peppers is a good substitute for Korean red pepper flakes.  The Korean peppers aren’t so crazy hot.  They’re often seedless, sundried and a bit sweeter so the crushed red peppers that you sprinkle on your pizza doesn’t make a good substitute.  You can find it at most asian markets or online as well.  I highly recommend snagging a bag if you’re interesting in Korean cooking as it’s a primary ingredient for most dishes.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Korean Cucumber Kimchi

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 seedless cucumber
• ¼ red onion
• ½ tb kosher salt
• ½ tb Korean red pepper flakes
• ½ tb freshly minced garlic
• 1 ts freshly grated ginger
• 2 ts sugar
• Toasted sesame seed garnish
• Optional: 2 ts fish sauce or rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Chop the cucumber and red onion. Make sure the red onion is thinner than the cucumber.
2. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Wash and drain well.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat, making sure to not press too hard.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
6. Chill. Keeps for 3-5 days.

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These Korean style chicken nuggets instantly transport me back to Korea.  I have fond memories of ordering in with the family after a long day of sightseeing and having these delivered right to our doorstep.  A delivery guy would bike over to hand deliver a piping hot box of juicy, crispy chicken that was sweet, spicy and savory, all at once.  These are always best served with danmuji pickles which are a refreshing palate cleanser to the saucy, fried chicken.

Before you ask why cornstarch, allow me to let you in on a little Korean “frying secret” that I learned from my uncle who used to run his own chicken shop.  This pure starch doesn’t absorb oil like flour does and locks in the juices keeping your chicken moist and juicy.  It also keeps things lighter and crisper.  I used white meat today just because that’s all I had but you could certainly use any part of the chicken you prefer.  The pieces only take a few minutes to cook {I used coconut oil} then get tossed in thick savory sauce.

The sauce comprises of the usual suspects like garlic, ginger and soy but the rice/apple cider vinegar in conjunction with the fresh orange really lifts up the flavor while the hit of Korean pepper flakes lends the slightest bit of heat.  If you can’t find Korean pepper flakes, you can substitute with half the amount of crushed red pepper but I tend to have a bias for the Korean stuff.  It holds a mild heat and warm flavor that is unique.

When all is said and done, these are still good the next day, having absorbed more of the sauce and really developing its flavors.  When served hot, it’s great alone {but with danmuji, of course} or over rice, noodles or salad.  I once served these as an amulse-buche and they were a big hit.  It’s a familiar package with an exotic twist and even the garnish adds texture and flavor.  I knew that when my craving for these struck, it would never go away until it was satisfied.  They’re yummy little morsels, packing a flavor explosion and I hope you enjoy them.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Korean Style Chicken Nuggets

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 servigs

Ingredients

Sauce

• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 ts freshly grated ginger
• 1 ts Korean pepper flakes
• ¼ c soy or tamari
• ¼ c sugar
• 2 tb apple cider/rice vinegar
• Juice of ½ fresh orange

Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts, cubed
• ½ c cornstarch
• Salt and pepper
• 2 c coconut oil

Garnish

• Crushed nuts and sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and simmer until it reduces by half and set aside.
2. Dredge the chicken in the cornstarch seasoned with salt and pepper. Make sure your chicken is at room temperature.
3. Bring the oil to 350 degrees and fry in batches.
4. Blot off an excess oil then toss each piece in the reduced sauce.
5. Garnish with nuts and sesame seeds and serve with danmuji {radish} pickles.

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Kimchi curry pancakes are my father’s all time favorite Korean snack.  He could easily have them as entire meal on their own though they’re best suited as a snack or banchan {side dish}.  That’s how much he loves them.  Today, I’m sharing my mama’s recipe with you.  They only require 4 main ingredients {the other two being water and salt} and are incredibly easy to make.  The addition of curry lends a unique savory balance to the kimchi while the heat of the griddle mellows out the kimchi flavor.  If you’re not a fan of kimchi straight up, try cooking it like this or even in a kimchi stew.  It really transforms the composition of the kimchi from sharp to almost buttery.

In all honesty, “pancake” may be a misnomer as the Korean version is often crispy and crunchy.  This is the case whether they be sweet or savory.  Today is no exception.  Kimchi is the star ingredient that gets wrapped up and fried in a golden, crispy cake.  The sweet rice flour almost melts into a slightly chewy exterior while the curry lends it that golden hue.  The ginger within the curry matches with the ginger in the kimchi and the rest of the spices bring a complexity to the backdrop of each bite.  The curry powder I’m using today is the same one I used in my one pot curry noodles.  It’s a basic one that’s simple to pinch together on the fly, which is why I enjoy using it.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Kimchi Curry Pancakes

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 6 pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 c unbleached flour
• 2 tb sweet rice flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 c water
• 1 c chopped, drained, well fermented kimchi

Curry Powder

• ½ ts ginger
• ½ tb cumin
• ½ tb coriander
• ½ ts turmeric

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sweet rice flour, salt and all the curry powder.
2. Stir in the water then add in the kimchi. Don’t over mix or this will produce a dense pancake.
3. In a well oiled pan, slicked with a high heat oil {like coconut, canola, grapeseed, veggie, etc}, pour in ¼ c of batter {to make approximately 6 pancakes}.
4. Only flip when each side is crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately.

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Kimchi bacon deviled eggs are creamy swirls of yolky goodness topped with crumbled bacon and accented with piquant kimchi for a fun fusion twist on deviled eggs.

My parents are coming for their first visit to our new home in St. Croix this week and of course the first thing I did upon booking tickets for them was to create a detailed menu for each day and meal of their stay.  It’s not surprising that kimchi came up the most often.  However, after the classic kimchi jjigae stew, pancakes or noodles, I wanted to feature it in a unique way.  A way that even my folks had never experienced.  That is how these bacon kimchi deviled eggs came to be.  My father is a huge fan of both deviled eggs and kimchi.  After all, he’s the one who introduced me to bacon, egg and jam sandwiches so I’m certain that a complimentary but unique revamp of one of our shared favorite foods wasn’t going to be too much of a stretch.

Kimchi by nature has a bright and spicy zip.  Yolks on the other hand have the undeniable rich and creamy texture that I just knew that this would be a good match.  It reminded me of living in the south when my neighbor taught me to tip in a bit of pickle juice to mayo-based salads {like egg, chicken, potato, etc}, to “liven things up.”  Similarly, the kimchi sauce inside and the kimchi garnish outside work together to accent the flavors of the classic deviled egg.  Also since it’s blended, it’s not as bold or spicy, making this ideal to present to those who are unfamiliar with kimchi.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Kimchi Bacon Deviled Eggs

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 6 eggs

Ingredients

• 3 eggs {2 week old eggs are best}
• 2 ts vinegar
• 1 tb kimchi sauce
• 1 tb mayo
• Pinch of black pepper and sugar
• Garnish: chopped bacon and kimchi

Instructions

1. In a pot, cover your eggs with at least an inch of water.
2. Add in 2 ts of vinegar.
3. Bring the pot to a boil, turn off the heat and clamp on the lid for 10 minutes.
4. Drain the water and submerge the eggs into an ice bath for 10 minutes.
5. Halve each egg and collect the yolks in a bowl.
6. Add kimchi sauce, mayo, pepper and sugar to the yolks and cream together.
7. Either spoon the filling into each egg half or pipe in. I used a pastry bag and large open star tip.
8. Top each egg with chopped bacon and kimchi.

3.4.3177

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