Korean Stories & Kitschen

Do you know the Italian dessert, Tiramisu?  It is a creamy no-bake classic layered with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and a soft dusting of cocoa. Just looking at it, you can think it must be difficult to make. Not at all~! What is Tiramisu? Tiramisu is one of Italy’s most beloved desserts, famous for its delicate layers, creamy texture, and unforgettable balance of coffee, cocoa, and mascarpone.  In Korea, it is most beloved dessert, however, my husband didn't know it until I introduced it to him. Although it looks luxurious, tiramisu is a no-bake dessert, making it surprisingly approachable for home cooks. Devilish taste I often cook Tiramisu for my church potluck. Koreans tend to skip dessert or eat fruit instead. So, sometimes when I visit my Korean church with my father-in-law, he complains poor selection of dessert 😥 My church is very conservative Seventh Day Adventist Church, the church doesn't welcome coffee. So, whenever I bring Tiramisu, I sai...

 Soy Sauce Egg Rice Have you ever tried Soy Sauce Egg Rice ? It’s one of those cozy, no-fuss Korean comfort foods—warm rice tossed with fluffy scrambled eggs and savory soy sauce. In Korea, a lot of kids grow up on this dish because it’s quick, tasty, and made from ingredients you usually already have. It’s the kind of meal moms whip up for breakfast, after school, or anytime everyone’s hungry and in a hurry. Ready to make it? Here’s the simple recipe. <Ingredients (6 servings)>  Serving note: I originally made this recipe for a church potluck. If you’re cooking for 2–3 people, cut the ingredient amounts in half. 4 bowls cooked rice (preferably day-old, if you have it) 6 eggs 2 cups chopped green onion 2 cups chopped mushrooms 2 tablespoons soy sauce (plus more to taste) 2 tablespoons oyster sauce (or teriyaki sauce) 1 tablespoon butter <How to cook> 1.       Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking oil. 2. ...

 Tofu Steak In Korea and Japan, there is a dish known as 'Hambarg Steak,' which actually refers to 'Hamburger Steak.' The name 'Hambarg' likely results from how Japanese speakers pronounce it, and it closely resembles 'Hamburg,' the German city. Although traditional hamburger steak is made with a beef patty, this version uses tofu instead.

 Let's make Kkadugi (Cubed Radish Kimchi), Kimchi for beginners Korea is home to a variety of kimchi types. Radish kimchi is easier and faster to make than traditional cabbage kimchi. It pairs nicely with noodle meals like ramen or black bean noodles (Jjajangmyeon).   If cabbage kimchi cooking level is 10, kkadugi is 3.  <Ingredient> One radish (2-2.5 lb) if you can buy Korean radish, it is better. But you have to order it from Korean supermarket. So, I used daikon which you can easily find at the Meijer supermarkets.  Korean radish is more round, harder and juicier Daikon (Japanese radish) is longer, softer and less juicy I used a daikon since it is easy to find.  1 tbsp coarse sea salt  1 tbsp sweetener or sugar Kimchi paste: 1 & 1/2 Tbsp red pepper (Korean chili) fine powder (gochugaru) 2 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce & fine salt for vegan) 1/2 onion 1/2 apple 1 Tbsp of cooked rice (or you can use flour porridge*). Important thing is ...

 Potatoes Before coming to the slums outside Chilseongmun Gate, which were the source of all the world's tragedies and dramas—fighting, adultery, murder, theft, begging, and imprisonment—Boknyeo's husband had been a peasant (the second tier of Joseon* social class system, with scholars being the highest, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants).  Boknyeo had originally been a girl raised strictly in an honest, if poor, farming family. It's been said that this strict discipline is usually lower in the farming class than in the scholar class, but for some unknown reason, a certain discipline, a bit more intelligent and stricter than other peasants, remained in her family. Growing up among them, Boknyeo, like other girls, was accustomed to bathing naked in the stream in the summer and wandering the village in her trousers. Yet, deep within her, she harbored a vague, if somewhat unsettling, yearning for her own dignity. At the age of fifteen, she was sold to a widower in t...

 How to make a roll of kimbap In Korea, there are tons of different types of kimbap. There was a franchise kimbap restaurant called 'Kimbap Heaven' some years ago. Literally now Korea is the heaven of kimbap as kimbap is getting so much popularity not only in Korea, but world wide.  Today I made rolls of tuna kimbap for my church potluck. Because most of my church members are vegetarians, I used veggie crumbles (Morning Star) instead of tuna.  To make kimbap rolls, cooking rice is very important. You need to use sticky rice. Most of rice sold in US supermarkets are not sticky rice. So, I usually buy jasmine rice rather than regular white rice. And I use pressure steamer for cooking rice. By doing so, rice increases its stickiness.  <Ingredients for 3 rolls of kimbap> Two cups of rice 4 eggs to make egg rolls 1 carrot two cucumbers 3 sliced strips of yellow dakan 1/2 package of 'Morning star' veggie crumbles 3 lettuce leaves (I only used leaf part after removing...