Food & Life 
Korean cucumber salad is wonderfully crisp when freshly made, but it can quickly turn watery as the cucumbers release moisture and dilute the seasoning. The key to this Oi Muchim (Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad) is soaking 4 Korean white cucumbers with coarse salt and starch syrup for exactly 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. … Read more
When you want a fresh, simple meal without a lot of cooking, cucumber bibimbap is an easy and satisfying choice. The key is to slice the cucumber as thinly as possible, salt it with 2 pinches of salt for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the moisture thoroughly. This keeps the cucumber crisp and prevents the … Read more
When you’re craving a hearty Korean main dish with deeply seasoned kimchi and tender pork, Dwaeji Deunggalbi Kimchi Jjim (Korean Braised Pork Ribs with Kimchi) is a satisfying choice. The key to this recipe is soaking 1.2 kg (42.3 oz) of pork back ribs in sugar water for 30 minutes, then parboiling them for 3 … Read more
When you’re craving a warm and filling bowl of soup, Potato Sujebi (Korean Hand-Torn Noodle Soup) is a comforting choice with chewy dough, tender potatoes, and a deeply savory broth. The key to this recipe is making the dough with salted water, kneading it for at least 10 minutes, and resting it in the refrigerator … Read more
When you want a light soup for breakfast or a clean, comforting broth, Korean soybean sprout soup (Kongnamul Guk) is an easy choice. This recipe starts by simmering 0.7 cm (about 1/4 inch) thick strips of Korean radish for 3 minutes in anchovy and dried kelp stock to bring out their mild sweetness and savory … Read more
Because Korean soy-braised baby potatoes are cooked whole with the skins on, the key is getting the seasoning to penetrate the potatoes while keeping the skins tender rather than tough. For this Algamja Jorim (Korean Soy-Braised Baby Potatoes), the baby potatoes are first briefly blanched in water with salt and vinegar. They are then slowly … Read more
Salted seaweed stems need to be prepared properly to remove excess saltiness and their strong ocean aroma while keeping their pleasantly chewy texture. For this Miyeok Julgi Bokkeum (Korean Seaweed Stem Stir-Fry), the salted seaweed stems are soaked in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out excess salt, tossed with soju, and then blanched … Read more
When you want a warm, spicy soup for a busy dinner but do not have time to make a complicated broth, Dubu Jjigae (Korean Tofu Stew) is an easy option. This recipe starts by briefly blanching 500 g (17.6 oz) of tofu so it holds its shape better while the stew cooks. Korean soup soy … Read more
Korean soybean sprout salad may be a simple side dish, but the cooking time and the order in which you season the sprouts can make a noticeable difference in both texture and aroma. For this Kongnamul Muchim (Korean Soybean Sprout Salad), 400 g (14.1 oz) of soybean sprouts are cooked with 200 ml (6.8 fl … Read more
If your oyster mushroom stir-fry tends to release a lot of liquid or turns soft and soggy, removing excess moisture before stir-frying is the key. For this recipe, the oyster mushrooms are not blanched. Instead, they are first dry-cooked in a skillet with a pinch of salt to release excess moisture, then quickly stir-fried over … Read more