Food & Life

The key to making Oisobagi (Korean stuffed cucumber kimchi) that stays crisp instead of turning soft quickly is to pour hot salt brine over 10 cucumbers, let them sit for 30 minutes, and drain them thoroughly before adding the filling. Bring 2.5 L (84.5 fl oz) of water to a boil, turn off the heat, … Read more

The key to making Gim Muchim (Korean seasoned seaweed) without it turning soggy or clumping together is to lightly toast unseasoned gim in a dry skillet over low heat to remove moisture, then gently toss it with a premixed soy sauce seasoning. Lightly toast 10 sheets of gim on both sides until crisp, then crush … Read more

The key to making Nakji Bokkeum (Korean spicy stir-fried octopus) without excess liquid while keeping the octopus tender and chewy is to pre-cook it for 1 minute with 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp Mirim, then quickly stir-fry it over high heat with a sauce that has been cooked separately. Start by thoroughly cleaning 4 … Read more

The key to making crispy Gochujang Myeolchi Bokkeum without the anchovies turning hard is to skip the starch syrup and quickly toss the toasted anchovies with the cooked sauce only after turning off the heat. Start by lightly toasting 180 g (6.3 oz) of medium dried anchovies in a dry skillet to remove excess moisture … Read more

The key to making Ojingeo Bokkeum (Korean spicy stir-fried squid) with a tender, pleasantly chewy texture and without too much liquid is to dry the squid thoroughly, season it for 10 minutes, stir-fry the vegetables first, and finish everything quickly over high heat. Clean 2 whole squid with sea salt and flour, dry them well, … Read more

The key to making Kodari Jorim (Korean braised semi-dried pollock) without the fish falling apart is to thoroughly dry the cleaned pollock, then lightly pan-sear both sides in oil to firm up the surface before braising. Clean 4 semi-dried pollock with water mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 tbsp coarse salt, then remove the … Read more

The key to making crisp Musaengchae (Korean spicy radish salad) without releasing too much water is to brine the shredded radish in salt water for 10–15 minutes instead of sprinkling salt directly over it, then drain it without rinsing. Shred 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) Korean radish into evenly sized strips and soak them in a … Read more

The key to making tender, moist Bugeochae Muchim (Korean spicy seasoned dried pollock strips) is to briefly wet the dried pollock instead of soaking it for a long time, then season it first with fresh pear juice and soy sauce. Tossing 180 g (6.3 oz) of dried pollock strips with juice from 1/2 a pear … Read more

The key to this pan-fried tofu with soy sauce glaze is removing as much moisture as possible from the tofu, then coating it with a mixture of starch and glutinous rice flour before cooking slowly over low heat until golden. Sprinkle 300 g (10.6 oz) tofu with 2 pinches of salt and let it sit … Read more

The key to making crispy Goguma Mattang (Korean candied sweet potatoes) is to lightly coat the sweet potatoes with starch before frying, then let them cool sufficiently before adding the seasonings. Coat 3 sweet potatoes (450 g / 15.9 oz) evenly with 2 tbsp starch and fry them over medium heat until golden brown. This … Read more