Gochujang saewu gui (spicy grilled shrimp skewers)

Gochujang saewu gui (spicy grilled shrimp skewers) (Korean Bapsang)Sometimes it only takes one special ingredient to give a dish a total makeover. In this recipe, that one ingredient is gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). Simply add a couple spoonfuls of it to your usual marinade for grilling shrimp. It turns what would have been ordinary grilled shrimp into something totally different and delicious. How can you go wrong with gochujang? This grilled shrimp is savory, peppery, slightly swe

July 11, 2014

Macaron eclairs in Gyeongnidan

At Eclair by Garuharu, a dessert shop that opened late this June on Seoul’s Gyeongnidan Street, there are eclairs and macarons, and then there is the macaron eclair. Owner and pastry chef Yun Eun-young explained that she put this hybrid dessert on the menu because she wanted to give a nod to the eclair, the titular dessert of her new store. Also, one of her leading specialties as a pastry chef is the macaron. Those who have tasted a macaron cake or macaron eclair will already understand the basi

July 11, 2014

Haute health food at Epicerie Collage

Onetime Maison de La Categorie executive chef Lee Hyung-jun has momentarily stepped away from his French fine dining roots to open Epicerie Collage, a deli-style eatery in Seoul’s Hannam-dong. A departure from the more upscale French-style eats he showcased at Bon et Beau and La Categorie, the new cafe-meets-grocery store, which opened on June 27, features healthy salads and jazzed-up Greek yogurt. “It was what I wanted to do,” said Epicerie Collage chef and co-owner Lee, 32, explaining why he h

July 4, 2014

Dwaeji galbi (pork ribs)

Dwaeji galbi (pork ribs) (Korean Bapsang)Dwaeji galbi (pork ribs) is another Korean favorite BBQ dish. I like to use baby back ribs (deunggalbi) for grilling because they are tender and take less time to cook than spare ribs. Here, I have two different Korean marinades. The first one is sweet and savory, similar to the beef galbi marinade. The other one is the traditional spicy pork marinade similar to that used in dwaeji bulgogi. The secret to tasty Korean pork ribs is to use lots of fresh gar

July 4, 2014

[Weekender] Eat well, be well

At a glance, the Korean traditional diet may look ideal.It contains a lot of vegetables, beans, fermented foods and not too much meat or sweets. Koreans do not seem to eat large portions, either. Many people seem to be sticking to the traditional daily diet of a bowl of rice, soup and a few side dishes which are mostly vegetables. And there is, of course, kimchi, the superhealthy fermented cabbage dish served at just about every meal.(123RF)A further look into Koreans’ eating patterns, however,

June 27, 2014

[Weekender] Cut back on salt

Want a healthier diet now? Then start with salt. How much sodium do you think is in a bowl of instant ramen? And what would be the total if you had it with kimchi? Chances are it is more than your body needs for the whole day.  Ramen and kimchi are a bad combination, as far as sodium is concerned.The World Health Organization recommends that adults limit their daily sodium intake to 2,000 milligrams a day, which equals about a teaspoon of table salt. Now back to ramen.A bowl of ramen contains 1,

June 27, 2014

[Weekender] Less, simple mean healthier, trendier

“Less” and “simple” are two keywords that depict the latest food trend in Korea as more consumers seek foods with less sodium and artificial additives while still wanting to eat on-the-go.CJ Foodville, a leading food business, is at the forefront of promoting healthy eating.In line with the latest trend for “less,” Tous les Jours, a bakery franchise run by CJ Foodville, launched a new bread lineup this year called Pure, with which the company said it aims to deliver the original tastes of its in

June 27, 2014

Beefed-up cheesesteak at the Beastro

The Beastro’s chilled beet soup with creme fraiche, lemon zest, dehydrated black olives and olive oil (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)Lunch at the Beastro in Hongdae is not meant to be a rushed affair. While the menu reads heavy on sandwiches, these carefully constructed handheld meals are best eaten in-house, not packed for the road. Served hot, with crisp wedges of potatoes, each riff on the classic lunch box eat comes swaddled in housemade bread and draped with gourmet fixings.Then there are

June 27, 2014

Jjimdak (braised chicken)

Jjimdak (braised chicken) (Korean Bapsang)Jjimdak (also called dakjjim) is a braised chicken dish. Andong jjimdak, which originated from the city of Andong, is a spicy version that has become very popular since the late 1990s. Braised in a sweet and savory liquid, the dish gets its spiciness from dried whole red chili peppers and fresh fiery hot green peppers called Cheongyang gochu. Unlike other braised dishes, Andong jjimdak is cooked over high heat. As such, it does not take long to cook. You

June 27, 2014

Cold-brewed iced lattes in Hannam-dong

Cold-brewed coffee, when done right, offers aficionados a potent moment of relief from that perpetual blanket of heat that is summer. Essentially made by combining ground coffee with cold to room temperature water for numerous hours, a cold-brew differentiates itself from other iced caffeine by starting off at room temperature or lower, while a standard iced Americano or latte usually begins with hot espresso. Cold-brew fans assert this results in a brew with lower acidity that tastes naturally

June 20, 2014

Bibim guksu (spicy cold noodles)

Bibim guksu (spicy cold noodles) (Korean Bapsang)Bibim guksu is a cold noodle dish that is usually made with thin wheat flour noodles (somyeon) or buckwheat noodles (memil guksu). The noodles are typically mixed in a sweet and sour gochujang sauce along with crisp fresh vegetables. You can toss it all together before serving, or arrange everything in a serving bowl so it can be mixed at the table. The latter allows each person to adjust the amount of sauce to his or her liking. As with its rice

June 20, 2014

Frozen custard with some gourmet gloss

While Seoul seems to be in the grips of a booming soft serve bonanza, the folks from Brooklyn the Burger Joint are quietly bucking the trend by whipping up batches of their take on frozen custard at their new offshoot, FRZ Ice Cream.“We felt it tasted good,” said Kang Hyo-jung, owner of FRZ Ice Cream and one of the founders of Brooklyn the Burger Joint. It seemed perfectly natural for co-founder Kang to turn to ice cream, not only because she has a soft spot for sweets, but also because Brooklyn

June 13, 2014

Kkaennip (perilla leaf) jeon

Kkaennip (perilla leaf) jeon (Korean Bapsang)Kkaennip (perilla leaf) jeon is a type of jeon that’s pan-fried in egg batter, similar to jeon dishes such as hobakjeon (zucchini) and saengseonjeon (fish). It’s a variation that’s stuffed before being coated with the egg batter. The perilla leaves lend a distinct, robust flavor to the mildly flavored filling and provide an overall textural contrast. You can also stuff zucchini rounds (by cutting out the middle interior) or green chili peppers with th

June 13, 2014

[Weekender] Around the hotels

South American delicacies at InterContinental Seoul CoexInterContinental Seoul Coex is offering the “Viva! Wonder Hour” promotion until July 12 in celebration of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The hotel’s lobby lounge will be decorated with soccer-themed items and traditional South American artwork. Various South American dishes including churassco from Brazil, asado (BBQ) from Argentina, cazuela de ave (chicken soup) and curanto from Chile, and ceviche as well as quinoa salad from Peru will be availa

June 13, 2014

Breakfast for dessert

Bastille co-owner Hur Jiuk and three friends launched their uber-chic, cereal-centric hangout this April. Channeling a bohemian vibe, the open-air dessert spot melds a black-and-white-stripe prison style ― a nod to its historic name ― with a posh, foodie ambiance. On any given day, one can find customers wielding camera phones or just plain old cameras, taking snaps and spooning up ice cream in the late spring sun, sitting convivially on benches or standing inside the cool interior of the shop. 

May 30, 2014

Kimchi Ssambap (kimchi wrapped rice rolls)

Kimchi Ssambap (kimchi-wrapped rice rolls) (Korean Bapsang)When pogi kimchi reaches its tangy, sour stage, it’s very tasty as a wrap for meat, rice and other fillings. Kimchi ssambap is rice wrapped in kimchi. To use kimchi as a wrap, simply squeeze out the liquid from the kimchi. You can rinse it in water first and then squeeze for a milder taste, especially if your kimchi is very sour. The rice can be in any form. This recipe is made with fried rice. You can use any vegetables or meat of your

May 30, 2014

[Weekender] Staying relevant to the neighborhood

Lee (right) learns to shuck conch from a veteran woman diver in Seongsan-ri, Jejudo Island, Wednesday. (Kim Hoo-ran/The Korea Herald)SEOGWIPO, Jeju ― It is not every day that a two Michelin-star chef from San Francisco gets tips on shucking a conch from a grandma. But then, this is no ordinary grandma: she is a hardy haenyeo, one of the celebrated women divers of Jejudo Island. Corey Lee, 36, the owner-chef of the critically acclaimed Benu, has just picked out some conch at a beachside eatery op

May 23, 2014

Janchi guksu

Janchi guksu (Korean Bapsang)Janchi guksu, which translates to “banquet/feast noodles,” is a simple warm noodle dish made with thin wheat-flour noodles (somyeon) in a clear anchovy or beef broth. It is typically topped with thin strips of beef, egg and vegetables such as zucchini, carrot and kimchi. The noodles can be served with a spicy soy sauce-based sauce (yangnyeomjang). Or, you can enjoy the clear and refreshing broth without the sauce. Noodles symbolize long and happy life in Korean cultu

May 23, 2014

Cantonese cuisine in Seoul from Michelin-starred chef

Fu Man Piu, sous chef of The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong’s two Michelin-starred Tin Lung Heen, set foot for the first time in South Korea on Tuesday to showcase Cantonese cuisine at the JW Marriott Seoul as part of its second annual Culinary Art Event. Fu is presenting two prix fixe menus that he says he has culled directly from Tin Lung Heen’s famed repertoire, giving diners in Seoul an opportunity to taste the cuisine that helped earn the restaurant two much-coveted stars. While Tin Lung Heen chef

May 23, 2014

[Weekender] What a difference a draught master can make

When it comes to a glass of a cold one, Franck Evers finds the same problems everywhere around the world.“Temperature, dirty glassware, too much or too little foam, and presentation. These are the four major issues with serving beer,” noted Evers, a Dutchman who holds the unusual title of Heineken Global Draught Master. Since assuming the post in 2006, he has traveled to some 60 countries, spreading the gospel of how to pour the perfect glass of draught beer.“It is not marketing gimmickry,” insi

May 16, 2014