Putbaechu doenjang muchim

Putbaechu (young cabbage) doenjang muchim (Korean Bapsang)This recipe is a country-style vegetable side dish. It’s simply seasoned with doenjang, fermented soybean paste, hence the name doenjang muchim. Young cabbage, called putbaechu or eolgari, is one of the vegetables commonly used for this dish. Any other green leafy vegetable would also work. Just remember to adjust the blanching time. You can add a little gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) or gochujang (red chili pepper paste) to make it

May 16, 2014

Brioche and coffee at Mill

Mill's butter-hued brioche (front) and nutty cranberry-walnut pain de campagne (Lee Sang-sub/ The Korea Herald)When Mill owner Joo Eun-suk moved to Seoul’s Seochon, she felt the time was right to open up a small local bakery, one that would fit right in with the storied neighborhood. “It is a great place for strolling,” said Joo, 49, explaining how she would frequently take her dog out for walks. Pleased by the lack of high-rise buildings and the organic fusion of new and old shops and stores, J

May 9, 2014

Around the Hotels

‘The Wine Club’ event at Grand Hyatt SeoulGrand Hyatt Seoul’s Paris Bar is offering “The Wine Club” event, in which guests can enjoy a selection of tapas-style canapes with premium Italian wines. Held under the theme “Italian Stallions,” the event offers guests a chance to sample a variety of wines from Italy and enjoy unlimited canapes ranging from cheese, steak brochette and more. Wine experts will be present at each table to introduce the wines and pair the most suitable selections according

May 9, 2014

Gimbap

Gimbap (Korean Bapsang)Gimbap is a must for school field trips and outdoor activities as well as family outings. Whether it’s the anticipation the night before or watching the early morning preparation by mom to pack these rolls in lunch boxes, there is no other dish that takes me back to my childhood like gimbap. Today, gimbap is the most popular on-the-go meal in Korea.Traditionally, the rice is lightly seasoned with sesame oil and salt. The fillings are individually seasoned and cooked, yield

May 9, 2014

Acai bowls at Garosugil

The acai berry ― which can be found in Central and South America ― has been gaining traction amongst the health-conscious community as a nutritious fruit. Being consumed by high profile celebrities certainly has not hurt the berry’s increasing global popularity either.So, what might these berries do for one’s diet? “Acai berries may be a good source of antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats,” stated an expert on the Mayo Clinic’s official website, adding that research on the hip berry is “li

May 2, 2014

Dakgangjeong (glazed crispy chicken)

Dakgangjeong is a deep-fried crispy chicken dish glazed in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce. It’s traditionally made with a whole chicken that’s been cut up. However, dakgangjeong made with bite-sized boneless chicken pieces is quicker and easier to make. The sauce is sweet and tangy with a little spicy kick from the gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). It’s far from fiery hot, but reduce or omit the gochujang if you’d like. You can replace gochujang partially or entirely with ketchup. It’s

May 2, 2014

Hooni Kim, deconstructed

Danji and Hanjan owner-chef Hooni Kim is in town to star as a judge on cable channel Olive’s third season of “Master Chef Korea,” in which aspiring chefs from around the nation compete to make it to the top. Already knee-deep into filming, the famous New York City-based Korean-American chef looks comfortable in his role as mentor-judge, ready to dish out constructive criticism and help contestants grow with some tough love. “I think I am very highly critical about food and cooking,” Kim, 41, con

April 30, 2014

Italian with a nose at Gallina Daisy

Gallina Daisy, a new Italian restaurant that opened in Seoul’s Tongin-dong near Gyeongbokgung Palace, is a subtle charmer of a spot. Low on flamboyance and high on quality, owner-chef Daisy Park’s 30-seat establishment serves up carefully executed fare that slowly unfurls its layers of flavors and textures one bite at a time. There is no big pop of flavor or fancy plating, just tasty, earnest food that treads lightly on the palate, leaving behind a delicate medley of aromas, a feat made possible

April 25, 2014

Jangjorim (soy-braised beef)

Jangjorim is a soy-braised beef dish. It’s a slightly sweet, salty side dish that’s meant to be eaten in small amounts. So, a little bit of meat goes a long way. Back in the day, when beef was scarce, jangjorim was an economical way to put some beef on the table for the whole family. It’s also a popular side dish for lunch boxes. Growing up, it was the most exciting thing to see in my lunch box.Beef eye round is commonly used, but I prefer brisket (yangjimeori) or shank (satae) because they are

April 25, 2014

Around the Hotels

Mongolian BBQ at Grand Hilton SeoulGrand Hilton Seoul’s buffet restaurant is kicking off the spring season with an outdoor Mongolian BBQ promotion at the restaurant‘s terrace. Guests will be able to select from a range of quality meat including beef, pork, chicken and lamb, as well as seafood such as shrimp, scallops and squid. The chefs will be barbequing the meat selected by the guests in Mongolian style on the spot. The restaurant’s ingredients are all purchased from Agrosuper, one of the fir

April 25, 2014

[Uniquely Korean] Street food evolves

Kim Hee-sook and her husband came up with a recipe for a crispy sweet pancake, a variation of hotteok, a traditional Korean pancake stuffed with sugar, 18 years ago. They set up a food stall on a street in Insa-dong. Their hotteok made with corn starch and glutinous rice became an instant hit. It is now one of the must-taste street snacks in the popular tourist spot. “Others started imitating us,” she said, constantly flipping the round, flat hotteok. Her hotteok is filled with a mix of up to 13

April 23, 2014

Star mixologists launch new bar

Two cocktail heavyweights have teamed up to open a new bar in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong. Christened Le Chamber, the speakeasy-classic hybrid is the ambitious project of owner-bartenders Lim Jae-jin and Eom Do-hwan.Slated to open April 21, Le Chamber will serve signature cocktails concocted by Eom and Lim in a posh, chandelier-laden den with a classic vibe and a speakeasy attitude. To get in, patrons will need to get past a door masquerading as a bookcase by tugging on a special book, Lim revealed.

April 18, 2014

Gyeran mari (rolled omelette)

Gyeran mari, literally translated as rolled eggs, is a Korean-style rolled omelette. Basically, the beaten eggs are cooked until almost set, then tightly rolled, and cut into slices. It’s usually eaten as a side dish for any meal, not just breakfast, and is hugely popular as a lunch box item. It is a delicious side dish that can be whipped up last minute before the meal. Gyeran mari is typically made with chopped vegetables, but the filling options are endless ― scallions, carrots, onions, mushr

April 18, 2014

Jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce)

Jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) is a huge part of Korean food culture. Everyone loves it. Deeply embedded in the childhood memories of most Koreans, it is a well-loved dish that parents often treat their children to on special occasions, such as graduation, exam days and birthdays. If you have the Korean black bean paste called chunjang, this dish is very easy to make at home. The black bean paste is first fried in oil. This process helps remove the bitter taste of the bean paste. The

April 11, 2014

Royal returns

Over five years ago, a family-run cupcake shop opened in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong. Everything, from the dusky pink and ebony decor to the impeccably frosted, toothsome cupcakes, was spot-on. Even the name, Royal Cupcake, was catchy.Word-of-mouth spread. Royal Cupcake drew an ever-growing crowd of loyal regulars. Then, in late 2012 it closed. For around 10 months, Royal Cupcake’s popular sweets were unavailable. That is until last November, when owner Kum Ki-young and his wife decided to quietly re

April 11, 2014

Spring bibimbap with tuna

Bibimbap is a versatile dish. We make bibimbap with just about anything ― leftover side dishes, kimchi, wild mountain vegetables, etc. This recipe is a simple version made with fresh spring vegetables and canned tuna. You can substitute any of the vegetables with your favorites. For other variations, try salmon or tofu instead of tuna. A gochujang (red chili pepper paste) sauce is usually used in traditional bibimbap, but a soy sauce-based sauce works wonderfully with this dish. Enjoy this quick

April 4, 2014

Charcuterie pioneer

Last September, a company called Korea Metzgerei Cooperation Institute, or KMCI, launched a brand called Urban Knife to help pioneer the nation’s fledgling deli market. Urban Knife’s first brick-and-mortar space opened near Seoul’s Gangbyeon Station as a restaurant. The restaurant, according to KMCI food and beverages manager Jung Woo-sung, would serve as a launchpad for Urban Knife’s ultimate goal of opening a string of bona fide butcher shop-delis. Later that year, that became a reality, when

March 28, 2014

Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork)

Tangsuyuk is a Chinese sweet and sour pork dish adapted for Korean taste. It can also be made with beef. It is a beloved Korean-Chinese dish that’s often enjoyed along with jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) or jjambbong (spicy noodle soup).The potato starch used to make the batter is pre-soaked for several hours. This is a traditional method used to create a slightly chewy yet crispy crust. It is important to deep fry the meat twice for extra crispiness. The key to a successful sauce is

March 28, 2014

Kimchijeon

If you have nicely fermented kimchi and a bag of flour, you can make this popular snack in no time. The flavor-packed sour kimchi is a wonder when it’s fried in a simple batter. Everything else is nice to have, but not necessary. Here, I added sweet rice powder to give a little bit of elastic texture to the pancakes. The juice from the kimchi is a must. It gives the batter the flavor and a nice orange hue. The chewy squid lends a nice textural contrast to the crunchy kimchi. For a spicier kick,

March 21, 2014