An African-American lady walked up to me one day when I was grocery shopping in a nearby Korean market. She had a bag of chili power on oe hand and asked me where she could find a paste, pointing to the powder. I showed her a stackful of different chili pastes on the next aisle. She then asked me if she could mix it with water as seen in [Korean] restaurants. I told her it depends. It could be used to make soup base sometimes, yes.
I knew from my heart that I needed to explain more because the use of chili paste varies by the type of soups or dishes you are making. But I didn’t have time and left the lady. A picture of an African-American lady in Korean market left with a bag of chili powder on one hand and the paste on the other didn’t leave me for a long time. I wished I could invite her to my kitchen and show her all the delicious and wonderful dishes she could make with the chili power and the paste and also with other ingredients found in the market.
This story sets the beginning of my blog. I discussed with my geek husband the idea of creating a blog dedicated to Korean food recipes and Korean restaurant reviews, and he of course volunteered to help. (When I said I want a custom domain, he hesitated at first but said ok after saying it’s only 10 bucks. I think he had a doubt how long this would last.) Ever since I got married three months ago and have been out of a job due to relocation, I've been cooking more frequently than ever in between my breaks from job search and feeding a hungry husband. And I realized that more you cook, the richer your life gets.
I learned most of recipes posted on this site from my mom’s kitchen as I was growing up, some experimentations in my own kitchen, Korean cook books, the Internet and many more. Unfortunately, I found out that many of the resources are not not available in English.
I hope this website in turn serves non-Koreans and English speaking Korean Americans as a helpful guide to delicious, healthy Korean Home Cooking experiences.
Please feel free to comment and/or request a recipe. If I don’t know how to make it, I’ll ask my mom or mother-in-law and tell you all the secrets. ^^
Migi
February 2008
61 comments:
Let me be the first person to say "Congratulations on launching your website!". Everything looks so yummy... This is such a great idea!! I might see you on the Rachel Ray's Show someday.. :)
Congratulations Min & Migi. I just found out about this new venture of yours from your flickr site. Luky Min :) Hy and I gotta drop by for dinner sometimes? :P
Hey Yunji, thanks for stopping by! You should show off your cooking skills as a guest-cook when you get back to the Bay Area ;-)
Hi Yunji unni,
Thanks for your encouragement. Indeed you are the first one to comment and I am so excited! :D By the way, you will have to teach me how to make Osaksanjuk (five-colored beef skew) some day!
Annie,
Thanks for your comment. Actually, I was thinking we could invite you and Hy for dinner sometime. So, what's your favorite Korean dish? :D
My goodness... it is getting better every time I visit the site. I'm making a list of my favorites to 'taste' when I go visit you guys.
Perhaps I'll see "migi's kitchen" restaurants popping up all over bay area soon... :)
We are looking forward to your visit in May, Jane! :D
I just found your site and is really happy to see few of my favorite korean dishes here, especially the Tofu soup. I am still looking for 2 of the dishes that I like and wondering whether you can show me how? One of them are like rice stick but is short and flat, the chinese use them too but Korean make it spicy and the other dish is the fish cake side dish.
Thanks.
Asah! I can't wait to use your recipes as I miss Korean food dearly :)
Thanks
Dear Migi:
What a lovely site! It is beautiful, and thoughtfully written and demonstrated.
I live near Seoul now, but was in SF...
I have been cooking Korean food, some for almost 30 years -- I learned from my husband's mother, who is an excellent cook. Your weblog is great -- will definitely recommend it to other expats living here!!!! Keep up the fine work. Theresa
Hi all!
Thanks for your kind comments. And, i give my apology to you for my delayed reponse. I have so many new korean food recipes in my hard drive right now anxciously waiting to be posted. I just didn't have time to upload them yet. Please come back again soon for new recipes. Thanks all!
Thank you so much for this website! I am Korean and want desperately to learn how to cook Korean food but find my mom's directions hopelessly frustrating! "Just a little of this and a little of that...." Arghhhh! I need precise instructions. Your photos and step by step directions are great. Thank you so much!
-Reader in SF
Haha I know your feeling. 'Little bit of this and little bit of that...' Whenever I ask my mom or my mother-in-law says the exactly same thing. I, too, get really frustrated. After all, it's their recipe. Though I would like to note that in Korean cooking, that's the true recipe to all foods... It's so called 손맛, a taste from your fingertips :D
Hi, read your blog regarding korean kimchi. There is this website selling korean kimchi and it tasted great.
http://kimchi-shan.blogspot.com/
Hi LoogFong, thanks for sharing the site here. It seems like they only deliver in Malaysia. :)
...been a while since i've checked back here, but i do have to say i love your blog. i know that my recently passed girlfriend also enjoyed it - and believe i got the link from her.
i was wondering, isn't it distracting to take pictures while you're cooking? lol :)
hope you'll continue with this!
best,
john
John, thanks for coming back. And, thanks for understanding - it certainly is distracting to take pictures every step of the way when you are cooking! As a visual person myself, however, I cannot leave out pics in my recipe blog. :)
Thanks, I loved it. looks really good. I started to go to Korean restaurants more often here in Dublin Ireland. this spring will go to Korea!
Is this Pusan (koreana) market on telegraph? I live near the area!
I love your site. When can you do all this? I live here in east bay area too.
Sookhee
Hi, lastpokeman/tom/sookhee -
Thanks all for visiting my blog. And sorry for my much delayed response and posts. Obviously, blogging does take away some time from my everyday life which is already running at its full capacity. I try to update it whenever I can. Thanks for your patience. And, yes we live in Oakland and the Korean grocery I go to is the Pusan/Koreana Plaza on Telegraph.
Hi Migi, i just discovered your website and love it. the pictures are wonderful and inspiring. i can't wait to try some of your recipes.
on special occasions my mother used to make jok bal and sometimes i still crave it. wondering if you have a recipe...? thanks so much.
Dear Julie,
Welcome to Migi's Kitchen. I don't have a recipe for jokbal, yet... You just reminded me though that I used to have jokbal when I was in Korea, but somehow my family didn't have jokbal since we moved to the States. I guess it's because pig feet are not that easy to find here? I am not sure. However, I found this Korean blog which shows the step-by-step pictures of how to make jokbal http://cafe.naver.com/zhcafe.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=132484
For the sauce, mix 1 cup soy sauce + 2 tbl corn syrup + 1 tbl ginger juice + 1 tbl minced garlic + 1 tbl oyster sauce + ground pepper. I hope this is helpful.
hi migi,
thanks so much for your help! you are right i don't think many people in the states eat pigs feed :)
Hi Migi! I am leaving in Busan, Korea right now and teaching and I just found your website! One of my co-teachers gave me some of her kimchi and I decided to make kimchi and tofu! So I found your website and it was quite helpful! I just showed your website to some of my korean co-teachers and they were excited because now I can go back to Canada and cook Korean food!
It's exciting to hear from someone in Pusan :) I haven't been to Pusan yet (I used to live in Inchon before moving to the States), but I hear the coast is really beautiful there. I can't wait till I visit.
Hi Migi,
Saw your new posts and can't wait to explore your blog! Hope you are doing well and not getting as much rain as we are on the East Coast! I am still teaching myself to cook so I would love to add these recipes to my list. xo Veronica
Hi Migi,
What a thrill to find your website. I want to learn how to cook Korean food, but put it off. Based off previous posts, this looks like a great place to start my culinary journey of Korea. Thank you for your commitment to this wonderful endeavor!
Hi Mia,
Thanks for your comment. Though I cannot post new recipes as frequently as I wish, I hope you find what you need from my previous posts and continue stopping by once awhile.
This is lovely blog you are keeping. i was browsing google and i didnt expect much on the key word KOREAN HOME COOKING and tada! this blog came up! lovely work that you are doing and the presentation on the dishes are amazing! i'm bookmarking your blog and visit often.
i'm gonna try your 육계장 recipe right away!
keep up the good work!
Dear Migi,
Hi. My name is Billy. I enjoy cooking myself.
So I wanted to give recipe to for Boo-Choo-Jun for my friend so Googled for the word and landed on your Kim-Chi Jun page :) I did not found what I was looking for but I was happy to see what you were doing through this blog.
My wife is a wonderful cook also. It would have been wonderful if she runs a blog like yours but she said she is too busy. We have 3 little boys (4 if you include me) and she have her hands full.
But in any case, thank you for the blog. I think it's really good for Korean-Americans. On a final note, I run a company called i2WebSolution in New York. Sites: www.i2WebSolution.com and www.i2Directory.com. I'm looking for online marketing person.
Would you be interested in working from home? It's commission based but I think we can do very good together as a team. If you are interested you can email me at wkim@i2websolution.com Hope we can connect.
Have a wonderful day~
-Billy
Hi Euijin, Welcome to KHC! Please continue to stop by when you are hungry :D
William, Welcome to KHC! In fact, I have a separate post for boochoojeon in the blog. And I appreciate your offer. Let me take a look and will get back to you. Thanks.
Hi,
Just wanted to leave a message of appreciation. It's nice to see traditional Korean recipes provided in English. As a Korean-American I'm a bit burnt out on the hybrid cooking. It's fine once in awhile, but nothing beats the real deal. Yay to happy Korean-Korean couples^^
Ele - Welcome! Thanks for stopping by.
I just found your site. It's wonderful. We're not Korean, but love food and when I go to the Korean supermarket in Daly City it's often difficult to find products with an English translation so it's great you have pictures and the English romanization. The only thing I've made is the tofu soup and I've been using the miso paste and chili paste. I'll have to try the kelp and anchovies. It seems Korean cooking has similarities to Japanese. I also discovered the cold noodles w/soup last year. Yay! Easy dinner. I look forward to trying the dumpling recipe and others from your site. What's your favorite Korean supermarket in the Bay Area?
Hi Lisa,
Welcome! My favorite Korean supermarket in the Bay Area is Hankook Market in Sunnyvale (1092 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, 94087; http://www.hankooksupermarket.com). I usually go to Koreana Plaza in Oakland though because it's closer.
Hi! I wanted to let you know about a facebook page called Korean cooking for kids. We would love for you to post some of your recipes and be a guest poster on this site. This site was created to help parents get access to recipes geared towards kids. :) We hope to see some of your recipes on there. Feel free to link it to your site!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Korean-Cooking-for-Kids/118218451543090?ref=ts
Hi Migi,
I chanced upon your blog while doing research on Korean cuisine. Is there any way you can contact me at my email for us to communicate in private. Korean cuisine is so wide in range that I really need some help to narrow to the unique dishes and more information on Korea. Hope you'll be able to help.
What's your e-mail address, Grace??
Hi Migi,
You can reach me at geewrites@gmail.com. Thanks for responding!
Just wanted to leave a comment that I just found your blog and think it's great! I can't wait to try some of your recipes.
i'm glad tht i found ur website ;D
all the best to u Migi!;)
Lucca and Han Su Rii, thank you for your kind comments!
Anyonghaseyo
this site so awesome...
and so useful...
Do you give classes, or do you know of any Korean cooking classes in the Bay Area? I've been dying to learn how to make kimshi and bobimbop for years.
I wish I could! :) Unfortunately I don't give classes at this time. I'll try to post kimchi and bibimbop recipes on this blog soon...
Thank you sooooo much for making this resource! The photos are beautiful and so informative.
I loooove korean food and so spend a ridiculous amount of my spare cash eating out. I would love to be able to enjoy the food at home, but there is a significant langugage barrier between me and the korean grocer. This site really helps bridge the gap. Thank you for sharing our kjnowledge. I can't tell you how this site has changed my life! LOLOLOL.
Thai in Ann Arbor, MI
LOVE your blog! Thanks ^^
Wow, I love your site and the recipes
I'll definitely try something today
Can't wait
Thanks alot
Thank you and thank you for your supports (=comments) !
Congratulation for you Migi, i love the blog and please do keep the great work :D
Anyeonghaseyo Migi-ssi!!! Thank you so much for this blog!!! I'm the president of an East Asian club, and I was having a hard time getting Korean recipes, so this really saved me. I was wondering, do you know how to make dalgona? I saw it on a Korean variety show, so I was hoping to maybe try it...
Hi. I started my Food blog a year ago and still learning.
I found your blog. nice food photograph! Looking forward to seeing your new recipes.
www.eunjaehomecooking.com
Hi Min & Migi. I am a Russian, most of my life I lived in Uzbekistan, where there are many Koreans. I love Korean food but I do not know all the intricacies of cooking. I try to imagine myself, but I find it hard to guess the proportion. Once I ate salad of anchovies, there was only dry roasted anchovies, soy sauce, hot red peppers, honey, garlic, ginger and a little sesame oil ...I tried to make myself, but then I shifted or not reported. The taste was bitter. How to calculate the proportion that would be delicious.
Thanks so much for all your recipes! I've been trying one of your recipes at least once a week for the past 3 months and have yet to be disappointed. This blog was such a lucky find for someone like me who loves Korean food, but with no previous experience in Korean cooking.
Hi Migi & Min,
I'm Vietnamese. I just happen to know your blog, but too bad that you don't update your blog anymore? I'm so interested reading your blog and learn more about Korean culture, so please keep up your good work. Thanks!
My girlfriend and I both love Korean food, and Your recipes and photographs have become an invaluable help to me. Perhaps you could publish some tips on equipment for table top grilling? Thanks!
Hi Michael,
Your comments are encouraging. I definitely plan to come back to blogging, when my kitchen remodel is complete soon. Thanks!
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