Recipes By Darun Kwak
4 recipes found
Gilgeori Toast (Korean Street Toast With Cabbage and Egg)
Gilgeori toast, which literally means “street toast” in Korean, is a popular salty-sweet egg sandwich sold by many street-food vendors in Korea. For many who grew up there, it's a nostalgic snack, reminiscent of childhood. Eaten for breakfast or lunch, it’s quick, easy and adaptable. If you don’t have cabbage on hand, toss in any vegetables you have that would add crunch and flavor, such as sliced scallions or julienned zucchini. For a modern twist, try substituting the sugar with different flavors of jam, or dress the sandwich up with your favorite condiments and sandwich fixings.
Kimchi Bibim Guksu
Bibim guksu, which means “mixed noodles” in Korean, is an adaptable, spicy cold noodle dish that's perfect for a quick summer meal. For many Korean families, bibim guksu and samgyupsal, or grilled pork belly, is a go-to meal after long afternoons spent in the sun. Traditionally, bibim guksu does not include kimchi, but here it imparts a robust flavor with spicy and sour elements. Somyeon (thin wheat flour noodles) or soba noodles are traditionally used, but angel hair pasta would work as well. You can double the sauce and use it for bibimbap in another meal.
Kimbap
Kimbap, or “seaweed rice,” is often mistakenly referred to as sushi, but it is a popular Korean dish with its own unique flavors and history. These rolls can be simple, with just a single sheet of seaweed wrapped around cooked rice, or complex, with entire restaurants dedicated to serving variations of kimbap. This recipe uses traditional fillings, like a mix of vegetables, egg and meat, but other popular fillings include cucumber, imitation crab, bulgogi or canned tuna. It’s very adaptable, and it does well with substitutions. Leftover kimbap can be kept in the refrigerator, but the rice will lose some of its moisture, so to serve a second time, soak each piece in beaten egg, then pan-fry them until golden.
Korean Corn Cheese
A uniquely Korean-American creation, corn cheese is a dish inspired by two cultures. The simplicity of the ingredients — canned corn, mayonnaise and mild shredded cheese — yields a nearly effortless banchan, or side dish, that smells and tastes like comfort. It’s extremely kid-friendly, but is also enjoyed as anju, or food that pairs well with alcohol. (Soju, a popular Korean alcoholic beverage, is a great match.) This versatile, sweet-savory dish is best enjoyed hot and accompanied by an array of dishes, like kimchi, gochujang-glazed eggplant, bulgogi or galbi.