Just out of curiosity, what would you like to see more of on ZenKimchi?

• More Korean recipes?
• Korean food basics?
• More restaurants?
• Videos?
• Song and dance numbers?  (I hope not)
• A specific restaurant or recipe?

Please toss the suggestions into the comments.  We have Team ZenKimchi members in Korea, San Francisco and New York.  We may just be able to give you what you’re looking for.

Tags: All Korean Food, Food, foods, Kimchi

Posted by Tammy

I didn’t have time to make a YouTube video version of this recipe before Thanksgiving, but I didn’t want the recipe to collect “dust” on my computer’s virtual shelf so I submitted my kimchi stuffing recipe to Food52’s Thanksgiving stuffing recipe contest. I made it for my family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas and the guests were surprised at how much they liked it. They were also surprised it didn’t turn them into fire-breathing dragons.

The kimchi flavor in this recipe is subtle. It’s a perfect opportunity to introduce the flavor of kimchi to your spice-adverse family members. If your family and friends love spicy foods, you can either add an additional cup of kimchi or replace the black pepper with Korean pepper powder (고추가루/gochugaru) for an additional kick.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. seasoned stuffing mix
• 2 onions (diced)
• 5 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 cup (배추 김치) baechu kimchi/nappa cabbage kimchi (chopped)
• ½ cup (신고 배 주스) Korean pear juice (or orange juice)
• 2 sticks butter (melted)
• 14 oz. chicken broth
• 1 tbsp sesame seed as optional garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the stuffing, onions, garlic, walnuts, pepper, oregano and thyme together in a large bowl.
2. Add the kimchi, pear juice, butter and broth. Mix well.
3. Transfer stuffing to a 13 x 9 baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees in the center rack of your oven.
4. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Based on a recipe from Granny Choe.

Tammy Quackenbush lives in San Francisco.  Her love of Korean food started when she taught ESL in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do back in 1996-1997. However, she didn’t become “famous” for my Korean cooking style until she started making cooking videos on YouTube as Koreanfornian Cooking two years ago (had to put her college degree to use somehow).  Her recipes (mostly in video form) have been featured on Slice/Seriouseats.com, Foodbuzz, Korea.net and iFoodTV.com.

Tags: All Korean Food, christmas, Food, Fusion, Kimchi, recipe, thanksgiving

Photo by Oliver Plath

Ana Finel Honigman writes a story, picked up by the Korea Herald, on how Korean food is a hit with the hipster crowd in Berlin.

Every international city offers a mix of street foods, but for most cities the culinary culture is defined by a taste for a particular type of exotic cuisine. While London is as famous for its curries and high-end Indian food and New Yorkers take pride in their connoisseurship at Japanese sushi restaurants, Berliners routinely tuck into Thai or Vietnamese food when eating out. Now, thanks to the brilliant new Korean restaurants captivating the tastes of Berlin’s coolest foodies, Korean food is becoming a favored choice for one of Europe’s most international and progressive cities. As Berlin-based video artist Cecile Evans recounts, “There is a great range of Korean dining – from the ultra hardcore purists to some of the more dressed up places catering to the nouveau culture crowd. It’s all surprisingly fresh and the kimchi always has the obligatory kick – hard to find in spice-phobic Europe!”

Read more on the Herald site.

(HT to Edward)

Tags: All Korean Food, berlin, germany, Kimchi

Can you believe that this was Eun Jeong’s first time making kimchi?

I’ve already made kimchi three times in the past couple of years.  Back when I made my Zen’s Signature Kimchi two years ago, she discouraged me from doing so because it was a lot of work.

So, I don’t know where she got this bug to make it this year.  And, no, we’re not expecting.  It’s now Kimjang, the kimchi making season.  We were supposed to do it together this weekend, but brining the cabbage took a lot longer than anticipated.  She ended up making it while I was at work on Monday.

Before leaving for work, I told her the flavors I liked in kimchi, ginger, jeotgal (that fishy stuff) and fruitiness (preferably from Korean pears).  She incorporated some of my requests and ended up with a damn fine kimchi.  She was so proud of herself and said it was so easy that I have a feeling that we won’t be shopping for E-Mart kimchi anymore.  Good idea in this economy.

Monday evening, we had a little kimchi celebration feast with the foods that we each love during winter.  She made a Doenjang Jjigae with Naengi.

Pork and kimchi are always great together.  The things that look like French fries are a batch of Hangjeongsal.  Only the best.

I mentioned that I also love oysters in my kimchi, so she got them separately.  I dressed them with a lot of fresh lemon juice (almost a ceviche) and Alabama Sunshine hot sauce.  Eun Jeong’s never been a fan of shellfish, but this has converted her.  She bought more oysters last night so I could make it again.  And I’ve said before, the oysters in Korea are the best I’ve ever had, and I come from near the oyster rich region of Appalachicola.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/3073973713_5598df5b0e.jpg?v=0

Needless to say that meals like Monday night make me feel privileged to live in Korea.  You can’t eat like this anywhere else–especially on our current budget.

Tags: ceviche, Food, Kimchi, Korea, oysters, pork

Okay, I’m getting a big crush on Grace. This time, she and Stephanie show you how to make Kimchi Bokkeumbap–and how to keep your hair from smelling like kimchi when cooking.

If you like this you should also check out CW’s Southern Style Kimchi Bokkeumbap.

Tags: cooking, crazy, fried, Kimchi, korean, rice

Just a quick post about what I had for lunch today, which Eun Jeong cooked. She made a great Eggplant (Gaji) Muchim, a light shredded radish kimchi, pan-fried salt mackerel dressed with lemon, another soft cooked radish, rice and a tall cool glass of milk.

See, Mom? I’m eating healthy. Don’t worry.

Tags: eggplant, fish, Food, Kimchi, korean