Tag: #SATW

Have a yen for mandu (Korean dumplings), bingsu (shaved ice with red beans and fruit), and traditional kimchi (tongbaechu-kimchi)? Two cookbooks by Emily Kim, better known as Maangchi (Korean for hammer and pronounced MAHNG-chee) opens up the world of Korean cuisine, making it easy for home chefs to cook their favorite dishes in their own kitchens.

Maangchi, a YouTube star with 6.4 million followers, didn’t plan on becoming a celebrity chef.

But we’re glad she did because now we can cook Korean at home.

The New York Times described her as “YouTube’s Korean Julia Child,” calling Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking as one of the  Best Cookbooks of Fall 2019 while Bon Appetit listed it among the “Fall Cookbooks We’ve Been Waiting All Summer For.” Publishers Weekly called Maangchi’s cookbook Real Korean Cooking, “an essential cookbook for anyone who wants to learn to prepare authentic Korean cuisine.”

Whether you want to dive deep into Korean cookery or keep it casual, Maangchi offers both essential techniques, pantry list, and a wide array of recipes. can watch 560–and counting videos–to learn how to make many of her dishes.

Chamchijeon (Tuna Pancakes)

• 1 5-ounce can of tuna
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons flour if using non-Korean tuna (1 tablespoon if using Korean tuna)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Strain out the liquid from a can of tuna and place it in a bowl.

*tip: You can use cheesecloth, paper towel, or just squeeze with your hands to get the excess liquid out

Add all ingredients except canola oil and mix well.

Heat up a non-stick pan and spread 1-2 tablespoons canola oil.

Scoop a spoonful of the tuna mixture with a spoon and place it on the heated pan.

Press slightly and round the edges with the spoon.

Make 6 small size pancakes with the tuna mixture.

When the bottom is cooked golden brown, turn it over and cook until both sides of the pancakes are golden brown.

Total cooking time is 3-5 minutes.

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate and serve with rice.

Pan Fried Tofu with Spicy Sauce (Dububuchim-yangnyeomjang)

“Among the side dishes made with tofu, Korean pan-fried tofu with seasoning sauce is one of the easiest to make and a favorite among all Koreans,’” says Maangchi about this recipe. “With just one block of tofu, you can create a delicious side dish in 10 minutes! The flavorful sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, garlic, minced onion, and green onion come together to enhance the taste, making it a very popular side dish.

“When I lived in Toronto, Canada, I often went to the St Lawrence farmers market on the weekend. It was in a big building, and in the basement there was a store where people were lining up every weekend to buy some special tofu. My friend was a regular customer at the store, so she let me taste it when she bought it. I was very surprised!

“Firstly, because it was so expensive, and secondly because it was a very simple tofu recipe. They were selling the tofu cubed and cooked with sauce for $7.99! The sauce was made with soy sauce and sugar or maple syrup.It seemed like a very easy recipe to make. I took my friend to a Korean store and bought a package of tofu for 99 cents. We came home and we cooked it together.

“She was very happy and since that time, she has been doing all kinds of experiments with her favorite tofu side dish. She invents her own sauce these days. : )Shortly after I started my YouTube channel, I posted this recipe along with a video, and now I have remade it with more precise measurements and updated proportions.Enjoy making it deliciously!”

Serves 3 to 4

• 1 block of tofu
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons gochu-garu (Korean hot pepper flakes)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Prepare the Sauce:

In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, gochu-garu, minced garlic, chopped onion, chopped green onion, sesame oil, and sugar (if using). Mix well and set aside.

Prepare the Tofu:

Cut the tofu into 8 equal pieces, each about ¼ inch thick.

Pat each piece of tofu dry with a cotton cloth or paper towels.

Cook the Tofu:

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the tofu pieces one by one to the skillet. Be sure not to crowd them, so they don’t stick to each other. Turn down the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottom turns crunchy and golden brown.

Flip the tofu pieces with a spatula and cook for another 5 minutes until both sides are light golden brown and crunchy.

Serve:

Transfer the cooked tofu to a serving plate.

Drizzle the seasoning sauce evenly over each piece of tofu.

Add seasoning sauce

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and some additional chopped green onion.

Sprinkle sesame seeds

Serve with rice as a side dish.