Korean cuisine

[lifeofchaois]

I am asking for your help...I would love to surprise my husband with a truly Korean meal--but I am white and have NO idea what that entails.  Can anyone give me ideas, recipes or advice? 

My husband is adopted so I don't even have any of his family to ask.  I make a lot of chinese for him but he talks about Korean food often and I would just love to make something for him.  Thanks!

[plumvillage]

Kimchee Chigae (soup)

This is a standard and is seriously delicious. An acquired taste -- if you don't like kimchee, don't bother b/c you won't like this:

Put a little oil in a saucepan, add about 1/2 c. kimchee. Dice a yellow onion, a potato, a carrot, some minced garlic (or freshly chopped. and fry them all together. Add water, boil until the veggies are chewable, add beef boullion (4+ cubes, depending on your tastes).  Add mushrooms and/or spinach about 5 min. before serving. Serve with rice. Yum!

Another idea:

Kim Bop (California rolls - traditional picnic food)

Cook white rice, set aside (or use your rice maker, if you have one). You have to buy some unusual ingredients: "Kim," (it's dried roasted laver, in about 10" sheets) -- and "Tahn-mu-gee" (long square-cut yellow radishes) from a local Asian market -- and ask them for a Kim-bop wrapper (it looks like a 10"x10" bamboo rug!). Julienne carrots, cucumber, and fried eggs in soy sauce, then cut into long strips, set aside. Mix a can of tuna fish with mayo. Place a strip of laver on the wrapper. Spread rice about 1/4"-1/8" inch thick. Place veggies in strips, then tuna. Roll with the wrapper and cut as you would cinnamon rolls (with a knife). These are awesome -- my 3 year old begs for it.

Good luck!

[christinaliu]

Hey, awesome topic!

You know what I've been wanting--and would LOVE to be able to make myself?  Chap Chae!  It's SO GOOD and I just love it...(well, I love MOST noodle dishes anyhow) but I would love a great recipe for Chap Chae if any of you have one to share...I'd be eternally grateful!

Thanks!

--Christina