Ever since trying his Soft Scrambled Tamago, I’ve been hooked on Eric’s delicious, sometimes nostalgic, recipes that don’t skimp on flavor – having made dozens, they’ve all been stellar (particular favorites include his Roasted Chicken With Fish-Sauce Butter, Gochugaru Salmon With Crispy Rice, Maple Milk Bread, and Soft Sugar Cookies With Raspberry Frosting).
If the recipes aren’t enough, give Eric a follow or read his articles on @nytcooking – he has a lyrical way of writing that I find very calming and almost meditative. He comes across as such a genuine and all-around wonderful human, and I have so loved following along on his journey!
His debut book, Korean America, is by far my favorite non-Ina cookbook – and that’s saying something! It’s packed with simple, but flavorful recipes that pull from growing up in Atlanta as the son of Korean immigrant parents. Beleive me you’ll love it as much for the recipes as the story of Eric finding himself through food.
If you’re worried about finding the ingredients, don’t! Find a local Asian grocery store or shop online (Maangchi is a great online resource) – the great thing about this book is that you can stock up on a few key Korean ingredients that a featured in many recipes throughout the book!
Recipes made: 51/88 (57.9%)
SKIP TO CHAPTERS: TV Dinners - Kimchi Is A Verb – S Is For Stew – Rice Cuisine - Korea Is A Peninsula – Garden of Jean – Feasts – Korean Bakery
TV Dinners
Pan-Seared Rib-Eye with Gochujang Butter
Book: Korean American, page 32
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
It was only after I started writing this, that I realized I made the butter with the incorrect ingredients! I used gochugaru (red pepper flakes) rather than gochujang (red pepper paste) – whoops! It was still fabulous and the simple recipe allows the pricey steak to shine. The 1.5-inch thick steak is seared on all sides over high heat until nicely browned then the gochujang butter is added to the pan, as it melts you spoon it over the steak. Mine smelled like buttered popcorn – which could have been the gochugaru! The medium-rare steak was perfect and the spicy butter divine. Next time, I’ll have to make it as written. Ha!
Gochugaru Shrimp with Roasted-Seaweed Grits
Book: Korean American, page 40
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on the Thrillest.com
Fiery jumbo shrimp coated in a gochujaru (red pepper flake), fish sauce, and garlic glaze sitting atop a bed of creamy grits infused with gim (dried seaweed) and sesame oil and garnished with cilantro. Yes, please! It was my dream dinner and definitely earned a place in the regular rotation! Gim can be hit or miss for me in dishes, but I loved it in this take on a Southern classic.
Maple-Candied Spam
Book: Korean American, page 43
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
I didn’t experience the joy that is Spam until I was in my 20s and was so sad I missed out on this deliciousness for so many years. In the intervening years, I’ve made up for lost time though. I love it best when seared on the outside and warm throughout. While the flavor of the Spam was perfect with the garlic-maple glaze, mine got a little too crunchy for my tastes. Turns out I like my Spam like I like my bacon – not crispy!
Jalapeño-Marinated Chicken Tacos with Watermelon Muchim
Book: Korean American, page 44
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on GMA.com
I don’t think I’ll ever need another chicken marinade! Bite-sized chicken thighs rest in a bright-green combo of jalapenos, garlic, and cilantro for anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours before roasting in the oven leading to tender, juicy meat in a delightfully spicy and refreshing sauce. Flour tortillas are then warmed, filled with the chicken, and topped with watermelon muchim (diced watermelon with jalapenos, gochugaru, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil). The muchim provided a fresh and slightly sweet contrast to the spicy chicken. I can’t recommend these enough!
A Lot of Cabbage with Curried Chicken Cutlets
Book: Korean American, page 47
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Epicurious.com
Inspired by donkkasseu (a thin, breaded pork cutlet) these thin chicken breasts are first covered in a dijon-mayo mixture, then dredge in panko flavored with curry and garlic powder and pan-fried. My chicken breasts were a little bigger than were called for and became a little unwieldy while cooking – next time I will cut them in half. The bread cutlets are topped with kkasseu sauce (Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and dark brown sugar). The quick-pickled cabbage slaw is very simple to pull together and Eric’s favorite part of the dish! All around a delicious meal.
Salt-and-Pepper Pork Chops with Vinegared Scallions
Book: Korean American, page 49
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on LATimes.com
Meatloaf-Glazed Kalbi
Book: Korean American, page 55
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on The Drew Barrymore Show.
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes may be my ultimate comfort food dinner. This recipe was inspired by the frozen tv dinners from our childhoods – my lunch of choice when my parents were working and I was out of school for summer. The flanken-cut beef short ribs are seared until evenly brown and nicely charred around the edges before being doused in the meatloaf glaze (ketchup, garlic, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, rice vinegar, and dried oregano) which bubbles up creating a shiny sauce that coats the short ribs. Make sure you thoroughly rinse the ribs to remove bone fragments – I was left with some unpleasant shards! I wasn’t sure what to expect from the gamja salad which feels like a cross between potato salad and mashed potatoes and is dotted with cucumbers, carrots, peas, and corn. But it was phenomenal! I became completely obsessed with it. It was creamy, crunchy, tangy, and a new favorite.
Kimchi Is a Verb
Jean’s Perfect Jar of Kimchi
Book: Korean American, page 68
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on GBP.org
Spam, Kimchi, and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Book: Korean American, page 83
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
I love how much Eric loves cabbage! I feel like cabbage got a bad wrap when I was a kid, but it’s honestly one of my favorite veggies! Having kimchi on hand often makes for quick, flavorful, and spicy dishes like this. Spam is crisped in a pan before adding kimchi and cooking until it mellows and caramelizes. Cabbage and onions are then added to the pan and cooked for a bit – in the end, they should still be crunchy. Finished with gochugaru, soy sauce, and sugar it was delightful over white rice!
Kimchi Sandwiches
Book: Korean American, page 84
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
As much as I love kimchi, I wasn’t exactly sure I’d be a fan of it in sandwich form, but I should have known to trust Eric! The kimchi is mixed with a little sugar and sesame oil and then placed on fluffy white bread that is smeared with mayo. With the crusts cut off, it feels like an upgrade on your standard finger sandwiches!
Bacon-Fat Kimchi Jeon with Herbs
Book: Korean American, page 88
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
These little kimchi pancakes are speckled with bacon and parsley and are cooked in bacon fat until crispy on the outside with fluffy interiors. I could not stop eating them! The soy/rice wine vinegar dipping sauce was the perfect accompaniment to cut a little of the fat.
Caramelized-Kimchi Baked Potatoes
Book: Korean American, page 91
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Parade.com
I love a loaded baked potato and am so happy to have this one in my back pocket! Eric’s secret ingredient is a little sugar sprinkled over the potato before adding all the other goodies – which helps balance the flavor profile. The spuds are topped with shredded mozzarella, finely diced kimchi, sour cream, chives, and bacon. YUM! Eric says you can use Yukon gold or Korean yellow potatoes. While both were good, I preferred the Korean yellow potatoes!
S Is for Stew
A Very Good Kimchi Jjigae
Book: Korean American, page 98
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
The name says it all! The spicy, bold-red stew packed with kimchi and slices of pork belly was one of the best versions I’ve had.
Budae Jjigae
Book: Korean American, page 101
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Saveur.com
This was a dish borne of food scarcity following the Korean War. It includes many of the leftover military rations like Spam, Vienna sausages, and American cheese slices – Ina would say it’s kimchi jjigae with the volume turned up! This hearty, savory, and spicy stew is bursting with flavor – the base sauce is a mixture of garlic, gochugaru, gochujang, soup soy sauce, and sugar, and the stew is packed with Korean radish, onions, Spam, an assortment of meat (I used hot dogs and Vienna sausages), bacon, napa cabbage kimchi, jalapenos, and scallions. To that, water is added and brought to a gentle boil for 15 to 20 mins until any raw meat is cooked through. The ramyun noodles are then added and cooked before being topped with a slice of American cheese and served with rice. It’s a pot of warm, soul-satisfying deliciousness! The only thing I would change next time is opting for meat other than Vienna sausages – it was my first time having them and didn’t love the mushy texture.
Doenjang Jjigae
Book: Korean American, page 104
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Doenjang is a fermented soybean paste and the base of this jjigae. To make, onions and scallions are cooked with doenjang, water, and sesame oil before adding silken tofu and enoki mushrooms. Zucchini is added right before serving. The flavors were on point for this, but I still can’t claim I’m a very big fan of tofu – but I’m determined to keep cooking with it!
Cornish Game Hen Soup with Fried-Shallot Oil
Book: Korean American, page 106
Rating: 5/5
Version of recipe on Food52.
Dakdoritang
Book: Korean American, page 109
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Seolleongtang Noodles with Scallion Gremolata
Book: Korean American, page 117
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on TasteCooking.com
This is an afternoon project for sure as the milky beef bone stock simmers away for 3 to 3.5 hours. The velvety, beefy stock is then poured over somyeon (wheat noodles), and topped with thinly sliced brisket and a salty, delicious garlic/scallion gremolata. It’ll be my new go-to when I’d feeling under the weather! You do need 5 pounds of beef bones, but luckily the bones can be used multiple times!
Rice Cuisine
Gyeranbap with Roasted Seaweed and Capers
Book: Korean American, page 130
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on NPR.org.
I love the combination of runny yolks with rice – I could eat it every day for breakfast. For this easy dish, an egg is fried in sesame oil and soy sauce, then placed on top of warm white rice and sprinkled with gim and capers. That’s it! Eric says this is “the kind of food you make for yourself when you’re hungry but too tired to cook” Simplicity at its best.
Tomato-y Omelet Rice
Book: Korean American, page 133
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
This dish took me back and reminded me of weekend breakfasts growing up – where I always topped my eggs with ketchup! I haven’t done it in years, but still love the combination! For his take on omurice, Eric makes fried rice with onions, grape tomatoes, scallions, soy sauce, and ketchup which is topped with a perfectly fluffy omelet and a zig-zag of ketchup. The breakfast of champions!
Eric’s Kimchi Fried Rice with Egg Yolk
Book: Korean American, page 136
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online
I’ve never met a kimchi fried rice that I didn’t love and Eric’s Kimchi Fried Rice may rank among my favorite ever! It’s one of the spiciest I’ve had and the gim nest with an egg yolk in the center makes for one beautiful presentation! The extra gochugaru also lends a vividly bright red color to the dish and is where a lot of the heat comes from. It’s a quick dish and perfect for that leftover rice lingering in the fridge. The gochugaru is bloomed in butter before adding onion followed by finely chopped kimchi and sauteed, Next, rice, kimchi juice, sesame oil, and fish sauce are added and cooked. The final step is key: pressing the mixture into a flat disk and leaving it undisturbed for a couple minutes so some of the rice can get crispy! To serve, you sprinkle on gim and add the yolk – I adore the combination of egg yolk and warm rice.
Spam and Perilla Kimbap
Book: Korean American, page 139
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Epicurious.com
I can never get enough Spam. For this version of kimbap, Eric caramelizes the Spam with maple syrup and garlic powder before rolling it with perilla leaves, white rice, and gim. So delicious.
Cheeseburger Kimbap
Book: Korean American, page 141
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Today.com
I loved this version of kimbap! Eric takes ground beef and seasons it with garlic powder before browning and caramelizing. It’s then mixed with onion, pickles, ketchup, and mayo and distributed on white rice that’s been spread over a sheet of kimbap. Topped with American cheese and thin pickle spears, the kimbap is rolled up tightly, sliced, and (believe me) devoured! It reminded me of a McDonald’s cheeseburger in the best way possible!
Korea Is a Peninsula
Pan-Fried Yellow Croaker
Book: Korean American, page 162
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on the Herald Times.
I faced my fear of cooking whole fish starting with this dish. My original plan was to buy, scale, (possibly gut) and then cook the fish, but the Hmart near me only had scaled/gutted yellow croaker so I dodged having to do the whole thing. That’s the part that intimidates me the most, but that will have to wait for another day. The preparation of this is simple – the filets are heavily salted and placed in the fridge overnight to dry out a bit. The next day you pan fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Another dish that proves simplicity is best when done right. The flakey white fish with crispy skin was seasoned perfect!
Old Bay Shrimp Cocktail with Wasabi Chojang
Book: Korean American, page 170
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online
Very few dishes are as classic as a shrimp cocktail at a party! For this spin, Eric cooks the shrimp in boiling water infused with lemon and Old Bay seasoning. The Old Bay didn’t come through for me – I may sprinkle a little on the shrimp next time! The dipping sauce skips the horseradish and gets its heat from the wasabi and gochujang – a word of warning to the spice averse that wasabi really hits you in the back of your mouth and will 100 percent clear your sinuses!
Ganjang Gejang
Book: Korean American, page 176
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Saveur.com
I was so intrigued by the beautiful photo, I had to try this dish and get over my fear of killing 2 pounds of blue crab – since the crabs aren’t cooked you need to buy them live and kill them yourself right before marinating. Unsure of where to find live blue crab near me, I stopped by a seafood shop in Chinatown and was able to get a dozen for $16! Fifteen minutes in the freezer numbs the crabs with the added benefit of making them a little less mobile. To kill, you pierce the center bottom (where the heart is) and slice down decisively. I felt like a crab serial killer. You then clean the crabs and added them to the cooled soy mixture imparted with jalapenos, garlic, ginger, onion, red apple, dried kelp, green plum syrup, and brown sugar. The crabs are refrigerated in the liquid for up to two days before you’re ready to dig in. The delicate crab meat turns a light brown and soaks in the sweet, very salty, nicely spicy liquid. Garnished with thinly sliced jalapeno and served with rice to balance the saltiness. It’s a lot of work getting the crab meat out, but believe me, it’s worth the effort. Take your time and savor every morsel!
Garden of Jean
Oi Naengguk with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
Book: Korean American, page 183
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
I adored this chilled soup packed with cherry tomatoes, scallions, and Persian cucumbers swimming in a vinegary “broth” favored with garlic, green plum syrup, and soup soy sauce. Crushed ice is added right before serving making for a very cold, refreshing treat that I’ll be making all those summer days when it’s too warm to even think about cooking.
Garlicky Creamed Spinach Namul
Book: Korean American, page 189
Rating: 4/5
Recipe on Southern Living.
A delicious take on sigeumchi namul that is a cross with creamed spinach you’d find at a steakhouse.
Gem Lettuce Salad with Roasted-Seaweed Vinaigrette
Book: Korean American, page 190
Rating: 3/5
Recipe not online.
Personally, I’m not always a huge fan of gim (dried roasted seaweed) especially when it’s the star of the dish, so this wasn’t a particular favorite.
Smashed Potatoes with Roasted-Seaweed Sour Cream Dip
Book: Korean American, page 193
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Eater.com
Smashed fingerling potatoes that are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside are served on a bed of sour cream dip infused with gim, garlic, and toasted sesame oil and garnished with scallions. A new favorite side
Grilled Trumpet Mushrooms with Ssamjang
Book: Korean American, page 195
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online
I loved this simple side. Since I didn’t have a grill, I made this on my griddle. The meatiness of the mushroom is perfect with the salty spiciness of the homemade ssamjang (doenjang, gochujang, garlic, vinegar, and honey).
Crispy Yangnyeom Chickpeas with Caramelized Honey
Book: Korean American, page 199
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Food52.com
Eric teased these right before the release and it was one of the first recipes I made from the book! Crispy chickpeas coated in a glossy, spicy red sauce and topped with scallions and sesame seeds. It’s a tasty snack.
Charred Cauliflower with Magic Gochugaru Dust
Book: Korean American, page 200
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Eric is right, you’ll use this magic-gochugaru dust on all your roasted veggies. A combo of gochugaru, paprika, brown sugar, and garlic powder – made a large batch of it to have on hand for any time I need a simple side with lots of flavor.
Gochujang-Glazed Zucchini with Fried Scallions
Book: Korean American, page 203
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on LA Times.com
This will be another favorite side. The fried scallions provide a nice crunch and the salty, spicy, sweet sauce of soy, gochugaru, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and garlic is perfection.
Feasts
Yangnyeom Roast Chicken
Book: Korean American, page 210
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on CoolFoodDude.
Cheesy Scallion Stuffing with Sesame Seeds
Book: Korean American, page 212
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Food & Wine
Sesame-Soy Deviled Eggs
Book: Korean American, page 210
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Purewow.com
Aunt Anne’s Broccoli-Cheese Rice Casserole
Book: Korean American, page 216
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on FoodNetwork.com
Mac-and-Corn-Cheese with Jalapeno Bread Crumbs
Book: Korean American, page 219
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Honey-Buttered Goguma Casserole with Turmeric
Book: Korean American, page 220
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Roasted Bo Ssam with Coffee, Garlic and Bay Leaves
Book: Korean American, page 210
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Learn a lesson from me: I accidentally bought 1.25 pounds of thickly sliced boneless pork belly rather than the uncut pork belly slab the recipe calls for. To remedy this, I tied all the slices together to recreate a “slab” prior to coating it in the coffee, garlic, and bay leave rub. It worked pretty well but try to find a slab and save yourself the headache! The pork belly is roasted and the resulting meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy, and the rub so flavorful. The bo ssam is served with onions that have been soaked in a soy, vinegar, and wasabi mixture which helps cut the fattiness of the pork. It’s topped with homemade ssamjang and served with sliced garlic, salted fermented shrimp, and rice wrapped up in a lettuce leaf.
Sheet-Pan Japchae with Roasted Wild Mushrooms
Book: Korean American, page 231
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Atlanta Magazine.
For this mix of deliciousness, wild mushrooms and scallions are roasted before being tossed with cooked dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles) and a sauce made of sesame oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, and garlic. This was my first time trying dangmyeon and I love the chewy bite paired with the caramelized, crispy-edged mushrooms in the slightly sweet sauce.
Salt-and-Pepper Ribs with Fresh Mint Sauce
Book: Korean American, page 235
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online
Aunt Georgia’s Soy Fried Chicken with Jalapeños
Book: Korean American, page 239
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Penguin Random House.
You had me at twice-fried chicken (Let’s be honest, it had me at fried chicken), but that’s just one trick that creates the supremely crunchy and satisfying chicken – the other is the genius potato starch coating! I was in awe of the crispy and crunchy crust encasing the perfectly tender and juicy chicken. And while the chicken was phenomenal on its own, the sweet-spicy soy, garlic, and jalapenos glaze takes it to the next level. The recipe is easily one of my favorite homemade fried chickens! It checks all the boxes and may be the only home-fried chicken recipe I ever need!
Crispy Lemon-Pepper Bulgogi with Quick-Pickled Shallots
Book: Korean American, page 240
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Rachael Ray
Thinly sliced ribeye, season with a lemon pepper mixture containing sugar and garlic powder is seared in a scorching skillet until cooked with crispy edges – each batch takes just over a minute to cook. Topped with pickled shallots (my favorite), jalapenos, and cilantro, the dish is delicious served with rice.
Clementine 50/50
Book: Korean American, page 245
Rating: 4/5
Recipe not online.
This cocktail is a mixture of half soju and half vermouth flavored with the juice of a clementine. I loved the soju/clementine combo, but the vermouth (which I enjoy as a background flavor) seemed to overwhelm the drink. I may try different portions next time!
Korean Bakery
Milk Bread with Maple Syrup
Book: Korean American, page 251
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on NYTCooking.com
AKA butt bread. Not being much of a bread baker, this recipe turned out perfect – slightly sweet, pillowy with a golden crust. It was best right out of the oven but just as delicious toasted and slathered with some golden butter. It’s a great afternoon project but most of the time involved is inactive.
Honeyed Biscuits with Strawberry Refrigerator Jam
Book: Korean American, page 255
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
I loved the story behind this recipe – it was inspired by the first thing Eric’s Dad ate after arriving in America from Korea: a buttery KFC biscuit! I think it’s time to get new baking powder as I keep encountering rising issues. These didn’t get the height I was hoping for but they were still buttery and delicious and the strawberry jam was divine.
Korean Pear Galette with Salted Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Book: Korean American, page
Rating: 5/5
Recipe not online.
Chewy Black Sesame Rice Cake
Book: Korean American, page 268
Rating: 5/5
Recipe on Vice.com
As part of the book release, Eric hosted a virtual cooking class to make this cake! I loved the look – the black sesame is mixed into the batter but floats to the top as in bakes making a delicious crust. This is a chewy cake (from the glutinous rice flour base) and quite tasty!
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