Garlic is a staple – if not THE staple – in our kitchen. I was raised by an avid garlic eater, and then married one (thankfully). My husband used to tell me my “natural smell” was garlic. Flattering, right? Garlic is a common ingredient across numerous cultures. With mostly Korean and Turkish influenced recipes found on this website, you’ll find it in almost all of the savory dishes I’ve shared. In…
(Photo: My mom getting more mileage out of my Hanbok on Halloween circa 1991.) I had just started a questionnaire. It asked my ethnicity and allowed me to “check all that apply,” an option that didn’t exist when I was younger. Then, it asked me to select which one I identified with most. As a biracial Asian and Caucasian person, I can never be defined as one without the…
Seaweed is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine that takes on different forms for soups, salads, snacks and entrees. Here in the U.S., the names for each type of seaweed are generally more well-known by their Japanese monikers for reasons unknown to me. However, seaweed is very frequently used in Korean and Chinese cuisine as well. Below, I’ll list some of the most common seaweed types by the English names,…
Chickpeas are cheap, healthy and delicious legumes that work so well in numerous dishes or can be enjoyed entirely on their own. If you’re looking to eat healthier or lose a few pounds, they are a great food choice. Not only do chickpeas make you feel full and keep you full for longer, they are also filled with nutrients and fiber. …
One key ingredient to many of the Korean dishes you’ll find on this site is gochujang – a spicy, fermented soybean paste that has become increasingly more popular here in the States. In fact, I was shocked when during a recent trip to Food Lion (a grocery chain here in North Carolina), I saw a bottle of gochujang! This is great because there’s no substitute you can use to match…
An all-natural sweetener used in the Anatolian region for centuries, pekmez is a molasses traditionally made from grapes, but is also made from fig, mulberry, dates, carob, juniper berries and other fruits. While it is a natural source of sugar for cooking or direct consumption, it is also known for its health benefits in boosting energy and for treating multiple other ailments.…