Tag: Kimchi

Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Korean Food & Culture Gifts
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the Korean food lover or culture enthusiast in your life? Whether they’re obsessed with kimchi jjigae, exploring Korean traditions, or crafting their own bibimbap, this guide has you covered. Here’s the ultimate 2024 holiday gift guide for Korean-inspired gifts, all conveniently available on Amazon. Bonus: by shopping through our affiliate links, you’re helping support our blog while ticking off your holiday list!
For the Korean Food Enthusiast
1. Voohek Korean BBQ Raclette Grill: Your All-in-One Indoor Grilling Solution
Looking for the ultimate Korean BBQ experience at home? The Voohek Korean BBQ Raclette Grill combines a non-stick grill plate and a natural cooking stone for perfectly seared meats, veggies, and more. With 1300W of power, it heats quickly to 500℉, making it easy to whip up a feast in minutes. The 8 raclette pans and wooden spatulas make it perfect for hosting, letting everyone cook their favorites—from steak and seafood to melted cheese and butter. Versatile enough for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this smokeless indoor grill is easy to clean and store, making it a must-have for foodies and families alike.
Check it out on Amazon →
2. K-Food: Korean Home Cooking and Street Food by Da-Hae and Gareth West
Discover Korean cuisine through this vibrant and approachable cookbook.
This cookbook features a blend of traditional Korean recipes and fun modern twists. Plus, it includes one of my own recipes! A perfect gift for home cooks and foodies alike.
Grab the book here →
3. Hagary Dragon Stainless Steel Chopsticks: Elegance Meets Durability
Elevate your dining experience with Hagary Dragon Chopsticks, designed in Korea and crafted from 316 surgical-grade stainless steel for unparalleled durability and hygiene. These reusable chopsticks are non-slip, thanks to their textured tips, making it easy to grip everything from sushi rolls to Korean BBQ. The laser-etched dragon design adds a touch of royalty to your table, and their dishwasher-safe, rust-resistant construction ensures they’ll last for years. Perfectly weighted and beautifully packaged, these chopsticks make an excellent gift for foodies, newlyweds, or anyone who loves Asian cuisine.
Shop the set →
4. DAGAON Finest Korean Snack Box
Discover the ultimate assortment of Korean snacks with the DAGAON Korean Snack Box, featuring 42 individually wrapped treats from top brands like Lotte, Orion, and Crown. This curated collection includes a mix of chips, cookies, pies, candies, noodles, coffee, tea, and more—perfect for sampling the best of Korea’s snacking culture. Whether it’s for gifting, parties, care packages, or just treating yourself, this snack box is ideal for any occasion. Packed with variety and flavor, it’s a surefire hit for friends, family, coworkers, or anyone craving a taste of Korea.
Get a snack box here →
5. Ramen Pot with Chopsticks, Spoon & Bowl Set: The Ultimate Ramen Lover’s Companion
Make instant noodles an art form.
Perfect for quick, delicious meals, this Ramen Pot Set comes with everything you need: a 1Qt Korean-style ramen pot, chopsticks, a spoon, and a bowl. Inspired by authentic Korean cuisine, this portable ramen cooker is ideal for dorms, small kitchens, or on-the-go dining. The pot’s compact size is perfect for single servings or meals for two, whether you’re making noodles, soups, or steamed eggs. The unbreakable bowl doubles as a serving dish for snacks, oatmeal, or salads, but remember: it’s not microwave-safe. Easy to clean and versatile, this set is a must-have for students, busy professionals, and anyone who loves quick, satisfying meals.
See it here →
For the Korean Culture Lover
6. Hanbok-Inspired Accessories
Celebrate Korean heritage with modern elegance.
From hanbok-patterned scarves to traditional-style jewelry, these gifts add a touch of Korea to anyone’s wardrobe.
Find hanbok accessories →
7. The Dark Side of Seoul: Weird Tales from Korean Lore Comics
Immerse yourself in Korean horror.
These comics are fun doorways into Korean folklore. You can order the digital or physical copies. Note that the physical copy takes around three weeks or so to ship from Korea.
Get the comic →
8. Calligraphy Set
Explore the artistry of Korean Hangeul writing.
A brush and ink set makes a unique gift for creative types interested in Korean culture. Pair it with a beginner’s guide for an even more thoughtful present. NOTE: Chinese calligraphy sets work as well.
Shop calligraphy kits →
9. K-Drama and K-Pop Merch
Perfect for the ultimate Hallyu fan.
Whether it’s BTS-inspired hoodies or Goblin-themed mugs, there’s no shortage of K-drama and K-pop gifts to choose from.
Browse fan merch →
10. Korean Language Learning Tools
The gift of speaking Korean.
Books like “Talk to Me in Korean” or language flashcards are ideal for anyone dreaming of learning Korean. Combine this with a subscription to online classes for the ultimate gift.
Explore language tools →
11. ZenKimchi Experiences Gift Card
Give the gift of experience.
Know someone who is planning to travel to Korea? Give them one of our ZenKimchi Experiences. Dine at the same BBQ place as Anthony Bourdain. Explore the dark alleyways on the Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk. Indulge in a Korean Chicken & Beer Pub Crawl. Or go off the main trail to find Korea’s real secrets on the Seoul Hike.
Check out the gift cards →
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Book a tour for any time in the future.
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For the Adventurous Cook
12. Fermentation Easy Starter Kit
DIY Korea’s most iconic dish.
A kimchi-making kit and more with fermentation jars makes it easy to create homemade batches. Add some gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) for an extra-special gift.
Shop fermentation kits →
13. Dolsot (Stone Bowl)
Perfect for sizzling bibimbap.
A Korean stone bowl turns rice and veggies into a restaurant-quality dish. Bonus: it’s great for stews too.
Find stone bowls →
14. Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking
Master the art of Korean sauces and pastes
For the ultimate DIY cook, how about making authentic Korean jang (pastes and sauces) at home? Named a Best New Cookbook of Spring 2024 by Eater and Epicurious
Grab the book →
15. Korean Drinking Set
Drink like a Korean.
For the makgeolli and soju parties! If you’re going to indulge in some Korean rice beer and soju, you gotta pour it and drink it out of the right vessels.
Check it out →
For the Tea and Wellness Lover
16. Korean Tea Sampler
Experience the subtle beauty of Korean teas.
OSOLLUC from Jeju Island makes some of the best premium teas in Korea. This is a must-have for any tea enthusiast.
Check it out →
17. Ginseng Supplements
Boost their health with a Korean superfood.
Korean red ginseng, known for its immunity-boosting and energy-enhancing properties, is a thoughtful and practical gift.
Shop ginseng gifts →
Wrap It All Up
This holiday season, celebrate the joy of Korean food and culture with these thoughtful gifts. From cookbooks like K-Food (featuring one of my recipes!) to the sweet, savory treats of a snack box, there’s something for everyone on this list. And remember, shopping through our links helps support the blog—so thank you for sharing the love!
Happy gifting! 🎁
December 2, 2024
Recipe: Cilantro Kimchi
Cilantro Kimchi: A Forgotten Korean Recipe with Deep Roots
You’ve probably heard the claim: Koreans don’t eat cilantro. Many food blogs repeat it like gospel. They say cilantro—also known as coriander—has no place in Korean cuisine.
But what if that’s not true?
The Hidden History of Cilantro in Korean Food
Let’s look north. In North Korea’s Hwanghae Province, there’s a traditional Korean recipe known as gosu kimchi (고수김치). “Gosu” is the Korean word for cilantro. This dish features fresh cilantro fermented with radish and spices—just like other kimchi. That’s right: cilantro kimchi exists and it’s Korean.
Before the Border Split
Before 1953, Kaesong was part of South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province. After the Korean War, it became part of North Korea. Kaesong is famous for its cuisine. It was even the capital of Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty.
Food from Kaesong—including cilantro recipes—faded from view after the war. Much of North Korea’s food culture remains undocumented or hard to access.
Refugees Remember Cilantro Kimchi
Joanne Choi, a Korean-American blogger, shared her father’s memories of cilantro-rich dishes from Kaesong. She called cilantro “comfort food” for him—something he missed deeply. Sadly, she couldn’t find any cookbooks or recipes from that region, even in Korean bookstores.
Clues from North Korean Tours
In 2008, a travel blogger visited Kaesong and noticed something surprising: cilantro on the table. It stood out as unusual compared to food in the South. That detail backs up claims of cilantro being part of the northern diet.
South Korean Buddhist Temples Keep the Tradition Alive
Cilantro hasn’t disappeared entirely. In South Korea, Buddhist temple cuisine preserves many old recipes. At Sanchon, a famous temple restaurant in Seoul, cilantro is praised for enhancing flavor—especially with meat-free dishes.
The Language Tells a Story
Here’s another clue: Koreans use the native word gosu for cilantro. They didn’t borrow the word from English or Chinese. That suggests it’s not new—it’s been on the peninsula for a long time.
Where This Cilantro Kimchi Recipe Comes From
This version of gosu kimchi comes from a North Korean source—yes, really. The original website is blocked in South Korea, but I found the recipe through archived content and compared it to a South Korean version: Gypsy’s Gosu Kimchi.
Only the North Korean version provided detailed measurements. That’s what I based this recipe on.
June 2, 2023
Confessions of a Kimchi Craver
There was a brief stretch in my first month in Korea when I stopped eating kimchi. I blame culture shock.
I had not yet grown my Asian palate and had made the expat’s error of expecting certain colours and shapes to correspond to familiar tastes. I spent far too much time pondering the explosive flavours in my mouth. This was not a side dish to be gastronomically deconstructed – not for beginners anyway. Some of the best advice that fellow expats gave me was: “Just eat it, regularly, and you will start to crave it.”
I followed this seemingly-absurd advice and began to see why fermented foods were known to be addictive. It was only later, after the cravings took hold, that I allowed myself to appreciate the variety of flavours in the many kinds of kimchi on the Korean table.
I was never more ready, then, for the annual Kimchi Festival in Gwangju. Never before had I been able to so appreciate this superfood, to seek out my favourite colours and textures, and to order three different kimchi-filled lunches.
I was sorry to have missed the kimchi-making workshop, in which visitors learn to make kimchi and take home their handiwork, as well as the scavenger hunt held by the Gwangju blog each year. I spent my day at the festival sampling kimchi of every variety, and squeezing in among the connoisseurs at popular stalls.
All the lip-smacking, onomatopoiec muttering and nodding reminded me of a wine tasting. There was also a sophisticated craftsmanship being appreciated and celebrated. When I walked through the stalls selling kimchi ingredients, however, I spotted the difference. This was a craft intended to be accessible to all kitchen-commanders, while still preserving the quality of the final product.
The process is celebrated as much as the result, as many an ajumma (아줌마) produced batch after batch on site. Rubber gloves wrist-deep in pools of bright red chili paste (고추장) made for a gory image reminiscent of a butcher’s block. Kimchi never was for the faint of heart.
The Gwangju Kimchi Culture Festival runs annually in October. After filling your belly, you can check out the kimchi museum and steal a hug from a giant fluffy cabbage – if you can compete with crowds of adoring fans.

October 21, 2013
Korean Style Arrabbiata Sauce
“Fusion” Korean-Italian dishes aren’t unique in Korea but they’re often quite pretentious. Pasta dishes in general still convey a “luxurious” image in Korea and this somehow justifies the often exorbitant prices in restaurants for Italian dishes (with their names italicized on the menu for added effect).
Arrabbiata sauce, however, is an inexpensive and common spicy sauce in Italian cooking with arrabbiata literally meaning “angry” and referring to the dish’s heat. The dish is a simple one that traditionally uses ingredients such as tomatoes, basil, garlic and crushed red peppers. In Korean cooking, kimchi, pork belly, perilla leaves (“kkaetnip”) and red pepper paste (gochujang) are common ingredients so I experimented with a swapping to make this hybrid dish. It’s Italian arrabbiata meets a Korean pork belly wrap.
I don’t claim it to be a glorified version of anything. It’s just something that simply came out of wanting the best of both worlds for a humble meal.

Korean Style Arrabbiata Sauce
Makes 4 servings

You’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cup of Penne pasta
- 1 cup of ripened Kimchi (chopped)
- 2 Garlic cloves (minced or sliced)
- 6 Perilla leaves (sliced into strips)
- 1 stalk of Green Onion
- 1 tbsp of Red Pepper Paste (Gochujang or 고추장)
- 150g of Pork Belly or Bacon
- 1 28 oz can (about 3.5 cups) of Crushed Tomato or Tomato Sauce (If you have a can of Whole Tomatoes, give it a whirl in a blender before adding)
- 2 tbsp of Olive Oil
- 1/2 a medium sized Onion, sliced (optional)
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- Parmesan Cheese for sprinkling (optional)
- Red Chili Flakes for sprinkling (optional)
1. Cook your pasta in salted boiling water until al dante. Drain and set aside when done.
1. Meanwhile, wash your veggies and cut them as needed. Perilla leaves should be cut into strips, green onion stalk chopped, garlics minced or sliced (depending on your preference). I chose to slice and add some mushroom and onions for added nutrients.
Chop your ripened kimchi, and slice your pork belly (or bacon) into thin slices. If you like bigger, chewier cuts of meat in your pasta, cut accordingly.

Diced, chopped, sliced and ready to go
1. Add just a tad bit of olive oil to your pan on medium high heat. The bacon or pork belly will release a lot of fat on its own. Stir for a minute or two before adding the garlic. Stir for another minute. If the pan is too hot make sure to lower your heat temporarily as you don’t want to burn your garlic.
I had bacon on hand, but pork belly should work fine too
1. Add your chopped kimchi to the pan, stir and cook for a minute.
1. Add your onions and mushroom (or other vegetables) if you choose to add them. Cook until the onions begin looking translucent.
The onions and mushrooms are optional and added just for nutrient benefits
1. Add in your green onions and perilla leaves, stir and cook for a minute and then add your tomato paste/sauce. Give it a mix, add the red pepper paste and then mix and cook on medium heat (uncovered) for approximately 6-10 minutes so all the flavors from the pork, garlic, perilla, etc, all incorporate together.
Instead of basil, we’re giving it a Korean twist with perilla leaves and green onion

Crushed tomato sauce or pasta sauce works fine

Red pepper paste for the Korean heat
1. When the sauce has slightly thickened and finished cooking, turn off the heat. Add in your cooked penne and gently stir so all the sauce thoroughly coats the pasta.
1. Serve the pasta immediately and add Parmesan cheese, chili powder flakes to your liking.
October 14, 2013
Recipe: Kale Kimchi
Recently, I joined a CSA (community-supported agriculture) farm affiliated with our local community college. Our CSA promises, “a share of whatever is ripe and ready to eat.”
Much ado about kale? Try turning it into a very spicy, garlicky kimchi. (Tammy Quackenbush photo)
That share recently included a small bunch of kale. Hubby is not a fan of kale, and I have never cooked with it before. So I was at a loss as to what I could do with it — really at a loss.
Initially, I thought I would make kale chips with it, given how ridiculously expensive store-bought preparations are compared with the simplicity of the recipe. To make kale chips, you remove the stem, chop the leaves into large bite-sized pieces, smear them with a flavored paste then dry the pieces in a food dehydrator or at very low heat in an oven.
However, I didn’t have all the ingredients in my pantry for the several Asian- and Korean-inspired kale chip recipes I found. For the paste, one recipe called for almond butter and another, tahini.
Those aren’t in my well-stocked Korean-style pantry. So I decided to use ingredients from such a pantry to make kale 김치 kimchi.
The following recipe for kale kimchi was adapted from the Week of Menus blog. Mostly, I cut the recipe in half, because my CSA kale bounty wasn’t as large as called for in the original recipe.
Don’t like the taste or texture of kale? The bold spiciness and garlic of this recipe might cultivate a kale craving. And salivating over this “superstar vegetable” is a good thing, according to dietician Kathleen Zelman:
One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Kale kimchi
by Week of Menus
Makes about 2 cups of kimchi
1 bunch kale
1/4 cup fish sauce (or 1/8 cup fish sauce and 1/8 cup soy sauce)
1/8 cup mochiko (“sweet” flour from cooked sticky rice)
3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons 고추가루 gochugaru (Korean red chili powder) (or 2–2.5 tablespoons of cayenne powder)
1/8 cup garlic, finely chopped
Wash the kale, trim the stems to the leaves and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Place the washed, chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle fish sauce over the leaves and toss them to lightly coat them with sauce. Set aside for about 45 minutes to allow the kale to wilt.
While the kale is softening, add rice powder, water and sugar to a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Whisk and stir constantly, until mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Continue whisking for another minute after the bubbles form. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
After kale has rested in the fish sauce and the rice flour mixture cools to barely warm, carefully drain the fish sauce in the bottom of the kale bowl into the rice flour mixture.
Finely chop a handful of garlic cloves by hand or in a food processor.
To rice flour mixture, mix gochugaru and finely chopped garlic, making a red paste. Mixture should taste salty, so add a bit more fish sauce, if necessary.
Using a spatula, mix the red paste with the kale, using a gentle folding motion, until all leaves are coated.
Pack the kale kimchi into a small wide-mouthed jar. Do not overstuff it; leave about 1/4 inch of space at the top for fermentation.
Leave the jar on the counter for about two hours.
Refrigerate the jarred kimchi. Periodically taste-test it for the level of fermentation preferred. Ours was ready in about three days.
August 23, 2013
[Francais] Rosbif & Kimchi de concombre à la coriandre
Est un ensemble qui va bien avec l’été, léger, simple et élégant. On savoure le contraste entre le croquant du concombre et la tendresse juteuse de la chair, la verdure fraiche et la rose nue. De petits piques espiègles de piment rouge dans le baume douillet de l’huile d’olive gorgée de soleil, un air inspirant le sud.
Idéal pour un déjeuner simple et gouteux, il suffit de découper des tranches fines, arrogez généreusement d’huile olive qui emballe si bien la fraicheur relevée du kimchi que le filet délicate de rosbif. Accompagnez un verre de vin blanc sec, Rully pour moi, ou un rosé, ce sera un repas lévitant, là, faites intervenir un peu de pomme de terre vapeur – encore assez chaud – qui donnera un peu de poids, ce gout de terre, c’est rassurant. Comment ne pas avoir la bonne appétit ?
Oi-sobaggi, kimchi de concombre, est farci habituellement avec les ciboule de Chine (Allium tuberosum). On peut les acheter aux épiceries asiatiques, mais, restons locavores, les verts de poireau assument plutôt bien ce rôle de parfumeur herbacé – la ciboule serait trop forte. La coriandre et le poivron ajoutent des reliefs aromatiques.
Le kimchi est un mets lacto-fermenté se conservant plusieurs jours. Vous pouvez en déguster accompagné du riz, des pâtes ou des viandes rouge ou blanche. Ce kimchi de concombre, spécialité de l’été se mange assez rapidement, vous pouvez commencer à déguster dès le 3ème jours. Différemment des autres kimchis, je vous conseille de ne pas dépasser 1semaine de conservation, ça risque de se ramollir. Cette recette est légèrement interprétée, pour la recette de oi sobaggi classique, voyez ici.
August 20, 2013
Super Easy Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobaegi)
Kimchi making is often a very labor intensive process. In fact, every November is dedicated to kimchi making, call it the kimchi making season. But today, I will show you how to make a very simple recipe of stuffed cucumber kimchi called oi sobaegi 오이 소배기.
My recipe differs slightly from the original Korean recipe, due to my residency in the US, but the flavor and theory of making this dish will be basically the same.
Refreshing and easy cucumber kimchi that is both spicy and cooling
This cucumber kimchi is enjoyed throughout the year, but particularly around summertime for its cool and refreshing effect of the cucumbers. Try making this very simple kimchi recipe and tell us what you think of it!
July 4, 2012
Kimchi Okonomiyaki
Since I have a large half-used bag of 부침 buchim pancake mix begging to be brought onto the front lines of my kitchen, I decided to make kimchi okonomiyaki. I’m always in such a hurry — 빨리 빨리 bbali, bbali! So what could be better than adding kimchi to the popular add-whatever-you-like Japanese pancake?
Looks like the plate is spinning, doesn’t it? (Tammy Quackenbush photo)
Okonomiyaki makes a wonderful canvas for nearly any kind of topping you want, even pizza type toppings could work. After all, the Japanese name (お好み焼き) literally means, “Cook what you like, the way you like it.”
With that commission, I threw almost everything everything in my kitchen on top of mine: Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes and seaweed mixed with dried anchovy. Hubby’s was a little more spartan, with just dabs of spicy mayonnaise but without the ocean products.
OK, I got a little too happy with the bonito flakes. Some may deride them and seaweed as “fish bait,” but the bounty of bonito was more like cat bait. Both my kitties tried various ploys to get at the plate.
Loosely inspired by Okonomiyaki World‘s Osaka-style okonomiyaki recipe
April 23, 2012
Kimchi Dakgalbi
Korean barbecue depends on the quality of the marinade. Diners might not have the well-trained sense of a sommelier, but they will detect a difference even if they can’t identify exactly which ingredient they are noticing in a good or bad way.
There are two basic styles of marinades: acidic or enzymatic. Commonly used acidic marinades include citrus juice, such as orange or lemon juice, vinegar or wine. Enzymatic marinades include papaya or pineapple purees. The marinade’s jobs are to enrich the flavor of the meat and, depending on the cut, help tenderize it.
Herbs, oils and spices in the marinade tag along for the ride.
This particular marinade depends on the acid of the kimchi to flavor the chicken before grilling.
For many cravers of Korean cuisine, the word 닭갈비 dakgalbi is associated with commonly called 춘천 닭갈비 Chuncheon dakgalbi, a stir-fried dish of diced chicken with large rice noodles, cabbage, and sweet potato. Although dakgalbi is simpler than Chuncheon’s iconic variation, it’s very tasty in its own right.
There was enough sauce that I decided to serve it as a pasta sauce rather than on top of rice. It worked surprising well.
Inspired by Eueueunji

February 29, 2012
Easy Kimchi Deviled Quail Eggs
There are some things that are cheap in Korea that are considered delicacies in other parts of the world. One of those is quail eggs. People don’t think anything of them in Korea. You can get them raw next to the chicken eggs. But even better, you can get them already cooked and peeled in the refrigerator section. That makes things much easier when making this recipe.
Normally, I would have garnished them with something like gochugaru or chiffonade sesame leaves. But the baby was also eating these. She can handle a little bit of spice but not much. These were gone in fifteen minutes.
February 4, 2012