The Korean K-Drama Cookbook, written by Choi Heejae, features a vibrant collection of 61 recipes for the home cook inspired by favorite Korean dramas. A few highlights include Soft Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae), Noodles in Spicy Black Bean Sauce (Jajangmyeon), Hand-Torn Noodle Soup (Sujebi), Mandu Dumpling Hot Pot (Mandu Jeongol), and Egg Fried Rice. I will also be sharing her recipe for Donkkaseu (Korean Tonkatsu) following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Tuttle Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
This book was originally published in Japanese as Kankoku Drama no Teiban Gohan and translated into English by Makiko Itoh.
Choi Heejae
Choi Heejae runs a restaurant in Seoul, operates one day cooking classes, and conducts cooking classes at the Hyundai Seoul department store.
She studied traditional food and drink culture at the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine.
The Korean K-Drama Cookbook
Choi Heejae begins The Korean K-Drama Cookbook with a short introduction before going over a few essential Korean ingredients and the K-Dramas featured in the book.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Classic Korean Dishes that Appear in K-Dramas; Dishes that Have a Starring Role in K-Dramas; Delicious Korean Noodles, Rice and Snacks; Homemade Kimchi and Comforting Hot Pots; Korean Flavors in No Time with Tasty Multipurpose Sauces; and Great When You Are Busy! Make-Ahead Korean Dishes. The contents page has a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
Every recipe has a half to full page photo of the finished dish. There are also a few photos demonstrating specific step-by-step instructions or techniques such as preparing Ginseng Chicken Soup (Samgyetang) and coating Korean Corn Dogs (Hasdogeu).
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English and Korean. Each recipe has a note on preparation time, yield, helpful tips, and often a description of the drama and scene that inspired the dish.
Donkkaseu (Korean Tonkatsu)
To pair with this review, I made Donkkaseu (돈까스)! A Korean version of Tonkatsu, this thin pork cutlet is coated in flaky breadcrumbs, fried until golden, and served with a thick demi-glace sauce. The recipe was inspired by Episode 5 of Familiar Wife.
I paired the pork cutlets with freshly steamed rice, shredded cabbage topped with a blend of ketchup and mayonnaise, and a few pickled radish slices for quite the delicious and comforting lunch.
As a note, I personally doubled the ingredients when making this recipe (of the pork, not the sauce) to form the two servings shown in the photo.
A Few Donkkaseu Tips
Panko (Ppanggaru) are coarse, flaky breadcrumbs. These larger pieces absorb less oil compared to finer breadcrumbs, creating a crisp, light coating for the Donkkaseu. I have been able to find panko in larger grocery stores and markets with East Asian ingredients.
After coating the pork in flour, shake off as much excess as possible. Too much flour will cause the coating to separate completely from the pork cutlet.
To create that notable golden, crispy texture, the coated pork cutlets are fried in oil just until cooked through and golden. The temperature should be around 360˚F (182˚C) to give the pork a chance to cook through before the coating darkens too much.
If making a larger batch, remove any leftover pieces of panko in the oil. These will continue to darken and may create a burnt taste for the remaining cutlets.
More Dishes
We also made Beef Soup (Gukbap), Carbonara Ramyeon, French Fries with Dadaegi Sauce, and Korean Rolled Omelet (Gyeran-Mari).
The Beef Soup (Gukbap) was an incredibly comforting option the first day the temperatures outside dipped below freezing. Inspired by the beef soup in episode 3 of Something in the Rain, this savory soup is packed with doenjang, Napa cabbage, thinly sliced beef, and garlic.
I was especially excited to see a few different ways of dressing up instant ramyeon noodles from Cheesy Chicken Ramyeon to Ramyeon Pancakes. I started with the Carbonara Ramyeon. After boiling until tender, the noodles are tossed in a creamy bacon mushroom sauce lightly seasoned with the ramyeon packet and topped with green onion to garnish.
The French Fries with Dadaegi Sauce is an easy snack pairing French fries with a spicy meat sauce and processed cheese slices. The meat sauce can also be paired with noodles for a quick lunch.
The Korean Rolled Omelet (Gyeran-Mari) was inspired by episode 9 of Mystic Pop-Up Bar. Beaten eggs are combined with minced carrot and green onion, then cooked and folded in layers to form a roll with a cheese center. As a note, I did use less salt than the recipe called for in the egg mixture.
The Korean K-Drama Cookbook is a fun pick for those interesting in making the dishes featured in favorite Korean shows. These recipes have been developed for the home cook with often smaller 1-4 person servings. They range from banchan and snacks to meat/seafood/vegetable-based mains and even a few cocktail options. Many come together in less than 30 minutes, while others take a bit more prep.
Having a Korean market nearby will be helpful in locating items such as silken tofu, dangmyeon noodles, perilla leaves, mung bean sprouts, king oyster mushrooms, dried red dates, dried seaweed, gochujang, pickled daikon radish, and garlic chives. Substitutions are provided when possible.
Donkkaseu (Korean Tonkatsu) Recipe
Excerpt from The Korean K-Drama Cookbook
Donkkaseu (Korean Tonkatsu)
Ingredients
- 1 piece pork shoulder cutlet about 4 ounces (110 grams)
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) tempura flour or plain flour
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup (60 grams) panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for deep-frying
Sauce (makes extra):
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) water
- 1/4 cup (70 milliliters) milk
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
To make the pork cutlets:
- Wrap the pork cutlet in cling film, and bash it with a rolling pin to make it about 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) thick.
- Salt and pepper both sides of the pork, and spread evenly with the grated garlic.
- Put the flour, beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs in (3) separate flat containers or dishes.
- Spread out the pork piece and dip it into the flour, then into the beaten egg, then into the panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat the oil to 360˚F (180˚C), and put the pork in slowly. Fry until golden brown on both sides, and drain off excess oil.
To make the sauce:
- While the pork is cooking, make the sauce.
- Heat a frying pan over low heat, add the butter then the flour, and sauté until the flour is browned.
- Mix in the Worcestershire sauce and ketchup, then the water, milk, and sugar, and cook until thickened.
- Arrange the pork cutlet on a plate, and pour over the sauce.
- Any leftover sauce will keep refrigerated for a couple of days, or up to a month in the freezer.
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