Cook Korea! Iconic Dishes + Cult Recipes, written by Billy Law, features an amazing collection of street food, weeknight meals, celebratory dishes, and everything in between with over 70 recipes. A few highlights include Gireum Tteokbokki (Pan-Fried Spicy Rice Cakes), Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Spring Onion Pancakes), Budae Jjigae (Army Base Stew), Dak Nalgi Jorim (Soy-Braised Chicken Wings), and Gim Muchim (Seasoned Seaweed). I will also be sharing his recipe for Jeyuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Spicy Pork) following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Most of the recipes in this book were first published in Little Korea in 2018 by Smith Street Books.
Billy Law
Billy Law is a recipe developer, photographer, travel writer, and cookbook author.
He has written and been the contributor of multiple books including Rice, XXL, and Have You Eaten? Billy was also a finalist in Australia’s MasterChef Season 3.
He is currently based in the Central Victoria, Australia.
Cook Korea!
Billy begins Cook Korea! with a short introduction and how he developed a love for Korean cuisine before jumping into the recipes.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Kimchi, Street Food, Anju, Rice & Noodles, Soups & Stews, Mix ‘n’ Match Feasts, Banchan, and Sauces & Condiments.
The photography is provided by Daniel Herrmann-Zoll with food styling by Lee Blaylock. Every recipe is paired with either a full page or a layout photo of the finished dish. There are also a few location photos highlighting the people and scenery behind the food.
Measurements are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in English and Romanized Korean. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, yield, helpful tips, and serving ideas.
Jeyuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Spicy Pork)
So far, the Jeyuk Bokkeum (제육볶음, Stir-Fried Spicy Pork) has been my favorite recipe from Cook Korea! This easy meal pairs thinly sliced pork with onions and a flavorful spicy marinade.
The longest part is the marinating in the refrigerator. Simply mix everything together, allow to rest for about an hour, then stir-fry the pork in batches until lightly caramelized and golden.
Serve the Jeyuk Bokkeum hot from the pan either with rice and banchan or add lettuce and perilla leaves for wrapping.
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
Notable Ingredients
Gochugaru (고추가루) is a hot Korean red chili powder ground either coarse or fine depending on the use. The best gochugaru is made from red chili peppers that have been dried in the sunlight. It can be located in markets with Korean ingredients.
You can even make your own chili flakes by trimming and drying Korean red chilies then grinding to the desired texture.
Gochujang (고추장, red pepper paste, red chili paste) is a fermented condiment traditionally made by aging gochugaru (Korean red pepper), chapssal (glutinous rice), yeotgireum (barley malt), mejugaru (fermented soybean), and salt in a clay pot in the sun during cooler months.
It is available in the condiment section of markets with Korean ingredients.
Ssalyeot (쌀엿) is Korean rice syrup. If unavailable, swap or equal parts corn syrup, glucose, or honey.
For those in Northern Virginia, I have picked up all of these ingredients at H Mart in Centreville and Lotte Plaza Market in Chantilly.
A Few Jeyuk Bokkeum Tips
If you do have a Korean market nearby, you can often get pre-sliced pork shoulder for even less prep.
Stir-fry the pork in 2-4 batches, depending on the size of your pan. If you overcrowd the mixture, the pork will just steam and not get those notable caramelized texture.
Add a little more oil between batches as needed.
Other Dishes
I also made Ppopgi (Honeycomb Candy), Buldak Ramen (Fire Noodles), Sujebi (Potato and Dumpling Soup), and Gamja Jorim (Soy-Braised Potatoes).
The kids were so excited to see the recipe for Ppopgi (Honeycomb Candy) in the book. They have heard of this treat from its recent popularity, but this was their first time making it at home. Sugar is melted and lightly caramelized before quickly stirring in baking soda and forming into individual rounds. The rounds are stamped with shapes and allowed to set before attempting to scratch the outlines without cracking.
A spin on Korea’s Buldak Ramen, Billy’s Fire Ramen is another fun challenge with friends. Instant ramen is dressed up with a fiery gochujang and Korean capsaicin hot sauce. Serve with a glass of milk and try to finish the bowl before touching the milk (I failed).
Sujebi (Potato and Dumpling Soup) is an incredibly comforting option from the Soups & Stews chapter. Cubed potatoes and torn pieces of a homemade dough are simmered in an anchovy and kelp stock base (recipe in book) until tender. It was wonderful served alongside kimchi.
I made the Gamja Jorim (Soy-Braised Potatoes) to use up a few leftover potatoes. This simple side pairs cubed potatoes with a sweet soy-based coating to create a hint of caramelization. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week as a quick banchan to have on hand.
Cook Korea! is a great pick for those interested in Korean cuisine. There is an incredibly wide range of options for every occasion from a variety of homemade kimchi to street food, banchan, larger meals, stews, and sweet treats. Some come together in 30 minutes or less, while other recipes require a little more prep or resting time.
Many of the ingredients are becoming more available in larger grocery stores in the United States. Having a market with Korean ingredients nearby will be helpful in locating items such as Korean radish, garlic chives, tteok, Korean glass noodles, glutinous rice flour, sweet red beans, dried shiitake mushrooms, buckwheat noodles, pork belly, doenjang, perilla leaves, dried ferbrake, and more. Substitutions are provided when possible.
Jeyuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Spicy Pork) Recipe
Excerpt from Cook Korea!
Jeyuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Spicy Pork)
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram (2 pounds 3 ounces) pork shoulder
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 3 spring onions (scallions) cut into 5 centimeter (2 inch) lengths, plus extra thinly sliced to serve
- Vegetable oil for frying
Spicy Pork Marinade:
- 135 grams (1/2 cup) gochujang
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru
- 60 milliliters (1/4 cup) soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice (or white) vinegar
- 2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 tablespoon Korean rice syrup (Ssalyeot) or corn syrup, glucose, or honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 5 centimeters (2 inches) piece of ginger peeled and finely grated
Instructions
- Put the pork in the freezer for about 1 hour to allow it to partially freeze and firm up, then slice the pork against the grain into 3 millimeter (1/8 inch) thick slices.
- Combine the sliced pork, onion and spring onion in a large bowl and set aside.
- To make the spicy pork marinade, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour the marinade over the pork and, using your hands (wear food preparation gloves if necessary), rub the marinade into the meat until it is well coated.
- Cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat.
- Stir-fry the pork, in batches, for 3-4 minutes, until well browned and caramelized. Add a little more oil between batches if necessary.
- Serve as is, topped with sliced spring onion, or enjoy wrapped in lettuce and perilla leaves, with steamed rice on the side for a more substantial meal.
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