Our Korean Kitchen features 100 best-loved recipes from the home kitchen of Jordan Bourke and Rejina Pyo. A few highlights include Bibimbap (Mixed Rice with Vegetables and Beef), Hongsi (Persimmon with Maple Syrup and Lime), Paeju Gui (Scallops with Salted Sesame Oil), and Bindae-Ddeok (Mung Bean Pancakes). I will also be sharing their recipe for Mul Naengmyeon (Buckwheat Noodles in Chilled Broth) following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Weldon Owen in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Jordan Bourke and Rejina Pyo
Jordan Bourke is a private chef, writer, food stylist, and consultant. He trained at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, won the title of best Korean chef in the United Kingdom at the 2013 K-Food Festival, and was awarded an honorary ambassadorship by the Korean Foreign Ministry to promote Korean food in the UK.
He is also the author of Healthy Baking, The Guilt-Free Gourmet, and The Natural Food Kitchen. Jordan currently lives in London with his wife, Rejina Pyo.
Rejina Pyo is a Korean fashion designer with an eponymous womenswear label in London. She graduated with an MA in Fashion from Central Saint Martins, has worked for many luxury fashion houses, and was the recipient of the Han Nefkens Fashion Award in 2012.
Our Korean Kitchen
Jordan begins Our Korean Kitchen with his introduction to Korean cuisine through his wife’s family and how they brought those flavors to their home in London.
For those new to Korean cooking, a guide is included for mealtime customs; how to navigate basic pantry items with names in English and Korean (Romanized and Hangul), photos, and descriptions; and menu ideas and pairings for everything from quick meals and light lunches to dinner parties and barbecues.
Chapters are divided based on the following: Rice & Savory Porridge; Soups & Stews; Vegetables, Pickles & Sides; Pancakes, Fritters & Tofu; Noodles; Fish; Meat; and Dessert.
The photography is provided by Tara Fisher. Most of the recipes are accompanied by a beautifully styled, full-page photo of the finished dish along with photos scattered across the pages of the scenery and people.
Measurements are listed in US Customary (the United States version- there is a UK edition from 2015). Titles are written in English and Korean. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, helpful tips, and serving size.
Mul Naengmyeon (Buckwheat Noodles in Chilled Broth)
With temperatures in the 90s-100s˚F (32-38˚C) for weeks now, I was particularly drawn to the recipe for Mul Naengmyeon (물냉면). It is such a wonderful way to beat the heat with cold buckwheat noodles, a chilled beef broth, and an assortment of refreshing toppings.
The dish originated in Pyongyang and there are now multiple variations from instant versions to completely homemade. This recipe from Our Korean Kitchen has the option for either homemade (recipe in book) or store-bought beef stock alongside beef slices, rice vinegar, soy sauce, pear, cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, and wasabi paste (traditionally hot mustard).
Want something with a bit more spice? The book also has a recipe for Bibim Naengmyeon (비빔냉면) from Hamheung with a vibrant, chili-based sauce.
Notable Ingredients
Naengmyeon (냉면) are long, almost translucent noodles. Their chewy, springy texture is created with the blend of buckwheat flour and additional starches. They can be found in the dried noodle section of markets with Korean ingredients. Some are packaged with powdered broth and mustard oil for a quicker instant version.
Korean pears (Bae 배, Asian pear) are large brown pears with a crisp and juicy texture. They add a refreshing crisp contrast to the noodles and soup.
These pears bruise easily and are often sold with a protective wrapping, so be careful with storage (in a cool, dry place). Choose ripe pears by their strong, sweet smell and avoid those that are bruised and soft. I have been able to find them in larger grocery stores and the produce section of markets with East Asian ingredients.
This recipe uses rice vinegar in place of the brine from pickled radish (dongchimi).
A Few Mul Naengmyeon Tips
Rinse the noodles well after boiling to remove excess starch and bring out that notable elastic texture.
Want the broth extra icy? I often pour a little of the beef broth (about 1/2 cup, 120 milliliters) into a crushed ice mold or a freezer safe zip-loc bag. Once frozen, break the ice up into small pieces and transfer to the bowl with the rest of the broth and noodles immediately before serving.
To make the hard-boiled eggs, I simmered large eggs in water (plus a splash of vinegar) for 6-7 minutes, then immediately transferred them to a bowl of ice water to chill before peeling and cutting in half.
The Mul Naengmyeon is best enjoyed right after assembling. With time, the noodles will soak in the broth and soften.
More Dishes
I also made Kim-Bap (Rice & Seaweed Rolls), Ki-Rum Ganjang Ddeokbokki (Crispy Soy Rice Cakes), Bo-Seot Namool (Soy-Seasoned Mushrooms), and Hoddeok (Pecan and Cinnamon-Stuffed Pancakes).
Kim-Bap are thinly sliced rice and seaweed rolls. These incredibly flavorful rolls have roasted sesame seed-seasoned rice as the base and are tightly rolled with marinated beef, egg strips, spinach, carrots, cucumber, and pickled yellow radish. They keep well for lunches and picnics.
I was first introduced to rice cakes a few years ago and have been searching for different ways to cook with them ever since. I loved the simple, crisp presentation in this Ki-Rum Ganjang Ddeokbokki (Crispy Soy Rice Cakes). Chewy rice cakes are pan-fried until crisp and coated in a sweetened sesame soy sauce. For a bit of a kick, the opposite page has a recipe for Ki-Rum Ddeokbokki (Crispy Chili Rice Cakes) with gochugaru and gochujang.
Bo-Seot Namool (Soy-Seasoned Mushrooms) is an easy banchan that comes together in less than 5 minutes. Sliced mushrooms are quickly stir-fried, then coated in soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. It can also be made ahead of time and served cold.
Hoddeok are sweet pancakes filled with a nut (pecan here) and cinnamon stuffing. I have made them a few times in the past and they have always been a huge hit. Evan helped me this time, so they were a little on the thick side, but still delicious. Be careful with that first bite! The molten cinnamon sugar interior gets quite hot.
Our Korean Kitchen is a great pick for those interested in homestyle Korean cooking. Recipes range in difficulty from 5 minute banchan options and light lunches to kimchi that requires a few days of fermentation. There is a nice blend of noodles, soups, grilled meat and seafood, sweet treats, and celebratory meals.
Having a market nearby that specializes in Korean ingredients will be helpful. Some more difficult to locate items include wakame, daikon, sweet potato glass noodles, gochugaru, gochujang, pork belly, roasted seaweed, lotus root, perilla leaves, Asian eggplants, fresh seafood, doenjang, black sesame seeds, and more.
Mul Naengmyeon (Buckwheat Noodles in Chilled Broth) Recipe
Excerpt from Our Korean Kitchen
Mul Naengmyeon (Buckwheat Noodles in Chilled Broth)
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (85 grams) beef tenderloin or sirloin thinly sliced
- 3 1/4 cups (770 milliliters) beef stock homemade or store-bought
- 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) rice vinegar plus extra to serve
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce
- 7 ounces (200 grams) naeng-myeon or soba noodles
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 1/4 Asian pear about 2 ounces (57 grams), or another pear variety
- 1 ounce (28 grams) cucumber halved, seeded, and cut into half moons
- 1 hard-boiled egg halved
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Wasabi paste or hot mustard, to taste
Instructions
- Place the beef slices in a large, deep pan with just enough of the beef stock to cover.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 3 minutes, until the beef is cooked through. Remove the beef slices and keep to one side (and refrigerate until ready to use).
- In a bowl, combine the hot beef stock with the cold stock and leave to cool completely.
- Season with the rice vinegar and soy sauce, then cover and refrigerate until very well chilled.
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for 4 minutes, until just cooked through, but still a little chewy.
- Drain and refresh with cold water until the noodles are cold. Drain again and toss with sunflower oil to prevent them from sticking together. Refrigerate until well chilled.
- When you are ready to serve, peel and core the pear (if you haven't already done so) and cut into thin julienne strips (don't cut too far ahead of time, as the pear will discolor).
- Divide the noodles between 2 bowls, placing the slices of beef, pear, cucumber, and hard-boiled egg on top and scatter over the sesame seeds.
- Divide the chilled broth between the bowls and serve with the wasabi and some more rice vinegar.
- At the table, add in a little of each to taste; it should have a distinct flavor of wasabi (or hot mustard). Stir everything together and enjoy.
Sally
I can always depend on you to provide a good, interesting recipe. Love you, Sally
Tara
Thanks so much! Love you too!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
This book sounds comprehensive — and mouthwatering. I read cookbooks like novels — I love the back stories and trying to imagine the tastes just by looking at the list of ingredients (and the photo, of course). The noodles in chilled broth is exactly what we need for today — feels like 104°.
Mindy Fewless
This looks so comforting!! Love your photos too!