Okay, so I’ve been wanting to try making some Korean appetizers at home. I’m no chef, but I love Korean food, and the little side dishes (banchan) always seem so fun and flavorful. So, I decided to give it a shot!
Getting Started
First, I looked up some easy recipes online. I didn’t want anything too complicated for my first attempt. I settled on a few that seemed manageable: kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon), spicy cucumber salad (oi muchim), and maybe some seasoned spinach (sigeumchi namul).
Gathering the Goods
Next up, the grocery store! I needed to grab some kimchi (obviously!), cucumbers, spinach, and some basic pantry staples like gochujang (Korean chili paste), soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. I already had some flour and eggs at home, thankfully.
The Kimchi Pancake Adventure
I started with the kimchi pancakes because they seemed the easiest. I chopped up some kimchi, mixed it with flour, water, and a bit of the kimchi juice. I added a beaten egg for good measure. Then, I heated up some oil in a pan and poured in the batter. It sizzled nicely! I flipped them when they were golden brown and crispy on the edges. They actually turned out pretty good!
Cucumber Salad Chaos
The cucumber salad was next. I sliced the cucumbers thinly, salted them, and let them sit for a bit to draw out some moisture. Then, I rinsed them and mixed them with a concoction of gochujang, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and a pinch of sugar. I tasted it and added a little more of this and that until it tasted right. It was spicy and refreshing!
Spinach Struggles
The spinach was a bit trickier. I blanched the spinach in boiling water, then shocked it in cold water to stop the cooking. I squeezed out the excess water (this part was surprisingly annoying!) and mixed it with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and some toasted sesame seeds. Honestly, it was a little bland, so I added a bit more soy sauce and sesame oil. It was okay, but definitely needed some work.
The Final Feast
Finally, I arranged everything on a plate. It actually looked like a pretty decent spread of Korean appetizers! The kimchi pancakes were definitely the star, crispy and flavorful. The cucumber salad was a nice, spicy contrast. And the spinach… well, it was there.
Overall, it was a fun cooking experiment! I definitely learned a few things, and I’m excited to try making these again, maybe with a few tweaks. I’ll probably look up some more spinach recipes, though. That one needs some help!
