Before we start cooking, here are some tips on how to make your Korean cooking experience easier and more fun. Easy ways of sizing ingredients, cutting methods, making stocks and juices, measuring and heat control are easily explained so that even beginner cooks can make delicious Korean dishes at home.
Approximate Size
Approximate Size
Basic Cutting
Making Stock
Making “Juice”
Measuring
Heat Control
Making Rice
Approximate Size
1 shiitake mushroom = 20g
1/2 potato = 50g
10 clams = 50g
1/4 zucchini = 50g
1/4 cucumber = 30g
10cm leek = 20g
1 clove garlic = 5g
1/4 onion = 50g
1/2 ginger = 10g
1/3 carrot = 100g
1 radish = 50g
Basic Cutting
Slice
Slice
Cut bite size
Chop/mince
Cube/dice
Julienne/shred
Square slice
Diagonal slice
Half slice
Rounding
Making Stock
Ingredients : 30g kelp, 2 liters water
1. Boil water in pot.
2. When water starts boiling, add prepared kelp and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through cheesecloth or strainer. Can be kept in refrigerator for up to 3 days. * Over cooking kelp produces a slimy substance that changes taste of stock.
1. Soak beef in cold water for 10 minutes to remove excess red juice.
2. Boil beef on high heat for ten minutes, then clean in cold water.
3. In a large pot put 3 liters water, parboiled beef, radish, leek, onion, garlic and ginger and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, then low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Pour stock over cheesecloth to remove excess fat.
1. Soak clams in salt water for 1 hour then clean thoroughly.
2. Boil clams until they start to crack open. When clams are fully opened, remove from heat and pour through cheesecloth. Keep refrigerated.
Making “Juice”
Ginger juice
Ingredients : 50g ginger, 1 cup water
Put water and ginger in blender/mixer and blend. Squeeze juice using cheesecloth.
Pineapple juice
Ingredients : 100g pineapple, 1 cup water
Put water and pineapple in blender/ mixer and blend. Squeeze juice using cheesecloth.
Apple juice
Ingredients : 100g apple, ½ cup water
Put water and apple in blender/mixer and blend. Squeeze juice using cheesecloth.
Pear juice
Ingredients : 100g pear, ½ cup water
Put water and pear in blender/mixer and blend. Squeeze juice using cheesecloth.
Onion juice
Ingredients : 100g onion, 1 cup water
Put water and onion in blender/mixer and blend. Squeeze juice using cheesecloth.
Approximate Size
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp gochu-jang
1/2 tbsp gochu-jang
1 tsp gochu-jang
High
Fire touches the bottom of pan/pot.
Medium
Fire almost touches the bottom of pan/ pot.
Low
Fire about 1cm from bottom of pan/pot.
Making Rice
1. Clean rice in cold water.
2. Soak in cold water for 30 to 60 minutes.
3. Put rice in a pot and add same amount of water (1 cup of water for every cup of soaked rice).* If you did not pre-soak rice, add 1.2 part water.
4. Cook on high heat until water comes to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, then 15 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
5. Remove lid and stir well using a rice scooper.* This is to evaporate extra moisture and keep from crumpling and hardening.
<TIP>
If using a pressure cooker, cook on high until cap starts to rattle, then reduce to low heat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for few minutes before opening.
1 shiitake mushroom = 20g 
1/2 potato = 50g 
10 clams = 50g 
1/4 zucchini = 50g 
1/4 cucumber = 30g 
10cm leek = 20g 
1 clove garlic = 5g 
1/4 onion = 50g 
1/2 ginger = 10g 
1/3 carrot = 100g 
1 radish = 50g 
