Maangchi's July letter!
Two new recipes, a refreshed version of one of my original videos, and more of your amazing photos and Korean cooking stories!
Hi everyone! I hope you’re doing well and enjoying the start of summer. Here in New York City it went from “a little cold” to “super hot” in one day lol. But it’s been great to go out and see people enjoy the warmer, longer days. New York is always fun for people watching.
A few days ago, I stopped by a store in Koreatown and one of my readers came up to say hello. She was such a nice person and it was great to talk to her. Meeting my readers who greet me so warmly always makes my day!
New recipe (updated): Tuna pancakes
Here’s a super easy tuna pancake (chamchi-jeon, or 참치전 in Korean) recipe using just one can of tuna! All you need is a few simple ingredients, and you’ll have a savory and delicious side dish for rice ready in no time! I originally posted this recipe a long time ago, but now I’ve updated it with a few tweaks (including less salt), and a brand new video. Lots of people have already tried it and said they loved it! The recipe is here!
New recipe: Bok choy kimchi
Here’s my bok choy kimchi recipe that I filmed in Montauk! A lot of people have asked me if bok choy works for kimchi. The answer is yes and it works wonderfully. The resulting kimchi is crunchy, deep green, and feels extra healthy. You can eat it fresh or let it ferment like regular kimchi. The recipe and the video are here!
Short video: Memil-guksu (cold soba with dipping sauce)
I just uploaded this cold memil-guksu re-edit video this morning especially for you guys, my newsletter readers!
One way to beat this New York City heat is to make these cool, refreshing noodles. I had them for lunch quite a few times in June. Whenever I ate them, I thought of you and I wished I could share them with you! So I took my original video and edited it down to a shorter, simpler version of just the important parts. If you want more details, explanation, and a longer video check out the full video and recipe here.
Enjoy your noodles and cool down!
Lolenka’s kkogetang (spicy crab stew)
Ooh~ the claws and thorns of the crab look ferocious! : ) But be sure it’s only delicious crab stew and you have stronger teeth than the shells! Lolenka in India made kkoketang a couple of times and posted the photo to my website. She said “it’s a flavour bomb!”
Jina’s soybean sprout and kimchi soup
Jina77 in California made a super refreshing soybean sprout and kimchi soup! She said “It tastes shi-won-hae” which literally means “cool” in Korean. It’s a way to describe that refreshing, satisfying feeling that makes your whole body feel good. Koreans (including me) often use this word even when eating hot soup! The recipe is here.
Gorgeous looking gimbap made by Thorsten
Thorsten’s been making a lot of gimbap lately! The colorful fillings and fluffy rice wrapped in seaweed look so good. He said: “I used fish sticks, fried tofu, asparagus, and cantaloupe melon.” Such a creative cook!
You want to be creative, too? Check out my traditional gimbap recipe here first!
What do you think of BarackObongma’s Kimchi?
What do you think of this kimchi BarakObongma made? When I saw this photo on Reddit, it reminded me of a big earthenware crock in the Korean countryside, filled with winter kimchi. The seasoning looks rich and full of deep flavor! I just want to put a piece on a spoonful of warm rice for a perfect bite! : ) The kimchi recipe is here!
North Korean style steamed eggplant!
Konstantin in Germany made gajijjim (spicy stuffed steamed eggplant) and left a comment: “I made this with western eggplant. Just like the girl from the story, I kept saying delicious… delicious and couldn’t stop eating. I have to say its top 10 things I have tasted in my life”
“The girl from the story?”
It had been so long since I made this video, that I had forgotten about my own story of the girl from North Korea. So I watched it again and felt so emotional that my eyes were tearful once more! Check out the video and the recipe here!
Messages from readers & viewers
You always inspire me, make me laugh, brighten my day, and sometimes even touch my heart! Here are some comments and messages I want to share with you this month:
Winnie said she wanted to make my beef and vegetable porridge for her son, who had been sick and had lost his appetite for a few days. I told her I hoped he would recover soon.
I'm going to follow your recipe and cook him beef Juk, he needs the extra protein. There is only cabbage and seaweed in the fridge, so i will add that
A few days later, she told me that her son really enjoyed the porridge. Hearing that made me feel so relieved and happy! : )
mifta asked why her kimchi turned out bitter. Do you have the same question? My answer is here:
Check out your gochu-garu (hot pepper flakes). Taste it to see if it is bitter. When the flakes are too old, it happens. If your gochu-garu doesn't taste bitter, it's from the cabbage. Korean farmers said if they use too much chemical fertilizer, the cabbage will taste bitter. No matter what you do to fix it, it will still taste bitter. Anyway you still can eat it. When the kimchi is fermented, it will taste better.
Can you believe I’ve been sharing my recipes on my website and YouTube for 18 years now? I still remember some of my very first subscribers like Himasf. He’s one of those whom I’d really love to meet in person someday. In my bok choy kimchi video, I mentioned someone who doesn’t like kimchi. Himasf commented on it!
Haha, he's missing out! 😂 Actually I didn't like kimchi the first time I tasted it but after eating with it, it really grew on me and ever since then I always have some in the refrigerator!
Remember the short kimchi grilled cheese video I shared in the June 1st newsletter? One of my newsletter subscribers Lotus777 tried it and said it was absolutely delicious! See? Some of you really make my recipes! : )
I tried it, and it was even tastier than it looked. Thank you from the bottom- or top???- of my heart!
Central Park, NYC
I will see you next month on August 1st! Keep being happy and celebrating every single day with your delicious Korean cooking!
Take care and enjoy the summertime.
Very Nice recipes. Gonna try it out. Thanx !!
Wow that looks yummy 😋 take care stay safe