Well hello! I’m Maggie, a Korean American who grew up in Southern California with my grandmother, mom, dad, three sisters and brother. I’m a writer and registered dietitian, but Kimchi Curious isn’t really about either of those things. It’s about finding a closer connection to my roots through the kitchen. Though, hopefully the writing will be OK, and you’ll find that most dishes are healthy to healthy-ish. From what I know, traditional cuisines tend to have a great foundation in healthy foods, balanced with more indulgent festival foods for special occasions. Korean food is this way, too (no, it’s not all galbi/BBQ all the time everyday).
This is just a little corner of the internet where I’ll document my experiences as I eat and cook my way through some of my favorite Korean foods. I’ll lean a lot on my mom for information and techniques, but I’ll also depend on my taste buds, some of the internet, a bunch of awesome cookbooks, & my proximity to LA’s K-town.
Here are the dishes that started it all:
- January: Tteokguk (New Year’s good luck soup)
- February: Galbitang (stick-to-your-bones beef rib stew)
- March: Yukgaejang (spicy shredded beef soup Koreans love, hangover staple)
- April: Samgyetang (awesome spring chicken ginseng soup)
- May: Namuls (seasoned vegetable side dishes)
- June: Japchae (glass noodle salad with lots of veggies)
- July: Naengmyeon (refreshing cold noodle soup)
- August: Muk (mung bean jelly side dish)
- September: Miyeokguk & Tteok (birthday seaweed soup & fall harvest festival filled rice cakes)
- October: Bibimbap (a grain bowl with lots of possibilities)
- November: Bindaetteok (hearty savory mung-bean-based pancake)
- December: LA Style Galbi (marinated BBQ beef ribs fit for a feast)
