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Korean cuisine is a tantalizing blend of sour, sweet, hot, burning hot, salty, bitter, and nutty, or so writes Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall, author of Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen. Part autobiography and part cookbook, this remarkable work provides a practical introduction to a cuisine Americans have encountered with delight, and a poignant memoir of a time and place in which an average family meal could consist of seven or more dishes, hierarchically served according to gender and family standing (males and grandmas ruled).
Beginning with a scene-setting journey to the author's childhood home, the book then provides a detailed account of relevant ingredients, equipment, techniques, and sauces and pastes (many based on soy beans and red pepper). Over 175 recipes follow for a wide range of everyday and special-occasion dishes, from rice and cereal specialties, including an intriguing fried rice with chicken, mushrooms, and kimchi; to fresh salad and vegetable dishes such as Sautéed Spring Garlic; to barbecued specialties like Fried Beef Ribs; to desserts and confections. A chapter on celebratory dishes, such as the extraordinary, multi-ingredient Celestial Hot Pot, is balanced by a homey section on stews and dishes such as Braised Pork Spareribs. Throughout, Hepinstall offers asides that place the food in its cultural context, variations, and technical information. With an illuminating section on tea and other drinks, the book makes an exciting introduction to a kind of cooking Westerners can now prepare and enjoy at home. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Part memoir and part cookbook, GROWING UP IN A KOREAN KITCHEN is one woman's cultural and culinary story, weaving childhood reminiscences with lovingly gathered recipes. With descriptions of the traditional Korean kitchen, preparations for special feast days, and the rituals of everyday family meals, author Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall draws an engaging portrait of a seldom-viewed way of life. Easy-to-follow recipes, largely handed down through oral tradition, cover the wide range of main and side dishes, from the sumptuous elegance of "royal cuisine" to simpler countryside cooking. Korean cuisine has emerged as one of the most exciting and robust tastes of Asia, with great variety and some of the world's most sophisticated techniques for pickling and cooking with garlic and hot pepper. Cooks of all levels, as well as armchair travelers, will want to add this book to their collection.
Customer Reviews:
Very impressed..........2007-07-03
Actually, I haven't read the entire book yet, but her recipes are features on www.hmart.com, the marvellous Korean supermarket. I am so amazed by her knowledge and her clear explanation of Korean food. This is the missing piece of the puzzle to Korean cooking that I have been searching for. I feel very priviledged that she shares her knowledge with us.
wonderful coverage of exciting food and culture.......2007-03-14
I bought this book and few other Korean cookbooks after traveliing to Seoul several times (my wife and I adopted three childen there). This is has been my favorite because of the range of recipes, the detailed instructions, and the intimate stories. It's rare for a cookbook to excel on so many levels. I only wish the book had more photographs (and color ones), but this is the Korean food I have enjoyed in Seoul and it's what I'm teaching my children to cook. They are as happy with it as I am.
truly authentic korean cookbook that bridges the gap.......2006-01-29
I have several Korean cookbooks (okay, I am a cookbook junkie and it is probably more like ten -- and, yes, there are at least ten out there, although many are hard to find and/or out of print, and then there is that whole subgroup of watered down ones written by Western missionaries that are . . . quaint). Until I found this one I mostly used Dok Suni by Jenny Kwak and Practical Korean Cooking (aka The Bible) by Noh Shin-Hwa. Dok Suni is great for a novice and has great stories about growing up Korean American. Practical Korean Cooking is like the Betty Crocker for Korean Food, step by step, and lots and LOTS of glossy colour pictures, but kind of skimpy on personality or writing and is known as the book Korean mothers give their daughters when they get married. Hepinstall's book bridges the gap between these two.
As with Dok Suni, Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen is written with much love and great memories about growing up in a Korean kitchen. Hers is that of a traditional Korean upper-class City household, and her book beautifully covers a comprehensive list of recipes including dishes traditionally reserved for the upper crust and royalty, replete with annecdotes and reminiscences from her childhood in a time and place that no longer exists. As I usually use cookbooks more as guidebooks than instruction manuals, I did not find the lack of pictures or "complete instructions" taxing; if you do, bundle this book with Noh's and you would have the whole package as recipe-wise, the books overlap a great deal, although the formats could not be more different.
I am an adult Korean adoptee whose rediscovery of my native culture began with my love of good, unWesternized Korean food. Everything I know about Korean food I had to learn through a tutor (she taught to to make kimchi [no measurements, mix with your hands, taste as you go, start with the informal i.e. easier kimchis and work your way up to the stuffed ones] and how to harvest fernbracken and seaweed), restaurants (I like the bustling country-style ones the best,and if they have those fat iron pots sunken into the floor out back, so much the better), and through my cookbooks. I recently moved out West and had to leave most of my cookbooks behind and like a fool I left this one in storage back East. I can remember how to make kimchi and banchan and pancakes and other favourites like yookgaejang, bibimbap, bulgogi, and kimbap, but anything else ---!!!! I miss it at least once a week, and that is more than I can say about the other nine!
A pleasure to read and great to use.......2005-08-31
I was born in Korea to a Korean mother and an American father. I love cooking Korean food and my friends and husband enjoy eating it. Ms. Hepinstall seems to be using what my family calls "city" or fancy recipes. Many of her foods do not have the "country" flavor that I am used to from the port city PoHang. BUT, the recipes are wonderful. My book seems to be missing a page or two. In the index, when I look up crab soup, it is not on the page indicated. I would still recommend this book to seasoned cooks and patient students. While you can simplify some of her dishes, many are authentic and delicious. She loves using walnuts and the fancy sil kochu (which my family did not)- I leave those out often and just use coarse Korean red crushed pepper and taste no difference. Like all good cooks, you have to take her recipe and make it your own by experimenting. I love the pictures and the stories that accompany this book. If you want a simpler book that keeps authentic flavors alive, I recommend Dok Suni. My younger,less experienced sister owns that one and it's lovely. Happy Eating!
The best and most comprehensive Korean cookbook available.......2005-04-22
Having a Korean mom and spending many years living in Korea, I never had the opportunity or desire to actually cook Korean food until recently. In Korea, we had household staff who cooked and cleaned. I was literally not allowed in the kitchen. A pity, since I love Korean food. But fortunately many Korean immigrants live in my area and there are many restaurants to choose from.
Recently I have developed into a wannabe gourmet cook, collecting and reading many cookbooks of various cuisines, and trying many new recipes in the kitchen. Hepinstall's book is the only one I've found available that so comprehensively contains all the traditional Korean dishes I crave, with a bounty of authentic recipes.
Some have complained that the recipes are complicated but I have no idea what these readers mean or what they expected. I found each recipe to be thorough but hardly complicated. Could there be shortcuts? Well sure, knock yourself out. You don't have to soak meats in cold water before making that soup or stew. I don't soak the oxtails for my favorite soup. But knowledge is a good thing. It's good to know traditional cooking techniques, whether you choose to follow them or not. Cookbooks are not bibles. Perhaps someone should write a Korean 30-Minute Meals, heh!
I've made my favorites and tried other dishes I've never had before, all to my satisfaction. One thing I haven't tried yet is making kimchee - maybe soon.
Like others have stated, the glaring drawback to this book is the lack of full-color photos of the finished dishes, let alone any of the steps in progress. Maybe a future edition of this fine book will add this.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointed.......2007-05-14
I was very disappointed with this book. It was a gift for a friend who is moving to Korea. And for $25 I expected more. The book is so thin! Not a good value at all. It was embarrassing giving it to her.
This book is awesome...and IS an adult cookbook.......2003-03-05
Easy-to-follow recipes. DELICIOUS and not "out-of-the-ordinary" ingredients (except the noodles for chap-chae). I just visit my local Oriental Foods Korean store and pick up the needed things. I find the recipes simple and not too time-consuming, either. I have tried many Korean cookbooks, and like this one THE BEST. (Actually, the Lerner cookbook series from other ethnicities are excellent, too.)
Try the Chap-chae, the bulgogi (or pulgogi) and the fish patties. Excellent!
Book Description
Korea's favorite food, kim chee is a side dish made by pickling vegetables such as radishes, cabbage, and cucumbers in salt, mixing in seasonings, and allowing the mixture to mature. But kim chee means much more to a Korean. Expressing the very essence of Korean cosmology, it follows a basic code of five colors (green, red, white, black, and yellow) and flavors (salty, spicy, sour, sweet, and bitter) which in turn symbolizes universal directions, actions, and seasonal changes. Rooted in the theory of Yin and Yang, this fermented food is known as an appetite stimulant, as well as for its high vitamin C content and beneficial lactic acid microorganisms. The Kim Chee Cookingbook catalogs 90 recipes for all occasions, from traditional whole cabbage kim chee to gourmet stuffed crab shell kim chee. It also places kim chee in its historical, cultural, and scientific contexts. Illustrated with over 110 sumptuous photographs, it is a fascinating and comprehensive look into Korean cuisine and culture.
Customer Reviews:
Incomplete.......2007-01-30
Doesn't tell you how to make kimchi from start to finish. Doesn't fully explain fermentation process among other things. Sizes are ridiculous. Why would I use five pounds of cabbage?
falls short.......2006-09-08
I must agree with the other reviews. The photographs in this book are gorgeous, but the recipes fall short and miss vital steps. For example, none of the recipes call for the initial no-refrigeration period so that the kimchis can properly ferment. I now find myself very frustrated that I have been missing this step for so long, due to this book's shortcomings.
I suggest instead The Book of Kimchi which also features wonderful photos, somewhat clearer instructions, and in some cases step-by-step photos which are so important for the first-timer.
Pros & Cons.......2006-07-25
Hi :D
Well, first of all.. This book is really beautiful. The pictures are wonderful & some of the recipes are good.. I love kimchi myself, I have also lived in South Korea, was married to a Korean man & have been making kimchi for quite a while... As I've gone through this book, looking for recipes, I've noticed that in some recipes it doesn't really give you a proper amount of ingredients. It says that the amounts of pepper & stuff err on the side of generous, but, for 6 lb of cabbage, 1/4 tsp of dry chili flakes and 1 tsp of finely ground red pepper powder definitely isn't what I'd consider generous.. More like skimpy.
The fermentation length on a lot of the recipes is also not right... And this book often calls for ingredients that you either have to make or are rare to buy, but doesn't tell you that. It's very strange in that respect.
Would I recommend the book?.. Yes, because it has some very good recipes & gives you a good idea of what you need to make various kinds of kimchi, but, I'd suggest that you play with the amounts of stuff for yourself & see what you like & what you don't like & you can look around on the net & get a lot of kimchi recipes. Add more of what you like & take away what you don't like. You don't have to have 6 lb of cabbage or peppers... Just buy enough to try it out, put in what you think would taste good & check to see how it tastes as you go along. Invent your own recipes & make kimchi that suits your own taste. That's what I do & no Korean has ever complained about any food that I've made. They all give a lot of compliments & say I could open a restaurant. :D
If you want some truly spicy kimchi, try the recipe in this book for the green chili pickles... p'ut kochu chorim.. that's my favorite kind of kimchi. :D
Anyway.. It's a pretty book & gives you the ingredients to make your own kimchi, but, if you're just making something for yourself, you may not need 5 or 6 pounds of it. Especially if you don't even know if you're going to like it or not. So play around with it & have fun. :D It's a nice conversational piece also... And would make a nice edition to your collection of cook books.
All the Best,
~ Candy
Colorful but confusing.......2006-05-20
This is a great book if you're researching kimchee but not if you're actually trying to make it.
While the background information is stimulating and the pictures make my mouth salivate, I found a lot of the recipes to be confusing...often with steps missing or so vague as to have you scratching your head in confusion. For example, on one recipe, it says to drain and rinse some turnips. Then it asks you to soak some herbs in the brine. But is it talking about the drained brine (which you were not told to reserve) or the brine you are to then put the turnips in (which you haven't been prompted to make yet). Then there's all of these steps to wrap the kimchee up in a certain order with radish facing this way and cabbage facing that...all tied together with an onion bow. No joke. Waaay too confusing to learn through just a book and a picture of the finished product. Also, this book sticks to some pretty complex recipes or ones that require a lot of ingredients that just aren't easy to get your hands on, even at the smaller asian food marts, unless you live near a large asian community.
Excellent book!.......2001-01-09
Kim-chee is not something people will like the first time they try it. You have to get your tastebuds used to the flavour. And once you learn how to appreciate this delicacy, you'll get hook on it. This is book contains excellent recipies for making kim-chee at home. If you're into korean food or interested in trying something different and bold, here's a book you should take a look at.
Product Description
This book, with its kitchen-tested authentic Korean recipes spiced with witty and practical suggestions, will provide Western readers with a rich source of information on Korean cookery. The delightful world of Korean cooking will prove to them that the culinary art of Korea is similar to and yet distinctively unlike Chinese and Japanese cookery, and that the subtle, spicy taste and unexpected combinations of this cuisine have a unique appeal even for those Westerners who may still have reservations about other Oriental cooking.
Customer Reviews:
Quick and simple recipes.......2005-09-30
I am a novice cook and have recently started cooking from this book. I am Vietnamese and my husband is Korean. The recipes are super-fast and easy to prepare. All the dishes I've made have turned out delicious, with the exception of kim-chi. My husband told me that Kim-chi is very difficult to make. I can't vow to the authenticity of this book since I am not Korean; however, both my husband and I enjoy the food very much. Some of our favorite foods include spring chicken soup, chicken in soy sauce, cucumber with pork, and the homemade dumplings.
Korean Food for Western Palates.......2000-08-23
Having had Korean food in New York City, I looked everywhere for a good, comprehensive Korean cookbook. Korean food is a revelation if you've never had it, perfect for a cold winter night. Believe me, friends, this you want to try at home. I finally found this book, and I was pleased with the number of recipies it includes.
But on closer reading, I saw that the recipies seem somewhat simplified compared to a few other Asian recipe collections I have. (Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook is THE BIBLE of Asian cooking; that's what I'm comparing to.) Also, it looks like the quantities of cayenne pepper has been reduced, no doubt to cater to Western tastes.
This book was written in the 1970's, before Americans got real adventurous in their kitchens and accpeted the use of chilies in their food, so I can forgive this toned-down version of Korean cuisine. But by all means, if you are interested in a wide ranging collection of Korean recipies, and I have no doubt they are authentic, this is a good volume to own.
And if it's too bland for you, just toss in more cayenne pepper. It can't hurt...
Average customer rating:
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Labelle Cooking Mook (In Korean)
Manufacturer: Joong-ang Daily News
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Korean
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| Specialty Stores
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ASIN: 8946101776 |
Product Description
Korean cookbook, all in Korean, with sections of "For Darling," "For Beauty," "For Health," "For Family," "For Old & New." Great photographs.
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Step-by-step Japanese and Korean Cooking (International Mini Cookbook Series)
Manufacturer: Murdoch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
| African
| Asian
| Canadian
| Caribbean & West Indian
| European
| General
| International
| Latin American
| Mexican
| Middle Eastern
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| U.S. Regional
ASIN: 0864115067 |
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Apple Delights Cookbook (English/Korean Bilingual Edition)
Karen Jean Matsko Hood
Manufacturer: Whispering Pine Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
Fruits
| Cooking by Ingredient
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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General
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Korean
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| Foreign Language Nonfiction
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Korean
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ASIN: 1596497378
Release Date: 2004-12-31 |
Book Description
Apple Delights Cookbook has 320 pages packed full of delicious apple recipes. Each recipe has easy-to-follow directions and uses ingredients that are readily available. Of course, the most important ingredients are apples, which you can pick yourself or purchase from a street vendor or store. This unique book also includes the history and folklore of apples. In addition, the apple enthusiast will enjoy the great poetry, stories and folklore about apples. Family and friends who taste these dishes will marvel at the versatility of the apple!
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In honour of Shakespeare: The history and collections of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Levi Fox
Manufacturer: Jarrold and Sons [for] the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| Classics
| Contemporary
| General
| Historical
| Humor
| Letters & Correspondence
| Middle
| Old
| Poetry
| Renaissance
| Shakespeare
| Short Stories
ASIN: 0853064032 |
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The Shakespeare Book
Jarrold Publishing
Manufacturer: Jarrold Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| World
| History
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Guidebooks
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| Travel
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General
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Shakespeare
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ASIN: 071170242X |
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