Two of My Favorite Korean Cookbooks of 2024

 

Library people love talking about our niche interests, and I wanted to write a blog post about K-pop. But, unless we add light sticks to the Library of Things, there's not an obvious library connection. There is this truly inspired TikTok by the folks at Shelton, and a few albums in the catalog, but that's about it. So, this blog is about another interest of mine - Korean cooking. But, see? I already found a way to work K-pop into it and we're not even done with the first paragraph.

 

My first intro to cooking Korean food was through Maangchi. An incredibly charming personality, her books and YouTube channel are a good place to start because her recipes are often adapted for a non-Korean audience. You might recall Michelle Zauner mentioning her in Crying in H Mart. Really, search for any Korean recipe and she's probably done it. She's been sharing content for nearly two decades and is basically omnipresent in the online Korean food community. (btw another reliable online source is My Korean Kitchen). 

 

 

Then, a few years ago, I developed a stereotypically obsessive interest in K-pop. Which is actually relevant because K-pop variety shows, interviews, vlogs and other content often feature food in some way, and this is how I was first exposed to some foods that I hadn't cooked or eaten before - jjajangmyeon, doenjang jiggae, makgeolli and hotteok for example. 

In Koreaworld, chef Deuki Hong and co-author Matt Rodbard explore this connection, focusing on the increased popularity of Korean food in the past decade or so owing in part to the purposeful effort by South Korean government to promote Korean culture, music (see: K-pop), and entertainment abroad. It features recipes from Korea and the diaspora and showcases chefs, YouTubers and food personalities whose work highlights the diversity of Korean cooking. One of these folks is Susan Kim, who is responsible for this crispy rice cake and halloumi salad with brown butter gochujang that is a beloved staple of the dinner routine in my house. Probably one of my top five most frequently made meals.

 

Koreaworld

Elsewhere in the book there is an excellent doenjang jiggae - one of the best stews to have in your back pocket as the weather cools down - a sweet and savory egg n' cheese toast, cheesy hotdogs on a stick, rose tteokbokki and an ingenious way to prepare whole fried rockfish (all smashed up by hand and covered in sauce). There's a very wide range of food here from accessible to complex.

 

Also featured is chef Mingoo Kang who is the author of Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking. The recipes in Jang are a little fancier - doenjang risotto, tagliatelle with ganjang ragu, gochujang chocolate mousse - but there are many familiar dishes too including fried chicken, gochujang stew and boiled pork belly. Overall, there are also more fusion recipes, fitting for a chef who whose restaurant - Mingles - was conceptualized to meld Western and Korean flavors. 

 

What I enjoy about this book is its in-depth look at the titular jangs - doenjang (akin to miso), ganjang (similar to shoyu) and gochujang (a category all its own). These are fundamental to Korean cooking and their history is very interesting. Plus, Kang tells you how differentiate the good stuff from the mass produced versions. 

 

Jang

 

These are a couple of my favorite cookbooks from 2024. If you're curious about what else I liked, my friends at the Olympia branch are hosting their annual Best Books program on Saturday 1/18 and they graciously invite me to prepare a short cookbook intermission. Check it out here!, opens a new window

 

And, if you do find yourself in need of K-pop recommendations there are a few extremely cool people at TRL who can help you out. ​

 

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Favorite Cookbooks 2024 + Every K-pop Album I Could Find in the Catalog

List created by CHRIS CHRZAN

No one said these lists need to make any sense.

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