The cooking show

Korean inspired recipes for vegans and vegetarians

I was just an eleven-year-old when I realised the usefulness of cooking skills. Left at home while my parents went on vacation (because someone must look after the dog!) I faced a growling stomach and a total lack of cooking experience. Before that fateful day, I only paid attention to desserts and learning how to bake cookies and cakes. My desserts were a splendid success. I was a little queen of the (scary) gas oven. As for my participation in making savory dishes, I weeded the vegetable garden, harvested cucumbers and tomatoes from our greenhouse, peeled root vegetables and did the dishes. Magical transformations that happen in a cauldron (or a pan) were a total mystery to me. What goes there first? How much time does it take? How to cube a potato? Those things I didn’t know.

Don’t worry, I found a solution. I learned by doing, inspired by instructions on a spaghetti package. On the first evening I had macaroni & cheese and managed to cook the pasta precisely al dente. On the second evening I boldly ventured into the unknown territory of braising veggies. That time I put too much dried herbs in the pan. They caused a gritty texture of the final dish. A bit disappointing but edible.

That was my gateway into the world of endless experimentation with textures and flavours. What about you? Are you an adventurous cook? Do you take risks with unknown ingredients and spices?

Today I challenge you to try two simple and delicious Korean recipes. They offer a truly feel-good meal.

Enjoy the three easy-to-make recipes, and have a spicy day!

🥪 A kimchi sandwich

Ingredients:

• Bread

• Butter (dairy or plant-base, all good!)

• Cheese (any kind you like)

• Lettuce

• Kimchi

Directions

Spread some butter on two slices of bread. Top them up with cheese and grill in a pan for a few minutes (cheesy side up), until the cheese melts and the bread is golden. Place the grilled bread on a plate. Add lettuce to one slice and kimchi to the other. Press them together to make a sandwich. Enjoy while warm!

Korean birthday seaweed soup

Seaweed soup for birthdays instead of cake—what a brilliant idea! Seaweed is believed to help women to recover from giving birth, and is hence associated with everyone’s birthday feast. It’s healthy and special and easy to make. Try it with me.

🍲 Seaweed soup

Ingredients:

• ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms

• Kombu seaweed

• Rice cakes (tteok), although they really should call them rice pasta, not to confuse them with mochi

• Nori seaweed

• Silken tofu

• Fresh mushrooms

• One large fleshy tomato (‘vleestomaat’ or ‘Coeur du boeuf’)

• Garlic to taste

Directions

Rinse the dried shiitake well—they can be sandy. Soak the shiitake and kombu overnight to make a rich broth base. In a large pot, lightly oil the surface and sauté minced garlic and the sliced fresh mushrooms just until fragrant.

Peel the tomato by briefly soaking it in boiling water, then transferring it to an ice bath. Dice the tomato and add it to the pot. Stir well. Remove the soaked shiitake from the broth, mince them, and add the mushrooms, broth, and kombu to the pot.

Add the rice cakes and silken tofu. Bring to a boil. Taste the broth and rice cakes; add soy sauce if more saltiness is needed. Once the rice cakes are tender, tear the nori into smaller pieces and stir it in. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest under a closed lid for 2 minutes before serving.

Enjoy this comforting, umami-rich dish!

What did you think of our recipes? Will you try one of them on your next date night? Let us know which cuisine you’d like us to look into next for inspiration.