My Go-To Korean Comfort Meals As A Korean-American
Hi! I'm Haein, and I'm a Korean-American foodie and lifestyle writer who, growing up, didn't care care for Korean food. Now, I can't live without it!
I started to appreciate Korean food when I moved out for college and started living on my own. It could have been homesickness, plus the fact that I didn't really have access to it anymore, that made me long for it. Now, I probably have it at least twice a week.
A typical Korean meal is pretty balanced. You have your carbs, usually in the form of white rice, a side of hot soup, a plate of protein for the table, and a variety of vegetable-forward side dishes referred to as ban-chan.
While I don't prep and cook like that every day — or, truth be told, even weekly — I fulfill my Korean food cravings by recreating beloved childhood staples and passed-down recipes and testing out viral Korean food trends.
So, what do I eat as a Korean-American foodie and lifestyle writer? Here we go!
Gaeran bap AKA egg rice.
My hyper-fixation meal that I turn to every few weeks and eat for breakfast for like, a week straight. It's a quick and easy fix that makes me feel like I have sustenance in my belly before I start the day. Warm and hearty with a wash of salty, savory umami flavors, it's a low-effort, comforting dish, perfect for those who prefer savory over sweet in the morning.
Ingredients: Eggs, rice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I also like to add a pat of butter on top.
For those who grew up with it, you end up developing your own version of it.NYT Cooking's Eric Kim adds soy sauce and sesame oil on top of the eggs while they cook in the pan. Culinary Class Wars' Seonkyoung Longest likes hers with soy sauce marinade drizzled over it — and also with a pat of butter. My dad likes to add a block of tofu for extra protein, drizzle of chogochujang for a kick, and butter, too (this is probably where my love of butter in my egg rice dish comes from). I remember this as his version of boy dinner.
First, you fry up your eggs.
I like to add a lid on top of the pan after the eggs start to crisp so that the steam then gets the yolk into a half-poached-like consistency.
Once the eggs are done to your liking, add them to your bowl of rice. Then drizzle a spoonful of sesame oil and soy sauce over the dish — and voilà!
I like to add just a bit of butter on top for that extra savory creaminess.
Mix it up like bibimbap and enjoy!
Kimchi jjigae AKA kimchi stew... with bacon!
Ingredients: Kimchi, fish sauce, soy sauce — and bacon!
Every Korean household has their own take on the recipe, particularly with their choice of protein. Some prefer a can of tuna or mackerel, hunks of pork belly, or tofu, but our household has long favored an east-meets-west situation with slices of bacon deeply simmered in with the stew. It's a salty, savory umami bomb with just the right amount of heat. It has always been one of my favorite Korean comfort foods.
Side note: You'll need ripe kimchi (not the freshly made kind) to make kimchi jjigae, in order for the stew to develop that distinct, deep, tangy, ripe flavor.
Kimchi that comes packaged like this usually has gone through the fermentation process and is ready to eat. The second bag is called "mukeungji," and it's the next level of fermentation that brings on an even tangier, ripe flavor. It pairs very nicely with pork belly by helping cut through the grease. Both work great for kimchi stews.
There are so many different methods and preferences for making kimchi jjigae. I consider this recipe a cheat code that delivers the same — or dare I say, even better — results with half the steps. I have to credit my mom for this recipe. It's one developed from having to feed a family on the fly after work, and has long been a family favorite. Since the dish was created to be thrown together in a jiffy, the directions are super straightforward.
For a serving for two, add 2-3 cups of kimchi and 1/2 a pack of bacon to the pot, followed by 2-3 cups of water — about half an inch of water covering the goods. Let it boil on medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
I love spice so I also added in a spoonful of Korean red chili pepper flakes.
At that 15 minute mark, it should be stewing and bubbling. Add in about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (I actually might use even more), but if you're worried about the flavors being too strong, I'd say start with a tablespoon. Let it continue stewing on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
I would like to add though that the hallmark of kimchi jjigae is strong, punchy flavors. Go bold!
While the flavors of the stew come together, I like to use this time to chop up some optional garnishes. Again, I love spice so I sliced up a serrano pepper, 1/4 of a small onion, and a sprig of green onions.
My mom's version actually doesn't include the onions because when the onion cooks down, it tends to mellow out the soup. If you prefer a tangier, sharper flavor, I would forgo the onions. But it really is a very subtle difference that boils down to preference, and I just happen to prefer jjigae with onions.
After 10 minutes, add the garnishes to the stew. Depending on the water level, keep the heat at medium-high, but if the water level seems low, lower it to medium. Let it stew again for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, you'll have a kimchi stew that will have you wanting a second bowl of rice. :)
Jungkook from BTS' makguksu AKA Quick Noodles
Shoutout to Jungkook! 💜 Mak in Korean translates to hurry or in a rush. Guksu means noodles. This quick noodle recipe was shared by the youngest BTS member late at night when he was debating whether to eat or sleep (very relatable). The late-night hunger won, and he wanted to make a bowl of noodles that he had been obsessed with making.The recipe went viral a few years ago, and upon making it, I could see why. The nutty buckwheat noodles soak up the creamy, spicy, vinegary, yet sweet sauce, plus the salty seaweed flakes on top make for a very satisfying bowl of noodles, late night or anytime.
Ingredients: Buckwheat soba noodles, buldak sauce, buldak mayo, cham sauce, perilla oil, egg, and roasted seaweed flakes.
If you don't have cham sauce, I found that 1.5 spoonfuls of soy sauce and 1.5 spoonfuls of rice vinegar make for an excellent substitute. It is a tangy, salty, and sweet sauce. If no buldak mayo, a spoonful of mayo and an extra squeeze of buldak sauce should suffice.
First things first, a pot of water to boil the noodles.
While the water heats up, it's time to make the sauce: 4 spoonfuls of perilla oil, 2 spoonfuls of cham sauce, 1 spoonful of buldak sauce, 1 spoonful of buldak mayo, and 1 egg yolk.
I know the egg quality here might not be the greatest to eat raw. Proceed with caution with the raw egg yolk! After you blend everything together, it becomes this bright volcanic-looking orange sauce.
Side note: Perilla oil is oil made from perilla seeds. It's the softer, mellower, introverted sister to sesame oil. I don't know if sesame oil would make the best 1:1 substitute, but if you don't have access to perilla oil and if you end up using it, maybe go for two spoonfuls. It should give you a nutty, albeit stronger, taste.
When the noodles are done, rinse under cold water. Then, top with sauce and roasted seaweed flakes!
I realized while working on this post that I've been topping the noodles with the wrong seaweed flakes — the one Jungkook recommends is the one that's sweet and salty. The one I've been using still pairs nicely, but it's on the savory, salty side. I think Jungkook's recommendation is the way to go.
Optional: It never hurts to add a fried egg on top! 🍳
And lastly — fried tteok AKA fried rice cakes (with honey).
Ingredients: Rice cakes, sesame oil, and honey.
If you're using frozen rice cakes like I did, I'd suggest soaking them in water for about 30 minutes or so to rehydrate them and remove excess starch. Otherwise, the cooking time ends up longer, and it ends up being a little stiff — you won't get that crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside texture, which is what makes this so good!
In low-medium heat, fry the rice cakes in sesame oil, turning them over every few minutes. You'll notice they start to develop a golden, crunchy crust, and their texture will turn squishy and plush. Once the sides are golden and the insides feel springy — give them a little squish with the tongs — that's when you'll know they're done.
I like to drizzle honey over it and sometimes dip it in soy sauce for that sweet and savory combo. It makes for an easy snack or quick breakfast.
Will you be giving these recipes a try? Is bacon in kimchi jjigae diabolical? Let me know what you think!
Check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
31 minutes ago
- Medscape
The Weight of Two Worlds: Lipo-Lymphedema and Obesity
When Shannon Ashley, now 43 years old, was in her tweens and teens, her legs were noticeably large. Shannon Ashley 'Once I hit 12, my calves were unusually large, like tree trunks,' Ashley said. She tried to hide her outsized lower extremities, a contrast to her slender upper body, beneath wide-leg pants, and the size of her legs made clothes shopping difficult. 'Doctors insisted that I was just fat,' Ashley said. 'I took a free consultation with a plastic surgeon when I was 14 who said he could perform liposuction on my calves if I lost at least 20 pounds, but since I was already struggling with weight loss and dieting, that felt impossible, and my family wasn't in a position to pay for such a surgery anyway.' David Amron, MD David Amron, MD, is a leading lipedema specialist at The Roxbury Institute, with locations in Beverly Hills, California; Tucson, Arizona; and Salt Lake City, and a well-known national and international speaker and surgical advisor on the subject of lipedema and liposculpture. He has treated Ashley off and on since July 2021. He said that sort of reaction isn't all that unusual, although lipedema is actually very easy to spot once you know what you're looking for. 'It's a characteristic column-like presentation that wraps around the legs, typically from the groin area down, and their upper arms tend to become involved years or decades later, and sometimes in other areas, the upper buttock areas — it's a characteristic look; these patients are disproportionate, that's one thing,' said Amron, whose team, through the Advanced Lipedema Treatment Program at The Roxbury Institute, has performed more than 8000 successful lipedema-reduction surgeries. 'These patients also have tenderness to pressure, and finally, they have a family history — there are as many men with the lipedema gene as women, but they rarely show signs of it, so you have to look at both sides of the family.' Research documented that two American physicians first chronicled lipedema at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in the 1940s. While they are credited with the initial identification and description, consistent with Amron's outline of a highly distinguishable presentation, lipedema remained relatively unknown and often misdiagnosed for decades after their initial findings. Amron said that today, awareness and understanding of the condition remain hit or miss, even among the clinical community. 'Why is it not being diagnosed is a really important thing — it's just ignored,' Amron said. 'I've been involved in this for over 25 years, and awareness has increased a little bit.' In fact, he said, it has increased more among patients and social media and less among providers. He estimates that only 5%-10% of physicians know about lipedema. 'It's lack of awareness that's our biggest problem,' Amron said. 'That goes back to the fact that we still don't teach it in medical schools, and that's a problem.' Holly Lofton, MD Holly Lofton, MD, clinical associate professor of surgery and medicine and director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Health, New York City, agreed with Amron's assessment that the disease must be addressed in medical school curricula and said that providers can get up to speed with additional coursework. 'It is crucial that US medical schools allocate time to teach the lymphatic system as well as comprehensive education on lipedema education and treatment for future providers,' Lofton, who is not connected to Ashley's case, said. Continuing medical education courses on lipedema can update current professionals on diagnostic criteria and treatment options. Increasing awareness by having patients share their stories in media can reduce the stigma related to lipedema and can overall help with patients feeling more comfortable with them talking to their providers about the condition, she said. That's what Ashley, who began researching her symptoms after her body 'exploded' following the birth of her daughter in 2014, did. That research led her to the condition lipedema, which seemed to match what she was experiencing, but none of the doctors she consulted near her home outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, knew what lipedema was. Ashley said they fell back on the assumption that her diet and eating habits must be the cause of her woes. 'My whole life, doctors told me what to eat or what not to eat and often recommended gastric bypass surgery, but they never actually asked me how I ate,' Ashley said. 'They just assumed I was doing this to myself.' Lofton said that, unfortunately, this is not an unusual response from practitioners who are not accustomed to treating lipedema. 'Many patients with lipedema are advised that they need to treat obesity as a condition, when in fact weight loss does not treat lipedema, as it is an abnormal fat accumulation,' Lofton said. 'It doesn't respond to diet and exercise but instead to other treatments which focus on activating the lymphatic system.' Ashley's health began to decline, and she said that, especially as a single mother, she felt a great deal of responsibility to both herself and her daughter to correct that progression. She knew she had to get an official diagnosis in order to start treatment, and after a great deal of continued research, she met with Amron in 2021. Naming the Enemy Unfortunately, by the time Ashley was able to get treatment with Amron, her lipedema had progressed to the point that her diagnosis was lipo-lymphedema. This condition arises when lipedema progresses to a point where it starts to impair the lymphatic system, leading to secondary lymphedema. Tissue can progress to the point that it becomes hard and inflamed, and Amron says that at worst, it becomes inoperable. 'Lipo-lymphedema occurs because of the chronic inflammation leading to the fibrosis and scar tissue that can begin to scar down the lymphatics and permanently damage the lymphatic capillaries and lymphatic circulation,' Amron explained. 'I find a pattern of a dense fibrosis is more prone to lipo-lymphedema. Generally, patterns of a loose fibrosis don't progress to lipo-lymphedema. So, it's something that we don't completely understand, but certain patients are more prone to this type of development.' Over the course of 2022, Amron performed three lipedema removal surgeries on Ashley, all successful. Ashley, a writer who has been very open on Medium and elsewhere about her battle with lipo-lymphedema, encountered considerable swelling after her surgeries, which Amron said is due to the specific type of scarring that she had developed. 'I define four patterns of fibrosis that I see: Nodular, dense, granular, and more of a spider-like network. Shannon had primarily more of a spider-like, loose network,' Amron said. 'Those patients are more prone to swelling and moving a lot of fluid across membranes because they have a lot of loose connective tissues. In a patient like Shannon, I'll go in and remove 40 liters and make great improvements, and they'll still have consistent swelling.' Amron's practice includes a diagnostic and preventive center where his associate Karen Herbst, MD, provides treatments for patients who experience these symptoms, including dealing with mast cell activation syndrome, evaluation of inflammatory markers, genetic testing, and other modalities. Ashley had an additional battle to face: In July of 2022, decades of carrying the weight of what was now lipo-lymphedema caused her knees to erupt with severe pain. After battling for months just to get an MRI because of her still-high weight, she learned that a torn medial meniscus and several related knee injuries and conditions were causing her pain. This was a real setback for Ashley in terms of her ability to get around and care for herself and her daughter, particularly depressing after all she had been through to get the severely needed surgeries. Lofton said that it's important that patients in situations such as Ashley's are treated with a holistic approach in order to achieve the best results. 'It's important to recognize that lipedema can lead to joint issues due to altered biomechanics and increased weight bearing. It is important that we as providers avoid biases based simply on BMI, or body mass index because this can be falsely elevated in patients with lipedema,' she said. 'Once a patient is diagnosed with lipedema, they can work with vascular surgeons, physical therapists, and other specialists to develop comprehensive treatment plans.' Treatments and Outcomes Ashley's knees have continued to be a battle, as no orthopedists have been willing to take her on due to her BMI, even at Amron's urging. However, in the spring of 2024, she signed on with a new nurse practitioner who 'actually had a basic understanding of lipedema.' Then, after several months of physical therapy and trying a few rounds of medication for her knee pain, Ashley was able to get access to compounded tirzepatide injections, though still at a very high out-of-pocket cost. The results weren't instantaneous, but Ashley noticed rapid progress. 'After several weeks on the shots, but before I lost any real weight, my knees began to feel much less painful, and I quit getting such bad joint flares. I also quit swelling up so much in my calves,' she said. 'As of now, I've lost nearly 80 pounds, and my knee pain rarely bothers me. My range of motion in my knees is still poor, and I am still regaining my strength with physical therapy, but I am finally seeing some real progress.' The dramatic effects of tirzepatide on patients with lipedema came as a surprise to Amron, who originally thought it would just be a complementary tool in the arsenal available to his patients. 'Initially, I assumed that it would be another weight loss strategy — it's almost like simply dieting, so you're taking in less food, so of course you're going to lose weight, but you're going to lose weight in the areas you don't have lipedema, and the areas you have lipedema aren't going to respond,' Amron said. 'We subsequently see that these medications can help with inflammation quite a bit.' Ashley is still fighting her battle against lipo-lymphedema, including against the limitations placed on coverage of the disease by the insurance industry. 'I'm stuck with limits like only 20 total covered therapy sessions per year — that includes lymphedema therapy and physical therapy together, not each. They won't cover my tirzepatide injections despite my positive results,' Ashley said. The issues at the heart of getting insurance companies to cover lipedema and expanding provider understanding of the disease are the same: Awareness and understanding. That's why Ashley has made her case public, and that's why she continues the fight.
Associated Press
42 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Marine Toys for Tots and Richard Childress Racing United to Race for Hope with Austin Dillon's No. 3 Chevrolet in Nashville, Tennessee
TRIANGLE, Va., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Marine Toys for Tots proudly continued its multi-year partnership with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) this past Sunday, sponsoring Austin Dillon's No. 3 Chevrolet at the Nashville race to bring their shared mission of hope to the National stage. Dillon's iconic No. 3 Chevrolet carried the Toys for Tots logo—serving as a high-speed symbol of compassion, resilience, and the power of giving. Taking the track on June 1 at 6:00 p.m., Dillon raced with purpose, representing the millions of families across America who rely on the support and generosity of Toys for Tots and the American public. He raced across the finish line, and his impact reached far beyond the checkered flag. 'This was more than just a race—it was a symbol of the resilience and potential of children across America,' said LtGen Jim Laster, USMC (Retired), President & CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. 'Together with Richard Childress Racing, we were honored to bring visibility to our mission and empower communities to make a lasting difference in the lives of disadvantaged children.' More than a Christmastime charity, Toys for Tots delivers joy, emotional support, and a sense of normalcy to children in need all year long—through toys, books, and other meaningful gifts. As the Program expands its reach beyond the Christmas season, its collaboration with RCR and Austin Dillon is helping drive that mission forward with renewed energy and purpose. 'Our commitment to being a constant source of hope and support is stronger than ever—because no child living in poverty should ever be forgotten or left behind,' says LtGen Laster. 'The collaboration with RCR and Austin Dillon creates new opportunities for Toys for Tots to extend its mission, ensuring that disadvantaged children receive the hope and support they deserve.' Beyond the excitement of race day, this partnership is a powerful example of what can happen when passion meets purpose. Like a successful race, helping children thrive takes teamwork, perseverance, and a shared belief in something greater than ourselves. With Austin Dillon behind the wheel, this collaboration continues to raise awareness and mobilize support, ensuring that the spirit of giving extends beyond the holiday season and into the everyday lives of children who need it most. Every lap at Nashville was more than a competition—it was a call to come together and build a future full of hope, promise, and opportunity. To learn more about Toys for Tots or make a donation, visit Media Contact: Ted Silvester VP Marketing and Development (703) 649-2021 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Toys for Tots
CNET
42 minutes ago
- CNET
You Can Now Customize Your TikTok 'For You' Feed With Sliders. Here's How
How do you feel about the content in your TikTok For You Feed? If you've ever thought you could do with a little more of this and a little less of that, then you're about to get more control than ever before over what the algorithm serves you. In the Manage Topics section of your settings, you'll soon be able adjust sliders that will tell TikTok whether you want to see more or less content on ten chosen topics. For example, if you're gearing up for a summer of hosting, you might want more recipes to appear in your For You feed. To signal this to TikTok, you could boost the food and drink slider so that it knows you're actively interested in carrot salads and margarita pitchers. The sliders won't eliminate content of one type all together, they simply allow you to give more weight to topics you care about. In the coming months, TikTok is also increasing the number of keywords that can be filtered from around 100 to 200. Additionally, it's introducing Smart Keyword Filters, which uses AI to catch synonyms for words people have chosen to filter out, and exclude that content from their feeds too. I caught a first glimpse of the new features at a SXSW London event on Monday, ahead of TikTok announcing them on Tuesday. At the event, TikTok delved into some of the big trends that it's been observing recently, and it seems as though the cultural exchange between US and UK audiences has never been more prevalent. The American content proving most interesting to British audiences is based around the Hamptons aesthetic, which has seen a 24% growth in the UK this year. According to TikTok, Brits can't get enough of Nancy Meyers-inspired interiors and the beachy summer vibes that the Hamptons evoke. Meanwhile, American TikTok users have discovered Marks and Spencer, the iconic British store that sells (among other things) classy groceries to the middle classes. TikTok has observed a rise in content about American travelers to the UK jumping off the plane only to immediately do an M&S haul and taste test the products (who needs Big Ben when you have Percy Pig?). British crime drama is also resonating hard with US audiences right now, particularly following the release of Adolescence on Netflix earlier this year. That said, the most popular show of all time on TikTok is still The Vampire Diaries -- so if you didn't watch it first time around, maybe now is the time.
