Flavors
of Asia

Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen -
One Part Memoir, Two Parts Cookbook

by Phyllis Louise Harris
 

Fans of Korean cooking have a number of Twin City restaurants to satisfy their cravings including Shilla and Mirror of Korea in St. Paul, Hoban in Eagan and King's Fine Korean Cuisine in Fridley. For home chefs there are a limited number of Korean cookbooks that will successfully lead the cook through the amazing world of Koch'u Karu (hot red pepper powder), Kimchi (pickled vegetables and fruit) and Meju (fermented soybean paste block) so essential to Korean cooking. Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen is among the best of the cookbooks currently on the market.

Written by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall, author of two novels, the book combines family recipes with childhood memories. "During most of my childhood," Hepinstall writes, "the food for our kitchen came from our own land. . . Now, older than our grandmother was then, I cannot help but remember those years with her in her garden . . . with a shovel, a hoe, or some other tool . . . (I assisted) her in her labor of love . . . gardening. . . I have a habit of calling the gardens around our house 'Grandmother's gardens.'"

Through 254 pages and 175 recipes the author takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through traditional Korean dishes found in typical homes as well as in royal kitchens. Some are complex, others exceedingly easy.
"Korean gourmands find Kkori Komt'ang (Oxtail Soup) to be one of their favorite soups," she writes. "The long hours of simmering creates a rich stock to savor and delicious meat, almost nutlike in flavor, to chew on. This soup takes many long hours to cook. A few serious Korean cooks boast that it takes 38 hours to create the best oxtail soup. I must admit that our family never went that far." Her recipe uses just five ingredients and takes 3 hours of simmering.

On the other hand the festive Chapch'ae (Sweet Potato Noodles with Meat and Mixed Vegetables) requires 23 ingredients, at least an hour to prepare and another to cook.

A chapter that many cooks will find handy this time of year explores "The Art of Korean Barbecue." From Grilled Red Snapper to Pork and Vegetable Skewers to Fired Beef, Hepinstall offers traditional recipes to spice up the upcoming barbecue season. Many are very easy with spicy Korean flavors.

Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen was published in 2001 by Ten Speed Press with a hardcover price of $29.95. It's available at Jessica's Biscuit Cookbooks for $20.96, www.ecookbooks.com or at local bookstores. Recipe ingredients are readily available at dozens of local Asian food markets including Kim's Oriental Supermarket in St. Paul and Seoul Oriental Foods in Fridley specializing in Korean food.

According to the book jacket, author Hepinstall is creating a website, www.koreanfeast.com, but we were not able to link to it. However, in a web search for Korean food sites, there are quite a number offering information and recipes.

Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen is another of those special cookbooks that offer an in-depth look at a traditional Asian cuisine and should be acquired now while they are still in print.

(Reprinted from Asian Pages 5/1/02)
 

Back to Flavors Index

©2005 Asian Culinary Arts Institutes Ltd.
All rights reserved.

For problems with this site please contact the ACAI webmaster.