Celebrating Korean Heritage Week...

How lucky to be wedged between these two master chefs Sang Kim (award-winning writer and owner of Sushi Making For the Soul- Canada's most popular hands-on sushi and gimbap-making workshop) and Oliver Li (helming The Chefs' House (a training restaurant for last year students from GBC's Hospitality and Culinary Arts program)) 🤗 #judges

Did you know October 14th was Korean Heritage Week? I finally have some time to post about this incredible event and all the cooking I've been doing at home and in my cooking program to honour the delicious and healthy flavours Korean cuisine offers.

I was at the 2019 Global Taste of Korea hosted by the Consulate of Korea in Toronto at George Brown College Hospitality and Culinary Arts with their featured kimchi competition where ten chosen culinary students battle it out... which kimchi dish reigns supreme? 

In the honoured presence of Chef Sang Kim and Chef Oliver Li

Yes, there were lots of delish Korean food- appies and a colourful varied buffet, booze, an incredible trance-like dance and drumming performance signifying happy wishes to all, but the cherries on top 🍒 was getting to know my friend Doris who may have been Korean in her past life 😊 and the attendance of my amazing crew of senior learners (Asian cooking program). It was really all about the people and company that evening!

What an incredible display of traditional and modern Korean culture through food like kimchi that is so approachable and accessible to all!

A captivating and entrancing traditional Korean dance to signify good wishes to all!

This troupe was AmaZing!

My seniors cooking program learners looking on.

The displayed competitor dishes!

10 innovative dishes with kimchi at George Brown College Hospitality and Culinary Arts #studentcompetition

Congrats to winner- Citrusy White Kimchi by 3rd semester baking and pastry student @minjeongjuen. From the words of my friend and judge chef Sang Kim, "Min's dish was braised pork belly with three kinds of kimchi: cabbage, cucumber and radish, which never left our minds. None of it contained the ubiquitous fish sauce or shrimp paste, hence the "citrusy" component. Elegant presentation, a deep understanding of the basic building blocks of the three most popular kimchi types, an array of unique contrasting flavours."

Which way with kimchi most resonates with you?

The Winner- Citrusy White Kimchi by 3rd semester baking and pastry student Min!!

Min and Chef Sang Kim. Check out his past Kimjang event.

The prize- a ticket to Korea! Congrats 🎉✈!

The hungry crowd! Couldn't squeeze in to take photos and grab food at the same time lol

My friends and senior learners Malee and Eleanor!

Trying my hands at kimchi making in a previous cooking class at Galleria Supermarket.

Do you know there are 187 kinds of kimchi?

Kimchi is incredibly nutritious- a source of protein, vitamins A and B- and is low in calories. It is also a digestive aid, due to its fibrous texture and lactic acid content. The elaborate Korean way of pickling can be made simpler by preserving vegetables in heavily salted water without seasoning or spices such as fish sauce, fermented red pepper or bean paste. One such pickle is White Cabbage Kimchi (Paek Kimchi). It is made the same as regular whole cabbage kimchi but without the hot red pepper powder, resulting in a pale colour with seasoning toned down providing a more delicate flavour. This kind of kimchi may be a good intro for the curious to the vast world of kimchi.

Beautiful, delicious, refreshing white kimchi without all the fiery spices and funky seasonings! Yummers 🤗👏

Making Whole White Cabbage Kimchi (Paek Kimchi)

According to Chef Sang, kimchi can help make the world a better place! In 2018, he launched the #giftingkimchi campaign, dropping off homemade kimchi to people who are positive forces in the community, and leaving clay pots of kimchi on doorsteps to those who could use it. I had the pleasure to learn his techniques in a kimchi workshop prior to the outdoor hands-on event with over 100 volunteers from the community. Check out the Kimjang event held last year at Galleria Supermarket York Mills.

And then comes the onslaught of Korean cooking that week with my cooking programs 🤗. Popular chap chae's chewy glass sweet potato noodles is one I love to make in all my classes to introduce this healthier tuber noodles which can absorb a lot of flavour. It's signature savoury and sweet taste is made simple with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil with your choice of sauteed vegetables, with or without meat. It's one of those dishes that wow, with all the colourful, healthful ingredients and is sure to please at any gathering for a crowd or to tote as a potluck.

Chap Chae

The newcomer mom registrants for my parent engagement culinary program in Thorncliffe Park community. They loved this noodle dish and the kimchi I brought to accompany it.

At Fraser Mustard

Ending Korean Heritage Week strong with two drool brews 🤤...

First, gamjatang 🌶 🐷 a hearty pork bone stew with a complex taste of spicy rich broth made from boiled pork neck bones, veggies, potatoes and spices. This is famous for its hangover cure... maybe that's why these speciality pork bone soup shops are opened 24/7 in Korea as well as in Toronto's Korean towns to cater to the drunken late evenings and early mornings 🍻.

Next, tofu doenjang chigae 🍲- a nutritious traditional stew powerhouse with bean curd and bean paste, plus more beans (seasoned bean sprouts as a side dish (panchan) and spinach), to reap the amazing benefits of eating lots of veggies and high-quality protein, eight essential amino acid-rich tofu.

So Korean food fans, or curious food explorers, to comfort especially amidst this cool fall weather... Are you in camp tofu chigae or gamjatang 🏁?

The making of Gamjatang! Try it with udon noodles 🍜

 Check out my step-by-step recipe to make this popular pork bone soup!

Tofu Doenjang Chigae served with seasoned spinach and beansprouts.

Something fun and tasty... Rabokki (Ramen + Ddukbokki) = RiDiCulouS DeLiCiousNesS 🤪🤪🍜!

Not quite off the Korean cooking bandwagon just yet. To ddukbokki (Spicy Korean rice cakes) aficionados and ramen lovers, there couldn't be a better match made in heaven on earth!

Rabokki

This crew enjoyed it- some preferred the twirly ramen, some the chewy cylinder rice cakes, made both mild and medium hot, it was a new and fun experience for all! Finished with cute Korean red bean walnut cakes 🤗.

The lovely seniors crew I teach for TDSB Learn4Life in Chinatown!

Delicious Korean red bean walnut cakes.

Korean cuisine is vast and glorious! I hope I inspired you to go out there and try to cook something new!

Stay tuned for more Korean cooking up my sleeves- a project is in the works :)