Maangchi's Big Book Of Korean Cooking: From Everyday Meals to Celebration Cuisine―Authentic Korean Recipes for Every Home Cook

by Maangchi, Martha Rose Shulman

The New York Times Best Cookbooks of Fall 2019
Eater Best Fall Cookbooks 2019
Bon Appetit's "Fall Cookbooks We've Been Waiting All Summer For"
Amazon's Pick for Best Fall Cookbooks 2019
Forbes Finds 15 New Cookbooks for Fall 2019

The definitive book on Korean cuisine by “YouTube's Korean Julia Child”* and the author of Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking
*New York Times

Despite the huge popularity of Korean restaurants, there has been no comprehensive book on Korean cooking—until now. Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking is a wide, deep journey to the heart of a food-obsessed culture.

The book contains the favorite dishes Maangchi has perfected over the years, from Korean barbecue and fried chicken to bulgogi and bibimbap. It explores topics not covered in other Korean cookbooks, from the vegan fare of Buddhist mountain temples to the inventive snacks of street vendors to the healthful, beautiful lunch boxes Korean mothers make for their kids. Maangchi has updated and improved the traditional dishes, without losing their authentic spirit.
Among the
• Spectacular party food, from homemade clear rice liquor to sweet, spicy, sour baby back ribs
• Side plates that support and complement every Korean meal
• Soups, hotpots, and stews, from bone broth to tofu stews
• An array of different kimchis
• A detailed photographic chapter on Korean cooking techniques

Hundreds of striking, full-color photos by Maangchi show Korean ingredients so the cook knows exactly what to buy, step-by-step techniques for each recipe, and tempting close-ups of every dish.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary, Reference, Asian Literature

448 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2019

About the author

Emily Kim, commonly known as Maangchi, is a South Korean-born American YouTuber and author. She is notable for producing cooking videos centered around Korean cuisine. She was described by The New York Times as "YouTube's Korean Julia Child.".

Reviews

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ate throu—er, I mean cooked my way through this ^^

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been pushing off this review for so long because I feel I should try a few more recipes before I post anything. But this is one BIG book. Here are the recipes I tried with my thoughts:

Octopus Porridge
-I made this with shrimp instead and it was very comforting and nice for breakfast. I recommend reducing the recipe if you're cooking for one because I had a lot of leftovers that didn't keep very well.

Soy Butter Pan-Grilled Chicken
-A MEAL PREP GO TO. This is so simple and extremely delicious, but what can you expect with soy sauce and butter? Paired with some ssamjang, seasoned scallions and white rice, these made for some tasty lettuce wraps.

Spicy Grilled Chicken
-Depending on the gochujang you use, this can get very spicy which is much appreciated! I often made this as lettuce wraps with some gamja jorim as a side. I make this often as well.

Spicy Stir-Fried Pork
-I think this was the first recipe I made from this book and it was a hit! I made it for some of my co-workers for a mini potluck and they really liked it. Some complained it was too spicy so reduce the spice level if (you're a wimp) you prefer milder flavors. Or honestly skip this and make the Soy Butter Chicken instead.

Glazed Meatballs
-A serious disappointment. Very one note flavor with just the ground beef and glaze. I much prefer Korean Bapsang's recipe (check out her blog, it's awesome too!) as she has pork and beef with scallions, ginger, garlic and more. I tried Maangchi's recipe after I made the other one and it doesn't come close.

Garlicky Cooked Soybean Sprouts
-Not a big sprout fan to be honest, but this was a solid side dish that can be made ahead and keep for days when many of the side dishes only last for a day if even. Overall mild flavor with the garlic and fish sauce coming through. It's fine.

Blanched Seasoned Spinach
-I made this with boy choy instead and it was really tasty and pairs well with any of the meat dishes I mentioned above. I like adding extra garlic and pepper flakes to give it a stronger flavor.

Chive Pancake
-I tend to substitute a lot depending on what vegetables are in season so I've used this recipe to make pancakes with ramps, scallions and garlic chives so far. The most delicious was the ramp pancake or sanmaneuljeon. A recipe specifically for this can be found on Maangchi's website. I recommend adding up to a tbsp of gochujang if you want more flavor. Paired with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, a pinch of sugar, some water and sesame seeds and you're good to go. I clearly have a lot to say on the recipe and that's because I've made it the most often. A lunch or dinner go-to.

Tuna Pancakes
-I made these once for meal prep and they were good and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days okay. I paired these with some rice and blanched bok choy. Honestly, not my favorite, but do try to get Korean canned tuna as I did taste a different. It was much stronger in flavor and meatier.

Fire Chicken with Cheese
-What a wild recipe! This is some SPICY chicken smothered in melted mozzarella. I think I needed to get a softer, meltier mozzarella because mine didn't melt as much as I wanted too. But actually, I just remembered I didn't have a cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet to broil at the end. Now that I do have one, I need to try this again...

Recipes I really want to get to next: kimchi hand-torn noodle soup, stir-fried potato and ham, spicy garlic fried shrimp, japchae, pepper and perilla leaf pancakes, honey cookies, rabokki and many more!

Apart from one or two I was kind of disappointed in, everything was so delicious and a joy to make. Korean cooking has been a passion of mine for a long time and this book added so much it! I think this would be a great cook book for those who want to get into Korean cooking or want to have a solid collection of many areas in Korean cooking at their disposal. This is better than her first cookbook (the flavors and amount of sauce was kind of off in my opinion) so if you're choosing between the two, get this one. Anything not in here, you'll probably be able to find on her blog or YouTube channel.

I have another dozen or so recipes of hers I want to get to so I better get cooking!

[Jewlsbookblog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Maangchi’s recipes! Her food reminds me of my mom’s cooking and the recipes allow me to recreate favorite dishes I didn’t know how to make before! (My mom taught herself how to cook when she came stateside and cooked by taste, no measuring, making it a challenge to learn dishes.) Maangchi’s book has easy to follow instructions, a shopping guide, wonderful history and stories, and gorgeous photography just to highlight a bIt of what’s in this latest cookbook. I’ve tried a couple of recipes and love them! The stir fried anchovies came out perfectly-a little crunchy and chewy, with a spicy sweetness. The Korean fruit salad was also a big hit and will be a go-to for family get togethers! I can’t wait to try the rest.

[Willow Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was good too! It's gonna be so hard to decide between them all.

[Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. I've only tried one recipe so far, but we've made it more than once because it became a quick favourite. Can't wait to try some more

[Jennifer]

Love Maangchi's YouTube videos, but I don't need to own a cookbook that has relatively few vegetarian recipes and some meat recipes that are a little offputting to a longtime vegetarian. I like rice porridge and oat porridge, but octopus porridge? I'll pass, thank you.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know if I’ll ever cook Korean dishes— but if I do Maangchi will be my go-to source. This cookbook has beautiful images and step by step guides and ingredient photos in the front to help out when shopping. It’s almost like walking through an international market, and that is a favorite thing to do visiting big cities!

Some negatives in regards to this cookbook: if Korean cooking IS your goal, a lot of these recipes are labor intensive and take a long time to make. Especially if you’re making kimchi from scratch. Fermentation is no joke!

Additionally, the authentic meal apparently has quite a few side dishes that also need to be prepared to go with the main meal— but it’s left up to the cook to decide. There’s not really a guide for what dishes go well together. You do pick it up while watching Maangchi’s videos on YouTube but going into it cold would probably be a bit confusing.

Anyway naysaying aside this is a fantastic book and I loved reading the recipe descriptions and seeing the photos.

[WF · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a latecomer to the Maangchi fan club, having started following her only this year when she has been sharing her recipes on Youtube for over a decade. Having tried several of her recipes and finding them all easy to follow and the results delicious, purchasing the cookbook is a kind of thank you. Amongst so much weirdness on the internet, Maangchi is consistently wholesome, joyful and inspiring. This cookbook is huge and comprehensive. I love it.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Korean cooking made easy! I grew up with Korean food, and now, as an adult, Maangchi and her cookbook (discovered through her YouTube channel) help me reconnect to my heritage.

[Brendan Behan, MFA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maangchi is queen, and with this tome, she came to slay.

Having binge-watched Maangchi's YT channel during lockdown, I made the leap a few years ago and decided it was time to order her inaugural cookbook. It has come to be one of my most referenced cookbooks in my library, independent of the national cuisine concerned, and the go-to among my several Korean cookbooks. I adore this book without qualification. The instructions are easy to understand and broken up into comprehensible sets of activities that make it intuitive and easy to follow.

Highly deserving of its "Big Book" title, this cookbook is broken into thirteen recipe sections with the average section having around ten to twelve recipes, give or take. Some of the longer sections have even more—the section on banchan and mitbanchan boasts no less than twenty-five recipes. It is comprehensive, including chapters on ingredients and cookware and Korean cooking techniques. Short narratives also accompany every recipe. There is such wonderful variety, including meat and vegetarian options for some of the most quintessential Maangchi recipes, and an excellent range of options among the low- to moderate-effort recipes.

The color photographs are bright and well-lit and do not suffer from intrusive post-production editing that sacrifices visibility for aesthetics.

Of all the recipes I have tried, not a single one has disappointed. Indeed, a few that I went into without any preconceptions ended up being so surprisingly good that they easily surpassed dishes that I have long known to be my favorites. Of these, I want to particularly mention kimchi guksu, which is hands-down my favorite and hugely enticing for its effort-to-reward ratio.

Here are the recipes that I have made from this cookbook:
Tongbaechu kimchi (napa cabbage kimchi)
Kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi)
Kimchi guksu (noodle soup with kimchi seasoning)
Haemul pajeon (seafood pancake)
Dububuchim yangnyeomjang (pan-fried tofu with soy-scallion seasoning sauce)
Brokoli-dubumuchim (broccoli with tofu)
Oi-bokkeum (sautéed cucumber)
Ganjang-yangnyeomjang (soy-scallion seasoning sauce)

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good introduction to Korean cooking. In addition to recipes, the book includes basic (and not so basic) techniques, specialized kitchenware, and an excellent section on shopping for ingredients, especially for readers not familiar with Korean cuisine - including what the ingredient (and often the packaging) looks like, how to tell fresh ingredients, etc. Sections include Grains and One-Bowl Meals, Soupy, Kimchi, Sauces and Garnishes, Meaty, Good Stuff from the Ocean, Vegetables, Banchan and Mitbanchan, Dosirak Made With Love, Drinks and Party Food, Korean Buddhist Temple Cuisine, Sweeties, and Street Food and Modern Korean Dishes. I generally felt that this was a pretty solid cookbook, but at some points it seemed like the author was getting a bit cutesy; also I could do without some of the internet references - I'm picking up a book in DTF (Dead Tree Format) specifically to avoid this. 3.5 stars.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both a lot of good ideas for cooking, but also awesome to get introduced to dishes I could order at a restaurant. My favourite sections were the soups and the modern Korean dishes in the back, definitely inspired for my next trip to H-mart. I also liked her thorough recommendations for lunchbox combos.

[Beatrice]

All tested recipes excellent and a charming style.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 4 out of 5]

She is the quintessential answer to Korean cuisine. She offers many wonderful tips and recommendations on how to buy groceries, and what type of groceries you should get at a Korean grocery store. She tells you how to buy the freshest produce, what to look for, and which brands she prefers and how to store them.

For instance, Black bean paste, after opening, store in the refrigerator for up to three months. For Korean fermented soybean paste, it should be kept in the refrigerator and used within three months. The top of the paste may oxidize a bit and turn brown. Don’t worry it’s still edible. For dried anchovies, use the smaller anchovies for stir fried recipes and toasted whole wheat soy sauce and chili paste to serve. Use the large anchovies which are usually around 3 1/2 inches long, use those two flavors soups and to make anchovy-kelp stock. Store in the freezer for up to one year, cylinder shaped rice cakes can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight and cut them into bite-size pieces. Always freeze them if you’re not going to use them within three days. Seaweed paper should be stored in a Ziploc plastic bag in the freezer for up to six months. You can use them for grinding and putting on top of rice or use the sheets directly over a flame for rice rolls or two stir fry, soups, and stews. Dried kelp must be stored in a cool, dry place. Dumpling skins can be stored in the freezer. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter before using. Fish cakes can be stored in a Ziploc plastic bag in the freezer for up to three months. Frozen oysters can be frozen and still be considered safe to eat raw. Sliced rice cakes can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Sliced rice cakes are perfect for rice cake soup with bone broth and fried chicken with cheese. Do not forget to thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or on your kitchen counter. Always soak for half an hour prior to cooking.

So many delicious recipes are written in easy step by step instructions. Many classics such as anchovy-kelp soup stock, jjigae, birthday soup, the list goes on. Worth reading but I'm thinking of purchasing this book for future references.

[Kate]

Made the bulgogi and a seafood pancake. The bulgogi is such an easy recipe and came out perfect. The pancake came out well too, and I thought the process outlined in the book was really helpful and resulted in a pancake that looked almost like the photo with minimal effort. I'd only eaten pajeon in restaurants, so it was fun to make my own.

I enjoyed reading the headnotes on these recipes, and learned about a lot of foods I hadn't heard of before. I'm not into most time-consuming projects (especially since K-town is one subway stop away for me), but I definitely appreciated hearing about how certain things like yakju and rice cakes are made. And even though I'm more likely to buy the pre-cleaned shrimp and octopus, I thought it was an interesting addition to have a bunch of back matter about how to prepare those ingredients.

[DJey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Maangchi's personality and have been following her on Youtube for a couple of years now. Her korean recipes are simple, quick, nutritious, but delicious. The best part is that the cuisine lends itself so well to food prep.

I was thrilled to find this book at the library and to see she has improved on some of the recipes I cook regularly from her channel (like Soybean stew - Doenjang jjigae). What makes it a delightful read are the little anecdotes of personal stories and superstitions peppered in each recipe's intro. For many recipes the photos are of crucial step instructions instead of just the finished meal at the end. I really appreciate that and frankly it's ruined other cookbooks for me that just focus on the stylized plate pics.

My favorite section in the book was the Dosirak (or korean equivalent of bento box) showing combinations of banchan (sides) with the main meals. Some other recipes I love and others I can't wait to try are:
- soybean sprouts soup (kongnamulguk)
- fermented soybean paste stew (doenjang jjigae)
- kimchi Soft tofu stew (kimchi soondubu jjigae)
- hand torn noodle soup (sujebi)
- mustard greens kimchi
- panfried leek mushroom and pepper skewers
- zucchini pancakes
- bokchoy banchan

So in short, if you enjoy Korean food, you MUST buy a ttukbaegi (clay pot) and make at least the stews and bibimbap :)

[Marc Sebastian Head · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started to try and cook Korean cuisine, Maangchi's website was one of my earliest sources for advice. The in-laws later bought me this book to keep me going, and it really is an excellent resource.

I'll admit that some of the recipes are a bit samey, seemingly just swapping round the main vegetable or sauce used and calling it a new entry. And for the number of recipes included, I was surprised that some things I had already cooked were not to be found - no 김치전, no 호떡, and no 붕어빵, although that last one does need its own utensils.

But these are minor quibbles, more than made up for by the depth of variety on offer, the cute little stories that sometimes accompany the recipes, and some especially good sections on Korean kitchenware and cooking techniques. Recommended if this is your thing.

[Ana Camila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this cookbook as a birthday present from my partner. We both love spicy food and Asian cuisine so what could go wrong?

Five months have passed now, I think I could navigate through a korean restaurant menu with confidence hahahaha

Maangchi's recipes were really easy to follow and delicious. Be mindful of the gochugaru if you don't tolerate really hot food.

At the beginning of the book there's a list of your typical Korean ingredients with pictures, really helpful when looking for them in you asian supermarket.

[LibrarianMel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Maanghi's youtube channel, she is a stinking delight. This book is almost 450 pages of deliciousness, I saved a few recipes to try, and would be trying more if I had better access to ingredients. I loved the stories and explanations behind the recipes and the organization was very pleasing. There were mains, sides, sauces, desserts, lunch boxes, ways to use leftovers, types of crockery, and more!

[Itasca Community Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily B. says:
This is truly Korean cooking made easy. You may know Maangchi from her YouTube series, and her cookbook provides the same easy-to-follow, inspiring and delicious recipes for everyday meals. There are plenty of pictures for each recipe, a grocery and kitchenware guide, and even practical kitchen techniques like how to clean and open live clams. A personal favorite were the tuna pancakes, but definitely try with Korean canned tuna; the flavor is worth it.

[Taylor Foote · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to take a plunge into Korean cooking, this book is the best place to start. The author describes in detail all the ingredients and utensils used in Korean cooking and explains their purposes. Maangs energy and love for food is prevalent all through out the book and all the recipes I’ve tried have turned out great. She also has a lot of YouTube videos to help with the recipes. Great buy!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Maangchi and her latest cookbook is amazing. The glossy pictures with every recipe drew me in and I could definitely see myself making many of these recipes! Some are Korean classic and some have an American twist, but they all have that Maangchi touch that makes it possible for the home cook to make Korean food in a simple way!

[Git · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great recipes

I really enjoyed trying different recipes from this book. They were easy to follow and resulted in flavorful dishes. I did find that using an ebook to try to page through to search for recipes was not as easy as a normal print copy. My go-to format of preference is the latter.

[Vivien · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love Maangchi's youtube posts- they are so entertaining, and the results speak for themselves- the food is very tasty.
Korean cuisine is a bit different, and there is no way I would be able to translate recipes from Korean- so this book has been a really fun place to begin to learn the basics of comfort food - Korean style.

[Cierra B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not made anything from this cookbook yet, but the accompanying photos are great. I am looking forward to creating some of the dishes in here (bulgogi for example), but there are a few I most likely will not make (sea squirts). Overall, I think it is a great overview of Korean Cooking or at the very least a great intro for those who are new to it like myself.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes here are simple and tasty with easy-to-follow instructions and supplementary support for people new to sourcing and cooking Korean ingredients like burdock root, fresh ginseng, lotus root, perilla powder and ginkgo nuts. I plan to come back to this again and again for Korean cooking nights.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maangchi was the first blogger I followed when i first got married to my Korean American husband. She basically taught me my Korean food basics. Love the recipes in this book, easy to follow and delicious as always. Well done Maanghi!

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really good recipes

I definitely don't have the skill or access to a lit of these ingredients. Many of these recipes are certainly out of my league. Some more ingredient substitutions and cheats (like for time or appliances) would have been welcomed with open arms.

[allysther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve followed her videos for years so when a Korean friend sent me this marvelous book as a gift I could be nothing but grateful. Easy recipes, so many easy to follow photos, and stories from her life all combine to make a fantastic book.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best cookbooks I've used over the past years! A must for understanding basics of Korean cooking and meal service. All two weeks worth of meals were delicious, easy to prepare, with little cleanup!