Kimchi and Korean food

My mother knows that cooking has become an increasingly important part of my life, so on her last trip to Korea, she picked up some spices for me that, while available in the U.S., are just better over there. Amongst these spices were hot, Korean chili flakes, dried and crushed at home by my aunts. These chili flakes were destined to be used for kimchi!

Kimchi, of course, calls for a Korean feast, so Patrick and I invited Lydia, Jason, and Chuck over to enjoy some hearty Korean food with us. We made our own KimBab (rice rolled in seaweed with various fillings) and DaenJang Chigae (fermented soybean stew).

  

KimBab: black, brown, sweet brown, and white rice; pickled radishes; sesame-soy spinach; honey-soy shiitake mushrooms; egg

DaenJang Chigae, seasoned sesame leaves, KimBab, rice, Kimchi, and mixed greens with sesame-rice vinegar dressing