Cooking for others stresses me out. Cooking for myself is therapeutic. Recently I figured out why: cooking is experimental. I enjoy playing with ingredients and figuring out my own way of make something to my liking, or in this case, taste.
On most days I don't cook. For lunch I'll either grab something to go or dine at a restaurant enjoying a meal in solitude. Dinner is typically spent with Ian somewhere in our neighborhood. We're blessed to live in a city with a plethora of different cuisines. Cooking is reserved for moments when time is a luxury such as nights when I'm alone.
The idea to make something in my kitchen usually sparks when I'm dining out and have eaten something really delicious. So delicious it will entice me to attempt it at home so that I can always enjoy it whenever I want.
This Kimchi Jjigae (and many iterations of it) was inspired by Kang Hodong Baekjeong in Koreatown. My dental hygienist recommended the place but warned us about the long wait. She suggested we go as late in the evening as possible. After a full day of work, Ian and I arrived in LA around 10pm and starving. The restaurant was a few blocks from The Line making it the perfect time to go. We were there for the Korean BBQ which deserves mentioning as it was also memorable and delicious but the jjiae stole the show.
After a few spoonful of jjigae I turn to Ian with wide eyes and asked, "Do you think we can make this at home?" He quickly tries the jjiage, "Of course!" And he starts listing the ingredients. He has a talent for breaking down ingredients through taste. I think it's magical and am always so impressed.
With the colder weather upon us, I've been spending the last few months perfecting my take on Kimchi Jjiae. The first try was passable but tonight's was exactly how I liked it: the perfect level of sour and spice.
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