Deuki Hong - Koreatown: A Cookbook

Youre holding a Korean cookbook in your hands, and theres a bright, unapologetically funky, sometimes spicy, oftentimes bubbling, impossibly interesting future awaiting you. You may know this already. Maybe youre Korean. Maybe youre married to a Korean, have a Korean best friend, adopted a Korean child, lived in Korea for a summer or just fell into a K-food hole, where you can expect a life lived entirely on bowls of Shin Ramyun and dakdoritang. Maybe youve already been hypnotized by the unexpected pleasure of samgyupsal dipped in sesame oil, or know the joy of the perfect plate of sizzling nakji bokkeum. Or maybe youre simply curious about what all these dishes are, and why millions of people are obsessed with them.

There are nearly two million people of Korean heritage living in the United States today, spread out in Koreatowns all across the countryfrom sprawling Los Angeles and vertically rising New York City to smaller dots on the map. In each of these communities, big and small, society revolves around clusters of restaurants that serve the traditional foods of the motherland.

For an outsider, a visit to one of these hidden little gems can be exhilarating, with the smell of cooked rice and sesame oil smacking you in the face upon entering, and the promise of a completely new restaurant experience. Mysterious bubbling pots and meats braised in soy sauce and orchard fruits. The endless parade of complimentary small plates called banchan. Korean food is never, ever, a boring time.

OK, try this: Type Korean restaurant into Google Maps. Chances are theres one near you. Hit driving directions. Youre that close! Or, really, youre even closer: Just keep reading.

Our interest in Asian cuisine has exploded, says chef and well-traveled TV food personality Andrew Zimmern, allowing the explode to exit his mouth like a light bottle rocket. Americans cannot get enough of it. I believe that to be true with every fiber of my being. This is why its so frustrating for me to see that one of my all-time favorite Asian cuisinesKoreanhas yet to be swept up in that bandwagon. And I am still trying to figure out why this is the case.

Well, Andrew Zimmern, were on the case: The case to educate home cooks about the methods behind the magic of fire and fermentation, and to do our best to help popularize Korean food in America beyond kimchi tacos, fried chicken and barbecue. Those are three things we love, but there is much more to this story. And for those folks who have never had a slurp of icy naengmyeon, or spoon of doenjang jjigae, maybe we can play a role in getting you there.