Feeding a family is a constant job that really has no end. Doing it well and with less stress is a blessing to yourself and to your family. For me, feeding a family of five, I found that the way to survive life with a busy schedule is to be able to make tons of side dishes that can be pulled out in a moment's notice for a full meal. An additional side dish will be added to spice it up while the prepared side dishes are there to add an array of flavor and nutrients.
Side dishes are not leftovers but an integrated meal prep flavor system.
As a kid anything that we didn’t finish would be leftover for the next day. Usually leftovers for the next day didn’t really conjure up excitement for dinner no matter if it was Thanksgiving food or not.
But imagine that the leftovers were planned and part of a strategic flavor system designed to get you through the week, add a variety of colors and textures to your table, and complemented each other flavor wise. That’s a game changer. That is where the magic happens. A typical system will include side dishes (which will often include a protein packed main dish and a variety of prepared vegetables) soup, and rice.
Side dishes are simple recipes that usually go with the season, are easy to prepare with few ingredients, have a long shelf life, and a single ingredient can be prepared in many ways to create variety even when there isn’t.
A Korean kitchen will be stocked with these basics: sesame oil, soy sauce, soybean paste (dwinjang or miso paste), and red pepper flakes or sauces, mirin (mat sul–a gingery sweet sauce) some salt and sugar can be used in endless combinations to create a variety of complimentary side dishes. Of course there are many other sauces but those stocked in a kitchen create a perfect flavor base.
A rice cooker is a game changer. Being able to buy a large bag of rice that has a long shelf life and can be prepared in a rice cooker in 27 minutes, really creates a freedom from having to buy bread or make bread. Rice is gluten free, filling, and works beautifully mixed into soups or as the base for all side dishes.
When I first came to Korea, I didn’t eat rice. I was always looking for bread in stores and also making it on my own. But a lot of things make buying bread in Korea difficult. First, most of it is akin to Wonder Bread plain old white bread. So I bought a bread machine and would make wheat bread from flour that was imported from the USA–Bob’s Red Mill. But think about it, flour has to be flown in from the other side of the world and then put in a bread machine for a few hours before it reaches the table. I still often get wheat bread from Costco for my kids for breakfast and use rice for lunches and dinners. But being able to free myself from the short shelf life and the long prep time of bread makes me feel more in control of the table.
Presentation is a key factor on a Korean table. The slice and cut of the vegetables, the sesame seed topping, the shared side dishes to choose from, the bite size portions, and the mindfulness of picking up and eating with chopsticks make eating more enjoyable and less stressful. Like little presents to pick and choose from.
The julienne cut, long thin cut slices, of vegetables creates a light and fresh feel to veggies is a must in the Korean kitchen. This is the most used cut for vegetables and it looks appealing to kids, cooks quickly, is easy to eat, pick up with chopsticks and mix into rice. Top lighlty cooked julienned carrots and potatoes cooked in a little oil and topped with sesame seeds and see how fast it cooks together and presents beautifully.
Cube cut, slices, and cutting things into squares (like Korean pancakes) or rounds (like carrots and potatoes in galbi jjim) and mindfully setting them into the side dish plates makes the table look appetizing and exciting. The joy of having lots of beautifully presented side dishes (even though they are simple recipes) makes meal time feel like a present.
A light brothy soup that will keep for a week helps to complete the meal.
Soups made with vegetables and broth or collagen rich broth are essential. The soups are easy to put together and add another variety of vegetables. Bear soup is a favorite made with bone broth and beef. Dwinjangjigae made with soybean paste (miso) and pumpkin, zucchini, tofu, beef or shellfish is easy to make in your own style. Seaweed soup has always been my kids favorite soup.
Side dishes, soup, a rice cooker, and presentation mindfulness make mealtimes easier, create variety, and interest on the table that appeals to both adults and to my three boys and it has made my life a lot better. The focus on making vegetables warm and flavorful with mindfulness on presentation and variety is what makes eating healthy fun.
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