Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving, is a beloved harvest festival in Korea. The three-day festivities will run from 28-30 September this year. Some of the most popular festive dishes include various types of teokbokki (rice cakes) served with dishes like japchae (glass noodles) and Korean mung bean pancakes. Here's a selection of four such recipes sourced from The Korean Vegan Cookbook on Audible. They are perfect to curate a flavour-filled four course meal.
Miso Spinach
Ingredients
6 cups of raw spinach
1 tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean and brine paste)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 scallions (spring onions)
Method
Add spinach to a large pot of boiling water. Cook for approximately 1 minute before removing it and placing it in an ice bath ( to discontinue cooking).
Drain the excess water by placing one handful of spinach at a time into either a cheesecloth/ kitchen towel/paper towel and squeezing it between your hands
Place the 6 cups of raw spinach into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients - 1 tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean and brine paste), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, and 2 scallions (spring onions) to it.
Mix well with a large spoon or by hand
Your Miso Spinach is ready to serve
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes
2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Half tbsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
Method
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit
Chop the 4 sweet potatoes into bite-sized portions and place them in a large bowl
Add the other ingredients including the 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, and ½ tbsp coarse sea salt to it
Remember to not add the sesame seeds
Place the lid of a pot (large enough to cover the entire bowl) and shake vigorously to ensure sweet potatoes are evenly coated
Place the potatoes in one layer on a baking sheet sprayed generously with cooking oil (use two trays if necessary)
Place on the low rack of the oven and cook for 15-17 minutes
Flip the potatoes and place them back in the oven to cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until evenly browned
Sprinkle 2 tsp of sesame seeds before serving.
Ingredients
1 package of tteokbokki (fresh or frozen / simmered rice cakes)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Half Zucchini chopped
3-4 sliced shiitake mushrooms
One-eighth green bell pepper julienned (cut into long thin strips)
One-fourth red bell pepper julienned (cut into long thin strips)
One-fourth red onion julienned (cut into long thin strips)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup of vegetable broth (or water)
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Method
Place the tteokbokki in a large bowl and add sesame oil and black pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes
In a large pan, add extra virgin olive oil over medium heat
Add all vegetables and saute until they soften
Add 1 tsp of salt and continue cooking for 1 minute
After this add the package of tteokbokki, as well as soy sauce and maple syrup until the vegetable and rice cakes are coated with sauce
Deglaze the pan with broth or water and bring to a boil
Then reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the liquid thickens for 2-3 minutes
Garnish with sesame seeds before serving
Ingredients
1 cup non-dairy milk
2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup almond meal
Half cup + one-fourth cup potato starch
One-fourth cup coconut sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Half tsp salt
2 cups strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
2 tbsp maple syrup
Juice of half lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, add almond meal, rice flour, ½ cup potato starch, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
In a brownie pan/cast iron pan, add berries, maple syrup, lemon juice, and 1/4th cup of potato starch
Stir with a wooden spoon or hands until the berries are evenly coated
Go back to the bowl of dry ingredients and add non-dairy milk + vinegar mixture and coconut milk
Stir with a whisk until incorporated and the cake batter will be fairly thick
Scoop out spoonfuls of the batter with two spoons or an ice cream scooper and pace carefully over the top of the berries mix until all the berries are covered
Smooth it out with a spatula or the back of a spoon if you can
Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until the filling and the bubbling of the cake is nice and brown. Serve.
