ANNOUNCER: Funding for "Lucky Chow" has been provided by... From the kitchen to the grill, Soy Vay sauces and marinades add an Asian twist to your favorite dishes.

[ Bell dings ] Recipes and more are available at soyvay.com.

MAN: The way of Thai -- our way of unique happiness, and it begins with the people.

ANNOUNCER: And by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

[ Sizzles ] CHANG: Korean food.

Undiscovered... savory... spicy... delicious.

It's so much more than just barbecue.

From a national drink, soju, to a new international staple, kimchi, Korean cuisine and culture is rapidly being uncovered coast to coast in Koreatowns, on television, and online.

Today's menu contains a crash course in Korean dining, and a special cooking lesson with "Top Chef" winner Kristen Kish and YouTube cooking sensation Maangchi.

MAANGCHI: Hi, everybody.

CHANG: Geonbae!

[ Laughs ] Unlike Chinese or Japanese or even Thai food, I think Korean food has been relatively unknown in America until more recently.

But still, it can be intimidating to dining novices.

There are close to 2 million Korean people living in the U.S. That's the largest Korean community outside of Asia.

Yet there's just so much to learn about the cuisine in general.

The first time that I had Korean food was in college, which opened my palate to funky, spicy flavors that I had never tasted before.

I was immediately drawn to ingredients like gochujang, dried anchovies, kimchi, and dishes like bibimbap and Korean barbecue became my new favorite comfort foods.

Now I'm on a mission to gain a deeper understanding of these distinctive flavors.

And today, I'm surprising a "Top Chef" winner who was adopted from Korea as an infant with her first lesson in kimchi making from YouTube cooking sensation Maangchi.

MAANGCHI: All Koreans, they cannot survive without the kimchi.

KRISTEN: Yes.

CHANG: The heart of Korea in America can be found in L.A.'s K-Town, a sprawling city neighborhood that is home to many nationalities, but mostly Koreans and Latinos who've coexisted for decades.

K-Town has come a long way since the L.A. riots of the '90s, and now the community overall is thriving and has given birth to new culinary creations like kimchi tacos.

Through the dedication of entrepreneurs like Jenee Kim, a single mother of two boys and chef/founder of Park's Barbeque, K-Town continues to evolve.

Jenee has made Park's Barbeque the place to eat in L.A. She's gonna share the nuances of dining Korean-style with me and good friends Lisa Ling and her husband, Paul, who is well-versed in the cuisine.

JENEE: Well, when you come to Korean barbecue restaurants and you order barbecue, then we bring out all the banchans and then barbecue.

CHANG: Tell me about what's being served right here as the banchan.

JENEE: We have three different kind of kimchi, and this is a japchae, fish cake, egg omelet, eggplant.

This is a rice cake with vegetable.

CHANG: What's the proper etiquette to eating banchan?

JENEE: Well, there is not really, you know, a certain way.

You can just start whenever you want.

And, you know, you can do it with the barbecue.

CHANG: All right.

Well, let's start.

PAUL: And everything is communal here.

LISA: How did kimchi become such a staple of Korean food?

PAUL: If you only had certain times to harvest, the way you could preserve them would be to ferment them.

When the winter months came and you didn't have any fresh produce, they could then use the kimchi and eat it all year 'round.

So I think part of that was out of necessity, but then it's such a -- It's who we are as a people, the kimchi and probably soju, so... CHANG: Why do you think Korean food has gotten so popular over the years?

JENEE: Because Korean food is -- The main point is, it's a lot of fermented food.

PAUL: And also it's very clean, and it's light.

LISA: And I think Korean food -- I think people are starting to appreciate Korean food more because there's so many different flavors.

And I just think that the palate of, you know, everyday Americans has become so much more advanced, and people are so much more willing to be adventurous and try different things.

You know, there's so many great staples.

Like the meat is -- It's just so tasty.

The marinades are so good.

And you get a chance to sample so many different kinds of things.

JENEE: This is seafood pancake.

The batter is mixed with flour and rice powder.

Then we put it in the pan, lay those green onions and all this different kind of seafood.

We squeeze the egg on top.

When it's ready, you flip it.

-[ Sizzles ] -This is how it comes out.

PAUL: It's very ironic, this being a home dish, that most Koreans only eat this now when they go out... because restaurants do it really well, and most of us don't have the ingredients to just do this at home.

LISA: I'm just curious, Jenee.

Have you seen the number of non-Koreans increase a lot over the last few years?

JENEE: Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

When I opened, it was, like, mostly Korean customers.

Now we get like about 80% non-Koreans.

-CHANG: Really?

-JENEE: Yeah.

LISA: I mean, that really shows you how much the palate has increased.

JENEE: This is our signature dish.

It's marinated in soy sauce... -[ Sizzles ] -CHANG: Ooh.

JENEE: ...sesame oil and garlic.

PAUL: You really want to serve it more on the well-done side, because the marinade really tenderizes it, but if you serve it too rare, it doesn't have the flavor of something that's more well done.

LISA: Korean restaurants are the only places where you'll see people cutting meat with scissors.

CHANG: It makes so much sense, doesn't it?

JENEE: Our traditional way is to wrap it with a vegetable.

Any kind of vegetable -- lettuce.

-We have sesame leaf tonight.

-CHANG: Uh-huh.

JENEE: So you can wrap your meat with a sesame leaf and bean-paste sauce.

CHANG: Jenee, this looks amazing.

Tell us about this dish.

JENEE: Well, this is octopus with vegetable.

We stir-fry the vegetable and then octopus and then add rice cake and noodle.

Season with salt and pepper.

PAUL: Koreans love octopus.

LISA: It's delicious.

PAUL: Oh.

Look at how beautiful that is.

CHANG: That is gorgeous.

JENEE: We conclude with soup and rice.

This is the bibimbap.

We call it harmony.

This is gochujang, which is a chili paste.

And I'm gonna mix it.

PAUL: No two bibimbaps are the same because if you go to some other family or restaurant, they might have different marinated vegetables to use for that bibimbap.

JENEE: You can use any vegetable with rice with the chili-paste sauce.

CHANG: Korean food is really communal.

It's something that is best enjoyed with a big group.

LISA: And it's so fun to eat together.

You're trying so many different things.

You're cooking communally, together.

Korean food is my favorite.

Love it.

CHANG: This has been such an amazing meal.

So thank you for your hospitality.

JENEE: Thank you for coming.

CHANG: And thank you, guys, for accompanying me here again.

-PAUL: Thank you.

-JENEE: I thank you.

TOGETHER: Geonbae!

CHANG: Korean food was a novelty in America just even a decade ago.

Now it's a burgeoning trend across the country.

So I'm leaving the streets of L.A. and traveling east to 32nd Street in New York City.

New York's K-Town goes up instead of spreading out.

One short stretch of West 32nd Street is estimated to have over 100 Korean businesses.

The area really changes character late into the night.

People come from all over New York to eat, drink, sing, play.

-Hello, Matt.

Hey.

-MATT: Danielle, hey!

-How you doing?

-CHANG: Good to see you.

MATT: Really great to see you.

CHANG: I'm going to take a little stroll with American expert Matt Rodbard.

He's written a book on Koreatown.

All right.

Let's go.

I can't believe that we're right in Herald Square, and the Empire State Building is literally a block and a half away.

MATT: It's kind of hidden.

You're at Macy's, and you're at the Empire State Building, and you turn the corner, and you're right on Korea Way.

And then you look up, and you see Korean language.

You see Hangul.

And it's pretty amazing to have this kind of pocket so close to a commercial center in New York City.

CHANG: No, I feel like I'm in a major city in Asia right now.

MATT: Right.

It really has that feel of Seoul.

We could be in Itaewon right now, looking up and seeing all these different restaurants and bars and karaoke parlors.

There's this restaurant across the street -- Gahm Mi Oak.

It specializes in this soup called seolleongtang.

Actually, literally, in the back of that restaurant, they have a cauldron of seolleongtang -that has been boiling... -CHANG: Uh-huh.

MATT: ...probably since the '80s.

It's just one of these dishes that kind of are hidden in Koreatown.

But you just have to know where to go.

CHANG: What is that?

MATT: Koreans have these live-tank restaurants, and it's really different from Japanese sushi.

CHANG: Koreatown just seems so mysterious, and, I mean, exciting, but foreign to me.

I mean, how would you approach this if you were here for the first time?

MATT: Like any ethnic food, ask questions.

-Ask your server.

-CHANG: Right.

Yeah.

MATT: And they'll be glad to tell you that pork-neck soup, gamjatang, is probably gonna be your new best friend.

It is, like, the greatest dish ever, gamjatang.

CHANG: Uh-huh.

MATT: It's peppery.

It's fiery.

It's got the earthiness from the Perilla leaves.

And it comes to the table really hot, and you're eating it with rice.

It's absolutely delicious.

This is a really cool restaurant.

Mamdoo's dumplings -- They're a little bit different than pot stickers or Chinese dumplings.

There's more vegetables in them.

There's a lot more ginger and scallions in them.

It's a little bit more aromatic and a little bit more stringent, I would said.

-CHANG: Right.

-MATT: Pretty interesting.

CHANG: That's great.

MATT: I think more and more people are finding their way to Koreatown -- -and not just for barbecue.

-CHANG: Yeah.

MATT: They're coming to places that serve pancakes.

They're coming to places that serve kimchi.

Places that are known for certain things.

CHANG: Right.

MATT: And I think that the more and more people tell their friends about Koreatown not just being an epicenter for barbecue, -but for other dishes... -CHANG: Yeah.

MATT: ...it's gonna take off.

CHANG: So, I'm actually gonna go to Pocha 32 now... MATT: Oh.

One of my favorite places.

CHANG: ...because the chef there is going to show me how to make a budae jjigae.

MATT: Oh.

That dish is so great.

CHANG: Thanks so much for the tour.

MATT: Bye.

CHANG: I walk in from 32nd Street, and I'm mesmerized.

There are soju caps hanging from the ceiling, walls filled with chopstick wrappers, Christmas lights.

But I didn't come here for the scenery.

I came here for some watermelon soju and their speciality, budae jjigae, which was created in the 1950s during the Korean War when U.S. rations of pasta, hot dogs, and Spam were combined with Korean staples and kimchi.

MAN: Danielle, this is our kitchen.

This is our chef, Lee.

CHANG: So nice to meet you.

Thank you.

I've had so many great nights here, and I'm so excited to finally be back in the kitchen, and to see you make the budae jjigae.

-LEE: Budae jjigae.

-CHANG: Yes.

[ Conversing in Korean ] MAN: He's gonna show us how to make the broth first.

[ Lee speaking Korean ] This is a broth-making anchovy.

It's a dried anchovy.

CHANG: And how long do you cook this for?

-MAN: About 10 minutes.

-CHANG: Uh-huh.

MAN: And then he takes the ingredients out.

-CHANG: Uh-huh.

-MAN: And he keeps the broth.

-So, that's the squash.

-CHANG: Uh-huh.

-That's the Spam.

-LEE: Spam.

-CHANG: Uh-huh.

-LEE: Hot dog.

[ Laughs ] MAN: So, that's the most important part of the ingredient -- the kimchi.

CHANG: Mmm.

Do you make this here?

-LEE: Yes.

-CHANG: You make this.

Mmm.

What's that?

-LEE: Rice cake.

-CHANG: Okay.

MAN: The rice cakes are very traditional in Korea.

It goes into many dishes.

I mean, I grew up eating a lot of rice cakes in Korea.

CHANG: Yeah, no.

I did, as well.

I think it's a really common ingredient -in a lot of Asian cuisines.

-MAN: Yeah.

[ Lee speaking Korean ] So, he said it's all done now.

CHANG: Okay.

Well, let's cook it.

MAN: And he's gonna put the tofu now.

CHANG: Oh.

Okay.

That's amazing.

There's so many ingredients in here.

Now you're adding mac and cheese?

[ Laughs ] Thank you, Chef Ho.

I'm gonna go out to try your budae jjigae.

LEE: Thank you.

CHANG: Okay.

Bye-bye.

MAN: So, Danielle, this is Kevin.

He's gonna show you how to make your watermelon.

CHANG: Nice to meet you.

I'm Danielle.

KEVIN: So, first thing we have to do is, we just scoop it out.

CHANG: How much soju do you put into it?

KEVIN: Uh, we put 1 1/2 bottle of soju.

Some honey.

Two spoons.

Lime soda.

CHANG: So refreshing.

TOGETHER: Geonbae.

CHANG: It's amazing how a dish created out of food shortages became a Korean classic and a delicious, hearty, one-pot dish that gets to the heart of why I love Korean food.

Thanks for joining me today.

Korean-born chef Kristen Kish is visiting from Boston.

She's probably best known for winning "Top Chef" and her classic French dishes.

But what you may not know is that she was adopted by an American family as an infant and grew up in the Midwest on chocolate-chip cookies and pierogies.

I'm interested in her take on Korean cuisine.

MAN: Hi.

Welcome to Grace Street.

CHANG: We are definitely here to try your Korean doughnuts.

-We've heard so much about them.

-MAN: Awesome.

CHANG: How do you pronounce it -- a hodduk?

-MAN: Ho-dduk.

Ho-dduk.

-CHANG: Ho-dduk.

Inside, the filling is, like, melted brown sugar, cinnamon, and crushed walnuts.

CHANG: We definitely want to try the ones with the ice cream in it, as well.

MAN: Okay.

A la mochi.

No problem.

-KRISTEN: Perfect.

-CHANG: Okay.

Thanks.

-KRISTEN: Thanks so much.

-MAN: Thank you.

CHANG: This place is cute.

KRISTEN: This is pretty awesome.

CHANG: Yeah.

Have you ever been to K-town before in New York?

KRISTEN: I have never.

CHANG: Do you eat Korean a lot?

-KRISTEN: I love eating it.

-CHANG: Really?

KRISTEN: I don't know how to cook it.

I don't know how to pronounce half the stuff.

CHANG: When was the first time you tried kimchi?

KRISTEN: Um, I was -- I was borne in Seoul.

CHANG: Uh-huh.

KRISTEN: And then, at 4 months old, I was adopted and moved to Michigan.

My mom brought me to a Korean festival when I was maybe 8.

And it just, like -- It stunk.

And, like, my 8-year-old nose didn't know how to handle it.

But the second I started eating it, I was like, "Oh, my God."

CHANG: Really?

KRISTEN: I feel like it was just in my blood, you know.

Like, it came very natural.

CHANG: Have you cooked Korean food before?

KRISTEN: I haven't ever.

You know, I'm not going to, like, master this cuisine.

KRISTEN: Right.

CHANG: But I want to see people make it.

I want to see their passion, the love for it.

CHANG: Well, I have a surprise for you today.

Our friends at Saveur magazine lent us their kitchen, and I brought a friend of mine who is a Korean culinary ambassador -and great cook -- Maangchi.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

CHANG: So, she's gonna show us how to make kimchi.

KRISTEN: I'm excited.

CHANG: She describes herself as just the most authentic Korean housewife.

She's like, "I'm a housewife.

It doesn't get better than this.

This is how you make Korean food, you know."

KRISTEN: That's awesome.

And those are the best people to learn from 'cause they just cook the way they know how.

-CHANG: Oh, hi.

-KRISTEN: Oh, my God.

-Perfect.

-CHANG: How do you eat this?

Just kind of dig in?

MAN: Yeah.

Just however you like is the best.

KRISTEN: Oh, my God.

Wow.

MAN: How is it?

KRISTEN: It's pretty incredible.

This is fantastic.

MAN: We start with the dough.

It's kind of shallow-fried.

And then the filling is, you know, cinnamon, brown sugar, and walnuts.

CHANG: So, this is a typical Korea sweet food?

MAN: Um, sometimes you can see different styles.

Some might be flatter, and so, it's known more as, like, a pancake.

KRISTEN: Are you gonna give me the recipe?

-MAN: Probably not.

-KRISTEN: No?

It's okay.

MAN: Let me know if you need anything else, okay?

KRISTEN: Thank you so much.

CHANG: Okay.

Thanks.

That was so good, but we have to get going 'cause Maangchi's waiting for us.

She's gonna put you to work.

KRISTEN: Oh, I'm already dirty, so this is great.

[ Both laugh ] CHANG: Hi, Maangchi.

MAANGCHI: Oh, wow!

-Come in!

-CHANG: Hello.

You look gorgeous today.

MAANGCHI: Good to see you.

-CHANG: This is Kristen.

-MAANGCHI: Kristen.

Kristen, I've heard about you a lot.

KRISTEN: Thank you so much.

Likewise.

MAANGCHI: I like to teach you how to make a kimchi, 'cause kimchi is the very staple.

All Koreans, they cannot survive without the kimchi.

-So, okay.

Let's start.

-KRISTEN: Perfect, perfect.

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

So, this is around 2 pounds of cabbage.

KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: If you have any question, ask me.

And then, both hands, peel this.

This is the way.

KRISTEN: I already learned something.

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

We are going to cut it into bite-sized pieces.

KRISTEN: Okay.

Don't cut my finger.

-No, I'm just kidding.

-[ Laughter ] There's no right or wrong way, right?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: Cut it -- Yeah.

Wow, wow.

-Yay!

-KRISTEN: Did I pass?

I'm okay?

-MAANGCHI: That's it.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

-That works.

-MAANGCHI: Okay.

We need to pour some water, make it wet.

Wet like this.

Okay.

-And then I'll use 1/4 cup.

-KRISTEN: 1/4 cup.

MAANGCHI: And then like this.

Oh, my baby.

KRISTEN: Oh, yeah.

[ Chuckles ] MAANGCHI: And then let this sit around 1 or 1 1/2 hours.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

-And then we are going to wash. -KRISTEN: Right.

MAANGCHI: Wash and then remove all the excess salt.

-And drain.

-KRISTEN: Right.

MAANGCHI: Kristen, next, we are going to make a porridge.

1 tablespoon sweet rice flour and 1 cup water.

And then we are going to add 1 tablespoon sugar.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

-MAANGCHI: Yes.

-And then just done.

-KRISTEN: That's it?

MAANGCHI: So, next, we are going to do some of the vegetables.

KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: So, we need this one carrot.

This is a Korean cabbage.

Yeah.

KRISTEN: I feel like I don't want to mess this up.

CHANG: Hey, Maangchi.

What's your most popular recipe online?

MAANGCHI: Korean fried chicken.

Korean fried chicken number one.

Number two is kimchi.

Look at her.

Look at her, yeah?

She's different.

I'm just only home-cook lady, and she's studied, right?

Different.

KRISTEN: Oh.

Ooh.

Oh.

Mnh-mnh.

She's showing me up.

CHANG: [ Chuckles ] MAANGCHI: It's not a "Top Chef" competition.

Don't worry.

KRISTEN: Well, I already lost, then.

So, what is -- what is this?

MAANGCHI: This is, in Korean, buchu.

It's Asian chives.

So, this is like, you know, scallion.

-Yeah, yeah.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

Are we doing the white and green part of this?

MAANGCHI: Oh, actually, that's a good question.

In Korean cuisine, almost all of my recipes, I use whole.

So, next, let's make the garlic.

KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: So, kimchi without garlic -- That's not kimchi.

-KRISTEN: Right.

Yes.

-MAANGCHI: [ Laughs ] KRISTEN: If your breath doesn't smell... MAANGCHI: 8 cloves of garlic for 2 pounds of cabbage.

KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: And then, we need this peeled.

And then dump in there.

And then I'm going to use this onion.

Onion gives a sweetness and then better flavor.

KRISTEN: Smooth?

Like puree?

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Smooth like a puree.

KRISTEN: If I know how to use this thing.

Okay.

-[ Whirring ] -More?

MAANGCHI: I think that's enough, yeah.

Yeah.

KRISTEN: Ooh.

It's making my eyes water.

MAANGCHI: Mm-hmm.

-KRISTEN: You cry, too?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

KRISTEN: Do you cry when you do this?

MAANGCHI: Ooh, sometimes.

Yeah.

-I'm not a robot.

-KRISTEN: [ Chuckles ] MAANGCHI: Porridge is cooled down, so... KRISTEN: So, you want it to be room temperature?

MAANGCHI: Yeah, yeah.

How do you like the height?

KRISTEN: [ Laughs ] MAANGCHI: It's not very sticky, right?

It's, like, a little soupy.

-KRISTEN: Right.

May I?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

-How is it?

-KRISTEN: Delicious.

MAANGCHI: I never do this, but you make me do it.

KRISTEN: That's good.

[ Laughs ] MAANGCHI: No, joke.

I all the time do it.

KRISTEN: You have to.

MAANGCHI: Okay.

And then we need some hot pepper flakes.

KRISTEN: Hot pepper flakes.

Okay.

So, this is a traditional Korean chili pepper?

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

So, garu means the powder or flakes.

-Garu.

-KRISTEN: Garu.

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Garu.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: And then we need fish sauce.

-KRISTEN: I love fish sauce.

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Then mix.

Oh, my God.

This is a real authentic-style kimchi.

-KRISTEN: Yeah?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

I'm so glad that you learn kimchi from me.

KRISTEN: And then I'll teach you how to make, um... -MAANGCHI: French.

-KRISTEN: ...French stuff.

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Cool.

French baguette.

And with stinky cheese.

-Number one.

Yeah.

My tastes.

-KRISTEN: Yes.

[ Both laugh ] MAANGCHI: I have some surprise for you.

-KRISTEN: You have a surprise?

-MAANGCHI: Please wait here.

-KRISTEN: I will wait.

-MAANGCHI: Don't move.

Okay.

KRISTEN: Can I eat more of this?

[ Chuckles ] -What is that?

-MAANGCHI: Here you go.

KRISTEN: What is it?

MAANGCHI: This is the Korean, like, pouch.

Jumoni we call this.

So, this is one -- I got this from Korea.

And then this is for you.

-KRISTEN: Thank you so much.

-MAANGCHI: Can you open it?

KRISTEN: Yeah.

I would love to open it.

-MAANGCHI: Look at that.

-KRISTEN: Oh, my God.

-MAANGCHI: Sesame seeds.

-KRISTEN: Yeah.

-MAANGCHI: I roasted at home.

-KRISTEN: Yes?

How do you do this?

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

MAANGCHI: Just stir-fry without oil.

Okay.

So, I will use these.

That's around 1 tablespoon -- sesame seeds, roasted.

And then everything is done.

So, this guy is waiting for our cabbage here.

I usually use bare hands.

-We're gonna mix this.

-KRISTEN: Yeah.

MAANGCHI: So, I don't want to torture you.

KRISTEN: No, no.

I want to do bare.

-MAANGCHI: Are you sure?

-KRISTEN: Yeah.

MAANGCHI: Wow.

Cool.

Give me five.

KRISTEN: Yes.

[ Laughs ] I-I'm gonna do what you do.

MAANGCHI: 'Cause I was worried there.

So, you mix this.

KRISTEN: Okay.

But gentle, right?

MAANGCHI: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Don't squeeze.

KRISTEN: Don't squeeze.

I'm not squeezing.

CHANG: Is it better fresh or preserved?

MAANGCHI: Kimchi is known as a fermented food.

So, it has lactic acid.

You know -- good for our body.

But, actually, I love freshly made kimchi.

Once I see this, my mouth waters.

KRISTEN: We were talking about that earlier.

MAANGCHI: Warm rice -- I like to eat it just right now.

-Yeah.

You want to taste?

-KRISTEN: Yes.

-Can I use my fingers?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Why not?

This is my way to do -- feed my children.

KRISTEN: Oh.

Are you gonna feed me?

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Oh, my.

[ Chuckles ] KRISTEN: That's really good.

That's delicious.

It's a nice balance.

You have -- still have the really nice texture.

-It's not completely soggy.

-MAANGCHI: Mm.

KRISTEN: So, if you eat it with something soft, it adds a little texture.

And I've tried to make kimchi before, and I've said I've made kimchi, but I've never -- MAANGCHI: Yeah.

KRISTEN: It's never tasted like this.

MAANGCHI: That's great.

I'm so happy.

-Next one -- So, japchae.

-KRISTEN: Japchae.

-MAANGCHI: Let's go to japchae.

-KRISTEN: Yes.

MAANGCHI: Japchae is interesting.

"Chae" is vegetable.

"Jap" means diverse.

A variety of vegetables, a stir-fry.

So, can you just crush this one garlic, please?

-KRISTEN: Just crush it?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Sesame oil.

Shiitake mushroom.

KRISTEN: Mm-hmm.

How long do you let it marinate?

MAANGCHI: 5 minutes enough.

So, we are going to, this all, cut it into matchsticks.

And then we are going to put it here.

And then stir-fry.

So, noodles are done.

It took around 5 minutes.

Okay.

You want to taste?

-KRISTEN: Yes.

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

KRISTEN: Oh.

MAANGCHI: Okay.

Here.

[ Chuckles ] And then, quickly, I'm going to rinse in cold water.

KRISTEN: Okay.

To stop the cooking, right?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

To shock them.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

MAANGCHI: So, I'm going to add just a little soy sauce.

KRISTEN: Uh-huh.

MAANGCHI: But... And lots of sesame oil.

Okay.

You can mix it.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

-MAANGCHI: Mix it.

Yay!

So, let's stir-fry one by one, because each vegetable has a different cooking time.

[ Sizzling ] -Mmm.

Smells good.

-KRISTEN: Delicious.

MAANGCHI: Garlic and onions stir-fried -- It's already delicious-smelling, isn't it?

Yeah.

Carrot done.

Awesome.

-Done.

-KRISTEN: Done?

-These aren't.

-MAANGCHI: Mine done.

Yeah.

You need to cook more.

This is Bulgogi.

KRISTEN: Okay.

Done?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Oh.

-KRISTEN: Done.

Oh, I didn't taste it.

MAANGCHI: You know, japchae should be a little -- taste sweet.

This is soy sauce and 3 tablespoons brown sugar.

KRISTEN: Okay.

And now you go in with your hands.

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

KRISTEN: That's really good.

MAANGCHI: So, Kristen, you are going to decorate.

You are chef, so nicely with this yellow pepper.

Yeah.

KRISTEN: Nailed it.

-MAANGCHI: That's it.

-KRISTEN: Yes?

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Ooh!

-KRISTEN: Finito?

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Kristen, how do you feel?

KRISTEN: Um, I feel very accomplished.

I feel like you did most of the work, though.

-MAANGCHI: That's good.

-KRISTEN: I paid attention.

MAANGCHI: No, no.

You were a big help.

You were a big help.

CHANG: I brought the plates so we can eat!

You guys look like you know what you're doing.

KRISTEN: She knows what she's doing.

MAANGCHI: Okay.

You want some?

KRISTEN: Here.

-CHANG: That's great.

-KRISTEN: You need more.

MAANGCHI: Make her fat.

[ Laughter ] KRISTEN: And then kimchi, right?

Before you eat, is there a specific phrase that you like to say?

MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Jal meokkesseumnida.

-KRISTEN: Okay.

Slower.

-MAANGCHI: Okay.

Jal.

-KRISTEN: Jal.

-MAANGCHI: Meokkesseumnida.

-KRISTEN: Mak-- -MAANGCHI: Meok.

-KRISTEN: Meok.

-MAANGCHI: Yeah.

Bon appétit.

-Jal.

-KRISTEN: Jal.

MAANGCHI: Meokkesseumnida.

Jal meokkesseumnida.

KRISTEN: I don't remember.

I will learn.

Next time I see you, I'll have it down.

I promise.

CHANG: The flavor of fresh kimchi is intense and incredible, but for me, watching a chef learn about her heritage through food is even more powerful.

Seeing Korean food through the eyes of those who know it and love it the most proves that it's not so mysterious at all.

Even though it's still in its infancy of being explored by diners, Korean food is quickly becoming an American tradition.

Whether Korean barbecue or hot pots, Korean food is so interactive and communal.

I love it because these feasts taste even better in the company of friends -- and, of course, a cold glass of soju.

-MAANGCHI: Cheers.

-CHANG: Cheers.

MAANGCHI: Cheers.

ANNOUNCER: To learn more about "Lucky Chow," please visit luckyrice.com.

Funding for "Lucky Chow" has been provided by... From the kitchen to the grill, Soy Vay sauces and marinades add an Asian twist to your favorite dishes.

[ Bell dings ] Recipes and more are available at soyvay.com.

MAN: The way of Thai -- our way of unique happiness, and it begins with the people.

ANNOUNCER: And by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.