1. The Golden Ratio of Korean Marinades
Whether cooking Bulgogi, Spicy Pork (Jeyuk), or Tofu Jorim, Korean marinades follow a simple foundational rule:
Soy Sauce (2 parts) : Sugar/Sweetener (1 part) : Aromatics (Garlic/Onion 1 part) : Sesame Oil (0.5 part).
Mastering this ratio allows you to improvise delicious marinades on the fly with whatever proteins or vegetables you have on hand.
2. Emulsification in Korean Stews (Jjigae)
Why does Kimchi Jjigae taste better when fried first in oil or meat fat? Fying kimchi in pork fat creates an emulsion of lipids and lactic acid.
Adding starch-rich water (such as rice washing water or potato starch water) stabilizes this emulsion, resulting in a rich, thick, velvety broth instead of watery soup.