Rice Table: Korean Recipes and Stories to Feed the Soul

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Rice Table explores how immigration and motherhood impacted my identity as woman, using food and food memories as a medium which have been such an integral part of my journey of reconnecting to my Korean heritage. The recipes included in the book are the dishes that helped me connect the dots to rebuild my Korean identity. I wanted the recipes to carry personal meanings and stories, in hope to pass on to my daughter. Where do you find inspiration? A book of belonging. Food as a love letter to family. Writing as delicious as the recipes." - Allan Jenkins, Observer Food Monthly

Soured, overripe kimchi is prized for its flavoursome tanginess that works perfectly in stir-fried dishes, usually paired with rich, fatty pork to dial down the complex, sour pungency with contrasting richness. The loud and bold flavour of kimchi is warmly supported by poached tofu that is welcomingly tender on the tongue.” I didn’t know that… Damascus is one of the world’s oldest cities, with parts thought to have been inhabited for 10,000 years. Photographs by Andy Sewell. First, a trio of vegetables: Sautéed Courgettes, Spicy Radish Salad, and Charred Cabbage in Warm Gochujang Vinaigrette enjoyed with Braised Tofu. Although these share a number of ingredients in common, the flavours and textures are very distinct. After five minutes, your pan should look a little drier than when you started to fry the kimchi. Stir in the soy sauce, ensuring it is completely incorporated, before adding the tomatoes. Let it simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Individually they are delicious, they each have a place in their own right. It’s a bit sad to call them side dishes, isn’t it?” Once the pork has browned, crank up the heat and add the onions. Stir-fry the onions over a high heat for a couple of minutes to soften and caramelise. The onions should still have a little bite to them and not be completely mushy. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based lidded saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt, then cook gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Add a tiny splash of water if you feel they are cooking too fast. She started cobbling together the ingredients for this dish without really thinking about what she was doing, and felt a “moment of euphoria” when it all came together. This could be partly to do with the fact that, more often than not, most recipes call for ‘wet' rice flour: freshly milled rice flour made from pre-soaked rice.

Rice Table came about as a result of Scott's identity issues with the heavy responsibility of being the sole bearer of Korean culture and heritage to her half-Korean, half-British daughter. When writing, she drew inspiration from donkkaseu and other dishes from her childhood. I didn’t know that… Olfactory memory (the personal recollection of aromas) is key; tomme de savoie tastes like strawberry laces to Emma. Su has written a beautiful account of how food can help rebuild culture from treasured memories, how it conveys love and connection, and how it can ground us when we feel untethered. The recipes are totally tantalising – and thanks to Su’s guidance, entirely achievable even for novices." – Tim AndersonRaised in Mumbai and now living in the UK, Maunika Gowardhan uses her second book to share tandoori recipes from her life and travels in India, which she’s cleverly adapted to suit conventional ovens. The recipes are bright and enticing, and beautifully balanced across the whole: I made three that took my eye, and each was exceptional. Insightful tweaks and tips – such as the value of the ‘double marinade technique’ – lift everything, and make a better, more knowledgeable, cook of you.

Our initial forays into cooking from the book have focused predominantly on plant-based recipes, helping us to reduce the volume of meat we eat. The delight of enjoying an array of banchan in a meal triggers memories of the wonderful rice table feasts we enjoyed in South Korea just a few months ago. The thing I really wanted to recreate and eat was bone broth," she says, lighting up at the memory. Scott was initially too scared to make it herself - in case it tainted her memories - but now she says "it has got another story to it", and she makes it every winter for her daughter. And no, it doesn't taste like her mother's - but she says that's "a good thing in a way". Donkkaseu is still served in restaurants around South Korea, but it's also easy to make at home. Scott shares a recipe for her take on the dish, called Old-School Pork Cutlet, in her cookbook. Individually they are delicious, they each have a place in their own right. It's a bit sad to call them side dishes, isn't it?"I didn’t know that… The walls of a traditional tandoor are strengthened by straw. Photography: Issy Croker The process has taught me that what appears to be seemingly ordinary and mundane days or our lives and the memories that surrounds the taste, are in fact what sustains and shapes us the way we are. I’ve leant to appreciate the everydayness. What are the components of a fantastic meal for you? The whole house would smell of bones. It's not a nasty smell, but it's not overly pleasant either. It's the dish I absolutely hated as a child, but it's also the one I felt so loved with." Born in Kenya to Indian parents, Ravinder Bhogal – food writer and chef/owner of restaurant Jikoni – developed an early love of vegetables from her grandfather’s “Edenic” allotment and marveling at the produce of local women growers. This lively and engaging vegetarian book shares that love and revels in Bhogal’s belief that “vegetables are the soul of the kitchen… [offering] endless opportunities for play.” The recipes deliver on that: hot and sour sweetcorn risotto with lime leaf butter and mango and ‘golden coin’ curry are among the many that insist on being made. Bhogal moved to multicultural London at an early age, and everything about Comfort and Joy reflects the richness of her heritage and experience (turn to pxx for my interview with her to learn more). You won’t find much that you can easily categorise, but if you like the idea of modern, inventive and cross-cultural recipes, written with warmth and love, there’s no-one doing it quite like Bhogal. Continuing with the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and add the flour. Cook the flour over a low–medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns toffee brown in colour, making sure you don’t let it burn.