Nogak (노각), or old cucumber, is a cucumber that is aged on the vine until it develops a thick, golden skin and crunchy flesh.
Tagsummer
Recipe: Hobak pyeonsu, summer squash dumplings
Pyeonsu (편수) are a kind of mandu (만두, dumpling) made with square wrappers and filled with either cucumber or ae-hobak (애호박, summer squash).
Korean chilies 101
Korean food isn’t always spicy—there are plenty of mild, savory dishes without that well-known spicy kick. But spicy flavors are popular, and we have the gochu (고추, chili) to thank for that.
Recipe: Samgyetang, ginseng chicken soup
You may have heard about boknal (복날), the three hottest days of summer in Korea.
Recipe: Hamcho japchae, samphire with glass noodles
Japchae (잡채) is a classic Korean recipe that you’ll find at just about every celebration or potluck.
Hamcho: Samphire, glasswort, sea asparagus
Travel along the southwest coast in summer and you may come across a bright green, succulent-like plant stretching upwards like a tiny tree from the mudflat. This is hamcho (함초, samphire or glasswort, Salicornia herbacea),
Recipe: Yeolmu kimchi, young radish greens kimchi
Go to any restaurant in Korea during our hot and sweaty summers, and you’re likely to find these lovely greens stems of kimchi on your table.
Recipe: Gang doenjang, doenjang stew reduction
Gang doenjang (강된장) is a kind of reduced bean paste stew that we often eat in summer with steamed summer greens like squash leaves.
Recipe: Hobak namul (sautéed summer squash with salted shrimp paste)
Hobak namul is a classic bokkeum (sauté) recipe that will remind most Koreans of their mothers and grandmothers.