The restaurant was pioneering in that it soon specialized in tofu jjigae (boiling hot bowls of tender tofu stew), which Lee made to order. And over its decades in business, Beverly Soon-Tofu (named after an iconic L.A. location, just like Monica herself) has introduced the dish to legions of diners, gaining fans in the process. made. Chef Roy Choi writes: “When I close my eyes, I can taste the rich, spicy stew and see Monica cooking 12 different stews at the same time over a furiously bubbling open flame, with only a pair of pliers to grip the pot.” ”
Get the recipe: dashimaki egg
This book contains over 40 pages of recipes and tips for about 12 types of tofu jjigae. But it’s also deeply ingrained in other staples of the Korean diet, such as kimchi and banchan, the latter a popular small dish that accompanies Korean meals. As much as I loved the instant tofu jjigae I tasted at her restaurant before the pandemic, it was one banchan recipe I couldn’t wait to try.
For a long time, I wanted to learn how to properly make rolled eggs, called geranmari in Korean and tamagoyaki in Japanese. A popular side dish for both dishes, it is often added to bento boxes, served with ramen noodles, or served with other delicious small plates next to the main course or courses. On a Zoom call from California, Lee and her daughters CJ and JJ talked about how Lee, along with multiple other banchans, was packing gelan mari in the girls’ lunch boxes. In JJ’s case, they had children of their own.
“At the time, we didn’t realize how much effort and attention my mom put into our lunches,” CJ said. “And this was on top of her owning a restaurant! So when she was asked which recipes she’d like to include in the book, this one was a no-brainer.”
Lee said she learned the skill from one of her aunts, who is a better cook than her mother. “She was always interested in what she made,” she said. “I pay attention, I remember, and I try. So if I don’t like what I make, I make it again and again until I’m satisfied. I see something and I have to practice.” not.”
Featuring confetti of vegetables and a unique sushi-like shape, this is one of the most appealing ways to eat eggs I’ve ever seen, but it’s easy to remove a thin layer of egg from one side of the pan. The idea of rolling it to the other side turned me off. Pour another layer and repeat back and forth until a roll is formed. Will it hold together?
As it turned out, I quickly got the hang of it. After jumping at the chance to order a special rectangular egg fryer (yes, I love this job), I followed the book’s instructions under the careful and expert guidance of co-author Thien Nguyen. It soon became clear that the most important instruction was to adjust the heat so that the egg mixture barely set on the bottom and remained runny on top as you rolled each layer. That is why he creates one homogeneous part (or something close to it). I tried to convey Lee’s philosophy and I completely agree with it. The idea is that being happy while cooking will lead to better food. My first try was not very pretty, but still delicious. The second time I was much closer to my goal, and by the third time I had achieved it.
When I reported my experience to Ms. Lee and her daughters, the matriarch complimented me with a charmingly generous smile: “You should have Thornmat!”
Get the recipe: dashimaki egg
