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The bonds between mother and daughter can be tightly bound with love and admiration. The newly released cookbook, “Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes” by Sarah Ahn and her mother Nam Soon Ahn, captures the flavors, traditions, and stories of multigenerational cooking. It is also a testament to their devotion to one another.
The title, “Umma,” translates from Korean as “mom.”Residents of Orange County, Sarah and Nam Soon started cooking together on a regular basis soon after Sarah graduated from college in 2018. It was a rewarding outlet as she juggled a full-time job in tech and public health.
Nam Soon was born in Incheon, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States in 1993. She opened a noodle restaurant in Riverside, where she cooked for well over a decade.“Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes” by Sarah Ahn and her mother Nam Soon Ahn, captures the flavors, traditions, and stories of multigenerational cooking.
(Photo by Kritsada Panichgul, Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)For Sarah, experiencing her mother’s love through her cooking taught her recipes that reflect the heart of Korean home cooking. In the process she created her website, Ahnest Kitchen, and made real-time videos that showcased her mother cooking while she narrates. They became social media stars.
Many of her posts have gone viral, often with over 10 million views on Tik Tok and Instagram. The posts resonate with viewers, and grocery stores often sell out of featured ingredients after the videos air.Asked about the best part of writing the book, Sarah said that what stands out is that now part of her mother is always going to be with her.
Writing her mother’s stories was emotionally heady for her; she learned about her mom before she was her mom. She had a closeup look at cultural differences, realizing the hardships her mother faced. And she became more aware of the blessings and privileges in her life.
The recipes in “Umma” are framed by mother-daughter conversations that are funny, profound, and backed by the recipe testing power of America’s Test Kitchen where Sarah works as their social media manager.I was overjoyed when they agreed to join me in my kitchen to prepare their irresistible kimchi spiked grilled cheese sandwich that is featured in their book. Delicious.
A Kimchi Grilled Cheese Sandwich combines elements of Korean and American cuisine. (Photo by Kritsada Panichgul, Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)Kimchi Grilled Cheese SandwichI’ve been cooking for decades, yet I’ve never cut a sandwich in half with scissors. This is how Sarah and Nam Soon cut their delicious Kimchi Grilled Sandwich in two.
Amazing. The sandwich is flavor balanced to perfection — spicy, sweet, and umami. It brings together the “rich gooey goodness of melted Muenster cheese and the spicy, tangy flavors of kimchi.
” Although they used their from-scratch version of cabbage kimchi for the video, they grant readers the OK to use storebought. My advice is to watch their video that shows Nam Soon making kimchi. It is a delight.
Yield: 1 sandwichINGREDIENTS2 tablespoons salted butter, divided use1/2 cup (100 grams) well-fermented cabbage kimchi, finely chopped2 teaspoons sugar, plus extra for sprinkling1/2 teaspoon fish sauce1/2 teaspoon gochugaru; see cook’s notes1/4 teaspoon Dasida beef stock powder2 (1/2-inch thick) slices sourdough bread3 slices (61 grams) Muenster cheese, halved1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon onion powder1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper2 green onions, finely choppedCook’s notes: Gochugaru, meaning “chili powder” in Korean, is a vibrant red, dried chili powder or flakes used in Korean cuisine, often made from sun-dried Korean red chili peppers, and is a key ingredient in dishes such as kimchi and gochujang. It’s sold in Asian markets and online. Dasida beef stock powder is sold in Korean markets or online.
DIRECTIONS1. Melt 1/2 teaspoon butter in a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kimchi and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and it begins to sizzle.
Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, gochugaru, and Dasida powder and cook until the liquid has just evaporated, about 1 minute. (Don’t let the kimchi dry out.) Transfer the seasoned kimchi to a small plate and set aside.
Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.2. Melt half of the remaining butter in the skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the bread slices and swirl them around the skillet to coat them with butter on the first side; transfer the bread to a separate plate. Repeat melting the remaining butter and coating the second sides of bread slices. Continue to toast the bread on the second sides until just golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the heat to low and flip the bread slices. Arrange the cheese evenly on top of the bread slices, then sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
Sprinkle one slice of bread with onions, then neatly arrange the seasoned kimchi on top. Place the second slie of bread over the kimchi, cheese side down. Using a spatula, gently press down on the sandwich to help seal it.
Cover and cook until the cheese is fully melted, about 2 minutes, flipping the sandwich halfway through cooking. Transfer the sandwich to a wire rack and sprinkle with sugar on both sides to taste. Garnish sandwich with any green onions that fell out into the skillet.
Slice and serve.Source: “Umma” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn (America’s Test Kitchen)The recipe for Assorted Pickles (Modeum Jangajji) was inspired by an item that Nam Soon Ahn would buy at a Korean mom and pop eatery. (Photo by Kritsada Panichgul, Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)Assorted Pickles (Modeum Jangajji)Many years ago, when Nam Soon drove home from her restaurant, she often would stop at a Korean mom and pop eatery where she would purchase dumplings that were accompanied by a small container of assorted pickles.
Everybody adored those pickles. Nam Soon created her own version, a tastier rendition that was met with rave reviews.Yield: 8 cupsINGREDIENTS1 1/4 cups water1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar1 1/4 cups soy sauce1 1/4 cups (248 grams) granulated sugar1 pound (454 grams) Korean radish, sliced 1/8-inch thick, slices cut into rough 1-inch pieces; see cook’s notes1 large yellow onion, halved, cut into 1-inch pieces, layers separated6 jalapeño chilies, stemmed and sliced into 1/4-inch thick roundsCook’s notes: Korean radishes are white and are somewhat similar to daikon, but are shorter, rounder, and often have radiant green tint near the top.
Try to select medium-size beauties. You don’t need to peel them; cut away any blemishes or discolorations.DIRECTIONS1.
Combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the brine cool for about 5 minutes.
(It should still be hot when you pour it over the vegetables.)2. Toss the radish, onion, and jalapenos together in a bowl, then transfer to a 3-quart storage container.
Pour the brine over the vegetables and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Enjoy immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate. (Refrigerate up to 3 months.
)Source: “Umma” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn (America’s Test Kitchen)Honey-Garlic Chicken drumsticks blends sweet and spicy tastes. (Photo by Kritsada Panichgul, Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)Honey-Garlic ChickenSarah wrote about the popularity of a top-selling snack, Honey Butter Chips, that became a food craze in Korea in 2014. “These drumsticks, sweetened with honey, spiced with plenty of garlic, and finished with a dollop of butter, remind me so much of those chips,” she wrote in an introduction to the recipe.
“They’re sweet and savory with a satisfying richness in every bite ...
”Yield: 4 to 6 servingsINGREDIENTS3 pounds chicken drumsticks, trimmed2 1/2 cups milk1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil1 teaspoon fine salt, divided use1 teaspoon black pepper, divided use1/4 cup honey2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar2 tablespoons granulated sugar6 tablespoons finely chopped garlic2 1/2 tablespoons salted butterDIRECTIONS1. Rinse and drain chicken, then transfer to a large bowl or container. Add milk and toss to coat.
Arrange the chicken in an even layer, making sure all the chicken is submerged in the milk. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.2.
Drain and thoroughly rinse chicken until the water runs clear. Clean and dry the bowl. Using a sharp knife, make 4 to 6 slashes in each drumstick (each slash should reach the bone).
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to the bowl.3. Add the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat chicken.
Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight.4. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl; set the sauce aside.
5. Toss the chicken again to coat in the oil that has settled in the bowl. Working with 1 drumstick at a time, stretch the skin to evenly cover the meat, then arrange skin side down in a 12-inch nonstick skillet.
Drizzle any remaining oil left in the bowl over the chicken. Cook over medium-high heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until spotty golden brown, about 10 minutes.6.
Reduce heat to medium, cover, and continue to cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until it registers at least 185 degrees, about 20 minutes.7. Spoon the garlic into the spaces between the drumsticks where the oil is pooled.
Cook, spreading the garlic into the skillet with the back of a spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Gently toss the chicken until evenly coated with the garlic. Add the sauce, stirring in any browned bits in the skillet.
Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, continuously coating and baste the chicken in the sauce, until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter until the sauce has thickened into a glaze, about 30 seconds. Serve.
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