Korean Banchan (Side Dishes)

Here are the side dishes from my Korea Fried Rice recipe. These side dishes are some of my favorites! If you've ever been to a Korean or Korean BBQ restaurants, these are some of my favorites.

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Cucumber Salad

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 Large Cucumbers, sliced or diced (peeled, optional)

• ¼ cup Rice Vinegar

• 2 Tbsp. Tamari or Soy Sauce

• 1 Tbsp. Sugar

• ½ Tsp. Chili Flakes (adjust spice to your preference)

• ½ Tsp. Sesame Seed Oil

• 1-2 cups Green Onions, sliced thinly

Instructions

1. Cut the cucumbers. I peeled them, you don’t have to if you prefer to keep them on. You can also cut them into any shape/form you prefer.

2. Place the cucumbers into a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, tamari, and sugar

3. Next, pour the sauce into the cucumbers. Add in the sesame seeds, green onions, and chili flakes. Mix everything together.

4. Serve with your favorite dish. If you would prefer, you can chill the salad in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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Bean Sprouts

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Total Time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Bean Sprouts

• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

• ¼ cup Sesame Seed Oil

• 2 Tbsp. Chili Flakes

• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced

• 2 Tsp. Sesame Seeds

• ¼ cup Green Onions, sliced

• 2 Tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar

Instructions

1. Boil water in a medium pot, and add a pinch of salt.

2. Toss the bean sprouts into the pot and blach for about 20-30 seconds.

3. Remove the bean sprouts and add them to a bowl of ice cold water immediately. This will stop it from overcooking.

4. Drain your bean sprouts from the water once it’s cooled. Set aside.

5. Next, mix together the soy sauce, sesame seed oil, chili flakes, garlic, sesame seeds, and rice wine vinegar in a medium mixing bowl.

6. Once the sauce is combined, toss in the bean sprouts and mix well.

7. Last, add in the green onions and give it one last stir.

8. Serve with your favorite meal. If you prefer to chill it for 20-30 minutes before serving, this would allow the beans sprouts to marinate. Enjoy!

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Korean Potatoes and Carrots

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40-45 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 Large Potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 in chunks(I used russet)

• 2 Large Carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks

• 3 Tbsp. Tamari or Soy Sauce

• 4 Tbsp. Sugar

• 4 Cloves of Garlic, smashed

• ¾ cup of Water

Instructions

1. Peel the carrots and potatoes, and chop them so you have 1 inch chunks.

2. Next, place the potatoes in cold water and soak them for about 15 minutes. This will remove any excess starch. Drain the potatoes once they’re done soaking.

3. In a large pot, fry the potatoes and carrots on a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir or toss the potatoes and carrots throughout to allow them to cook evenly. After the first 2 minutes, add in the garlic.

4. Now, add in the soy sauce, sugar, and water into the pot. Stir everything together.

5. Cover the pot with a lid, and allow it to simmer on medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until the majority of the liquid has evaporated.

6. Remove from the heat, and serve. This side dish can also be eaten cold if you prefer.

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Spinach Salad

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Baby Spinach

• 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

• 1 Green Onion, sliced thinly

• 2 Tbs. Soy Sauce

• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Seed Oil

• 1 Tsp. Sesame Seeds

• 1 ½ Tsp. Salt

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, boil water and add salt. While the water is boiling, mix together the garlic, green onions, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and salt.

2. Next, add the spinach into the boiling pot of water. This will be a quick blanch, so no more than 1 minute.

3. Once the spinach has cooked, immediately put it into a bowl of ice cold water to stop it from cooking.

4. When the spinach is cooled, drain and squeeze out any excess water.

5. Now add the spinach and sauce into a mixing bowl and combine everything together. Last, put the green onions into the bowl and give it one last toss.

6. Serve with your favorite meal. You can also chill this dish in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes and serve later. Enjoy!