Steamed Recipes
186 recipes. Page 2 of 8
Jjim refers to Korean braised and steamed dishes cooked low and slow with rich seasoning. Galbi-jjim (braised short ribs), jjimdak (braised chicken), and haemul-jjim (spicy seafood) are holiday favorites, but they make impressive meals any day of the week.
Korean Steamed Snow Crab (Whole Crab with Soy Vinegar Dip)
Daege-jjim is steamed snow crab cooked whole in lightly salted water, served with lemon wedges and a vinegar soy dipping sauce. Cracking open the long legs reveals moist, delicate meat with the clean salinity of the sea. A squeeze of lemon brightens and sharpens the natural sweetness of the crab without masking it. The preparation is minimal by design, letting the quality of the crab carry the dish, which makes it well suited as a centerpiece for gatherings or celebratory meals. The best result comes from steaming a live crab right before serving; cooking time runs fifteen to twenty minutes depending on size. Using scissors to cut along the inner shell and then extracting the meat in clean pieces makes for neat eating without losing any of the delicate flesh.
Korean Braised Cod with Vegetables
Daegu-jjim braises thick cod fillets with Korean radish, onion, and green onion in a sauce built from gochugaru, soy sauce, garlic, and cooking wine. Cod holds up well to braising: its firm, flaky flesh absorbs the spiced cooking liquid without breaking apart, even after extended time in the pot. The radish soaks up the braising sauce and turns sweet against the backdrop of chili heat. Garlic and cooking wine together neutralize any fishiness from the cod. The dish is done when just enough glossy sauce remains at the bottom of the pan to spoon over steamed rice for a satisfying one-bowl meal. The same method works with pollock or monkfish in place of cod.
Korean Spicy Braised Cod with Radish
Cod fillets are braised in a seasoning sauce of soy sauce, gochujang, and gochugaru until the liquid reduces and the flavors soak into the flesh. Cod is a lean fish with a clean, neutral character, and the bold seasoning penetrates the meat to add depth without overwhelming it. Daikon radish placed alongside the fish absorbs the braising liquid as it cooks, becoming as flavorful as the fish itself. Onion slowly softens and releases natural sweetness into the sauce during the simmer. The flesh flakes easily and separates cleanly from the bone, making this dish accessible for all ages. Keeping the lid on over medium heat during braising prevents the sauce from reducing too fast and ensures the fish cooks through evenly.
Korean Soy Braised Chicken Wings
Dak-bong jorim is a Korean braised chicken wingette dish where pieces are slowly reduced in a sweet soy glaze over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens into a glossy coating around each piece. As the liquid reduces, the seasoning concentrates and adheres to the surface, leaving the skin sticky and lacquered from absorbing the sauce while the meat inside turns soft enough to pull cleanly from the bone. Adding ginger and green onion from the start neutralizes the poultry's gaminess and keeps the braising liquid clean. Starting with the lid off at higher heat to bring the sauce to a boil, then reducing the heat and covering the pot, prevents the meat from drying out during the long braise. A large batch keeps well in the refrigerator and reheats without any loss of seasoning, making it a practical banchan to prepare in advance and portion out over several days or pack into a lunch box.
Korean Dak Ganjang Jorim (Soy Braised Chicken)
Dak ganjang-jorim is chicken thigh braised with potato in a soy sauce glaze enriched with oligosaccharide syrup, garlic, and ginger juice. As the thighs simmer, the soy base works its way between the muscle fibers, leaving the meat deeply seasoned with a glossy brown finish. Potato chunks break down slightly at the edges and soak up the braising liquid, turning starchy and satisfying. A single cheongyang chili added to the pot gives a mild, lingering kick that keeps the sweet-salty profile from becoming one-note. Patting the chicken thighs thoroughly dry before searing them in the pan builds a Maillard-browned surface that adds another layer of savory depth, and removing the lid for the final five minutes lets the sauce reduce into a thick, clingy glaze.
Korean Soy Braised Chicken
Dak-jjim is bone-in chicken braised with potato, carrot, and onion in a sauce of soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. Juices released from the bones meld with the soy seasoning to form a glossy, concentrated gravy, and the vegetables absorb this liquid so they are seasoned all the way through. Sugar tempers the saltiness of the soy into a clear sweet-salty balance that coats every piece. Cooking with the lid on over medium heat first, then removing the lid to reduce the sauce, is what creates the glossy coating that defines a well-made dak-jjim. Served in a hot stone pot at the center of the table, it is one of the most familiar home-cooked dishes in Korean cuisine, well-suited for a shared family meal.
Korean Soy Braised Chicken Wings
Dak-nalgae-ganjang-jorim is a Korean braised chicken wings dish slow-cooked in a seasoning mixture of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger over medium-low heat until the sauce reduces to a thick, sticky glaze. The thin skin on the wings absorbs the braising liquid as it reduces, developing a glossy brown coating that clings to each piece. Cartilage near the joints softens progressively the longer the wings cook, shifting from a firm snap to a yielding, almost gelatinous texture. Green onion is added early to neutralize any off-flavors from the chicken, while ginger contributes a subtle warmth that rounds out the overall aroma. The braising liquid is allowed to reduce almost completely so the last traces of sauce concentrate into a dense, caramelized coating rather than a loose broth. Eating the wings by hand, pulling the meat from the bone, is part of the appeal, and this hands-on quality makes the dish a regular presence on Korean drinking tables alongside beer or soju.
Korean Braised Chicken with Radish
This braise combines bone-in chicken pieces with Korean radish and potato in a soy-and-gochugaru sauce. The radish absorbs both the chicken stock and the spiced seasoning, turning amber on the outside while going translucent within. Potato edges break down during the long simmer, thickening the sauce into a sticky glaze. Gochugaru and black pepper build a layered heat that soy sauce and sugar round off, so the dish is assertively spicy without being harsh. Reducing the liquid until it barely coats the bottom concentrates all the flavors onto the surface of each piece.
Korean Braised Chicken Feet
Dakbal-jjim braises chicken feet in a sauce built from gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, and sugar until the liquid reduces to a thick, glossy coating around each foot. As the skin and cartilage cook down over time, their collagen converts to gelatin and the feet develop a chewy, sticky texture that is the central appeal of the dish. Gochujang and gochugaru each bring heat from a different angle, one deep and fermented and the other bright and direct, while sugar introduces a caramel-like sweetness that balances the heat load. Cooking wine added early removes the gaminess specific to chicken feet. By the time the sauce has fully reduced it clings to every surface in a deep red glaze, and the finished feet carry both intense seasoning and a pronounced chew that makes them a natural pairing with cold beer or a bowl of rice.
Korean Dakbong Gochujang Jorim (Gochujang-Braised Chicken Drumettes)
Dakbong gochujang jorim is chicken drumettes braised with potato in a sauce made from gochujang, soy sauce, chili flakes, and oligosaccharide syrup. The meat surrounding the small bones turns dense and pleasantly chewy as it simmers, holding onto the thick, reduced sauce at every surface. Potato pieces soften in the braising liquid until starchy and tender throughout, absorbing the chili-soy base from the outside in. The oligosaccharide syrup wraps the gochujang heat in a shiny glaze that keeps you reaching for another piece. A stalk of green onion stirred in at the very end adds a sharp, pungent aroma that lifts the finished dish.
Korean Soy Braised Chicken Chunks
Dakganjang-jjim is a Korean soy-braised chicken dish where bone-in thigh pieces are combined with potatoes, carrots, and onion in a seasoned soy sauce base and simmered over low heat until the liquid reduces and the flavors concentrate. As the braising liquid cooks down, the salinity and umami of the soy sauce penetrate through the chicken skin and into the meat, seasoning it throughout rather than just coating the surface. The thigh cut is intentional - the fat and collagen in bone-in thighs keep the meat moist through the extended cooking time, preventing it from drying out the way leaner cuts would. The vegetables absorb the rendered chicken fat and soy-based cooking liquid as they soften, taking on a deep savory-sweet flavor that requires no additional seasoning. Because the dish contains no chili paste or gochugaru, it is mild in heat and broadly accessible, working equally well as a weeknight dinner main, a side dish over rice, or packed into a lunch box where the flavors continue to develop. The ratio of soy sauce to sugar in the braising liquid can be adjusted to suit individual taste - leaning toward saltier or sweeter without fundamentally changing the character of the dish.
Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs with Kabocha
Danhobak-sogalbi-jjim is beef short ribs marinated in Korean pear juice, then braised with kabocha squash, radish, carrot, and onion in a soy-based sauce until deeply flavored. Pear juice works into the meat during marination, softening the muscle fibers and leaving a background fruit sweetness that comes through in the finished braise. Kabocha edges break down during cooking, releasing starchy flesh into the sauce and thickening it without any added starch. Radish and carrot spend the full braise in the soy sauce and absorb it thoroughly, becoming nearly as satisfying as the ribs themselves. A drizzle of sesame oil just before serving lifts the fragrance of the whole dish. This is a centerpiece preparation in Korean holiday and birthday cooking.
Korean Braised Kelp Strips
Dasima jorim is a banchan that repurposes dried kelp - typically discarded after making stock - into a glossy, chewy side dish through slow braising. The kelp is soaked in cold water for at least twenty minutes until it softens and becomes pliable, then cut into strips roughly one centimeter wide. Simmered in soy sauce, rice syrup, cooking wine, and garlic over medium-low heat for fifteen minutes or more, the braising liquid gradually reduces and thickens into a lacquer-like glaze that coats each strip on all sides. The rice syrup contributes both sweetness and the shine that gives the dish its visual appeal. The resulting texture is difficult to compare - somewhere between the springiness of gummy candy and the firm bite of pasta al dente, resilient but with a clean snap when bitten through. Refrigerated overnight, the seasoning penetrates the dense seaweed fibers more deeply, and the flavor continues to intensify over several days, making it a banchan that improves the longer it sits.
Korean Soy-Braised Deodeok Root
Deodeok-jorim is a Korean braised banchan made from deodeok root simmered in soy sauce, rice syrup, garlic, and sesame oil until each piece takes on a glossy, lacquered coating. The root's pronounced bitter-herbal aroma softens considerably as the sweet-salty glaze penetrates during cooking, while the interior stays dense and pleasantly chewy throughout. A single green chili stirred in near the end contributes a restrained background heat, and toasted sesame seeds with a final drizzle of sesame oil add a nutty dimension on top. Deodeok is a foraged mountain root prized for its earthy, slightly resinous character, and this preparation tames that wild quality just enough to make it approachable as a daily side dish. Paired with other vegetable banchan, it anchors the kind of traditional Korean table that prioritizes vegetables over protein.
Soy Braised Pork Back Ribs
This dish features pork back ribs slow-braised with potatoes and carrots in a sweet and savory soy sauce glaze. Preparing the ribs involves soaking them in cold water for an hour and parboiling them for ten minutes. This initial cooking step removes blood, foam, and strong odors, creating a clean base that absorbs the seasonings effectively. The soy sauce marinade incorporates pear juice, which acts as a natural tenderizer to soften the meat fibers, allowing the pork to pull away from the bone easily after forty minutes of simmering. As the potatoes and carrots cook alongside the ribs, they absorb the rich braising liquid, concentrating their natural sweetness. The dish is finished by reduction until the glaze coats the ribs with a glossy sheen before turning off the heat.
Korean Braised Pork Backbone
Deungppyeo-jjim is pork backbone braised with potato and green onion in a sauce built from doenjang, gochugaru, and soy sauce. After a long, slow simmer the meat tucked between the vertebrae and the cartilage separates from the bone without effort. Doenjang lays a deep, fermented underpinning to the broth while gochugaru brings a sharp, clean heat on top. The potatoes cook until they soften enough to fall apart at the press of a spoon, absorbing the thick, dark cooking liquid around them. Digging out the meat lodged between the bones is part of the pleasure, which is why the dish has long been a favourite pairing with soju. The rich, dense broth also makes it an easy choice for eating over a bowl of steamed rice.
Korean Doenjang Braised Tofu
Doenjang-dubu-jorim is a braised tofu banchan in which tofu slices are simmered in a broth of fermented soybean paste, water, and aromatics until the liquid reduces and the seasoning permeates the tofu throughout. Doenjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste with a deeply savory, earthy character distinct from Japanese miso, and its slow penetration into the porous interior of the tofu produces a richness that simple soy-seasoned tofu does not achieve. Zucchini and onion are added to the same pot, and their natural sweetness tempers the salt of the paste, giving the final braise a more balanced flavor. The tofu is braised until its surface firms slightly, which helps it hold its shape while the interior stays soft and fully seasoned. Any remaining braising liquid is well-seasoned and pairs naturally with a bowl of rice. It is an economical banchan that requires minimal preparation and stores in the refrigerator for several days.
Korean Braised Beef Knee Cartilage
Dogani-jjim is beef knee cartilage slow-braised with soy sauce, cooking wine, garlic, and ginger until the connective tissue turns completely tender and gelatinous. Hours of gentle simmering dissolve the collagen in the cartilage and tendons so each piece becomes jiggly and yielding, while the braising liquid reduces into a broth so rich it firms up like aspic when cooled. Onion and green onion mellow any off-flavors and add a quiet sweetness, and ginger keeps the finish clean. Before cooking, soaking the dogani in cold water for at least one hour to draw out the blood removes much of the gamey smell, and skimming the foam during the first stage of simmering is equally important. Long regarded in Korean traditional medicine and food culture as beneficial for joint health, this braised dish has been prepared since the Joseon period and remains especially popular in winter and among older generations.
Boiled Beef Knee Cartilage
Dogani suyuk prepares beef knee cartilage and tendon by soaking, parboiling, and then simmering them with aromatic vegetables before slicing and serving with warm broth. Soak 800g of cartilage and tendon in cold water for 3 hours, replacing the water with a fresh batch every hour. Transfer the soaked pieces to boiling water and parboil them for 10 minutes. Discard that water, move the cartilage and tendon to cold water, and scrub away impurities clinging to the surfaces. Place the cleaned pieces in a large pot with 80g of green onion, 40g of garlic, 15g of ginger, and 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns. Add 3.5 liters of water, bring it to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to medium-low for a 2 hour 30 minute simmer. Near the end, press and test the cartilage and tendons. They should be tender enough to chew while retaining an elastic bite. Begin checking between 2 hours and 2 hours 30 minutes because excessive cooking can make the cartilage lose its shape. Remove the cooked pieces, cool them only until safe to handle, and cut them evenly to about 0.7cm thick. Spread 50g of blanched chives over a plate and arrange the slices on top. Warm the cooking broth and pour on only enough to form a shallow layer around the meat. The 3-hour soak, 10-minute parboil, and long final simmer are separate stages for cleaning and tenderizing the cartilage.
Korean Jeju Style Pork Suyuk
Dombae-suyuk is a Jeju-style boiled pork dish made by simmering skin-on pork belly low and slow with doenjang, green onion, garlic, and ginger. The doenjang in the cooking water draws out the gamey odor specific to pork, leaving the meat clean and mild. A long, gentle boil renders the skin translucent and gives it a gelatinous, bouncy bite, while the interior fat layers become soft enough to melt against the tongue. Sliced thick and laid out at room temperature, each piece offers a layered contrast between the springy rind, the fatty middle, and the lean inner meat. Salted anchovy sauce or fermented shrimp paste served alongside is the traditional accompaniment -- the briny, fermented condiments cut through the richness and define the eating rhythm. The name comes from dombae, the Jeju word for cutting board, referring to the old practice of serving the meat directly sliced on the board.
Korean Steamed Sea Bream (Whole Fish with Soy Ginger Rice Wine)
Domi-jjim is a whole sea bream steamed with soy sauce, rice wine, and ginger. Sea bream is a firm-fleshed white fish with a naturally mild, clean taste, and steaming preserves its moisture and delicate texture far better than dry-heat methods. Rice wine and ginger remove any remaining fishiness from the flesh, leaving only a refined umami that speaks to the quality of the fish itself. Soy sauce is used sparingly as an understated seasoning that enhances without overpowering. Because the fish is steamed rather than roasted or pan-fried, the flesh stays supple and springs back with each bite. Bringing a whole fish to the table makes a strong visual impression, which explains its frequent appearance at holiday meals and formal gatherings. The finished dish is typically garnished with julienned scallion and red chili before a final drizzle of hot sesame oil.
Korean Braised Pollock (Frozen Pollock with Radish in Spicy Sauce)
Dongtae-jjim is frozen pollock braised with Korean radish and bean sprouts in a sauce built from gochugaru, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Using frozen rather than fresh pollock is intentional - the freeze-and-thaw cycle gives the flesh a firm, lightly spongy texture that holds together well through braising in the spicy broth. Radish absorbs the chili-laced liquid and turns sweet against the heat, while bean sprouts retain crunch and add a clean, refreshing aftertaste. The sauce reduces to a shallow pool at the bottom of the pot, and spooning it over steamed rice is the standard way to eat this cold-weather staple. The flavor deepens the longer the ingredients sit in the braising liquid.
Korean Braised Tofu and Mushrooms
Dubu-beoseot-jorim is a Korean braised side dish of firm tofu and oyster mushrooms simmered in a soy-based sauce until the liquid reduces to a glossy, clinging coat. The tofu is pan-fried first in a lightly oiled skillet to form a firm outer crust before braising begins, which allows it to absorb the seasoned liquid without crumbling or losing its structure during cooking. The result is a cube with a slightly firmer exterior and a soft, custardy interior that holds together through each bite. Oyster mushrooms, torn along their natural grain rather than cut, contribute a pleasantly chewy texture and release their inherent umami into the braising liquid as they cook, adding depth without the need for separate stock. The sauce requires only soy sauce, water, garlic, gochugaru, and sesame oil, making this a straightforward braise that rewards careful heat management over elaborate preparation. When the sauce has reduced to just a small pool at the bottom of the pan, the dish is ready, well-seasoned enough to serve alongside plain rice or pack into a lunchbox.
Korean Braised Tofu and Egg
Dubu-gyeran-jorim is a practical braised banchan that combines two of the most affordable protein sources in Korean cooking -- tofu and hard-boiled eggs -- in a single soy-based sauce. The tofu is pan-fried until golden on each side, building a lightly crisped surface that holds up during braising. The eggs are hard-boiled, peeled, and added alongside the tofu in a sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and water. Over fifteen or more minutes of gentle simmering on low heat, the tofu draws the dark braising liquid into its porous interior, becoming dense with savory flavor throughout. The eggs develop a tan exterior as the soy sauce stains the outer white, while the inside remains fully set with a pale yellow yolk. As the liquid reduces, it thickens into a glossy coat that clings to every curve of both ingredients. This banchan is a staple of Korean school cafeterias and lunchboxes alike, valued for its keeping power -- it refrigerates well for up to five days, and the seasoning continues to deepen overnight, making day-two leftovers often better than the freshly cooked batch.
About Steamed
Slow cooking allows the meat to become melt-in-your-mouth tender while the sauce penetrates every layer. A base of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil is all you need to build the signature sweet-savory glaze.