Yesterday, I ran out of side dishes (banchan) for dinner. The only ones left in the fridge were three types of kimchi—napa cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi (kkakdugi), and dongchimi (radish water kimchi). While I usually focus on main dishes, a table without any side dishes feels incomplete. So, today, I decided to prepare three quick and easy banchan to last for about two to three days. Since most side dishes (except fermented ones like kimchi and pickles) tend to lose their appeal over time, I like to make them in small batches.
1. Spicy & Tangy Bellflower Root Salad (Doraji Muchim)
I personally love vegetable-based banchan, but living in the U.S., finding fresh Korean vegetables isn’t always easy. While dried greens are available at Korean markets, the soaking process takes time, and the quality can be questionable. That’s why I often turn to bellflower root (doraji), which is much easier to prepare.
First, I peel and cut a cucumber into thin strips, sprinkle some salt, and let it sit. While the cucumber is lightly pickling, I defrost frozen doraji, scrub it with coarse salt to remove bitterness, and rinse it thoroughly several times. Then, I combine the cucumber and doraji in a mixing bowl, adding gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), sugar, vinegar, flavored salt, sesame oil, minced garlic, and chopped green onions. A quick toss, and it’s ready—spicy, tangy, and refreshing! This is the perfect banchan when you need a little kick to wake up your appetite.
2. Sweet & Savory Braised Soy Sauce Eggs (Gyeran Jangjorim)
One of the easiest side dishes to make with pantry staples is soy-braised eggs. It requires little effort but delivers big flavors.
I start by boiling eggs, peeling them, and simmering them in a mixture of water, soy sauce, sugar, whole peppercorns, ginger powder, and a splash of cooking wine. For an extra kick, I added some chopped spicy chili peppers today. The balance of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors makes this a fantastic companion for a bowl of rice.
3. Stir-Fried Fish Cakes (Eomuk Bokkeum)
No Korean home-cooked meal is complete without eomuk bokkeum, a staple side dish made from fish cakes.
I slice onions and carrots into thin strips, then cut the fish cakes into long rectangles. For a pop of color and spice, I also slice red and green chili peppers. In a pan, I heat some oil and stir-fry the onions and carrots first before adding the fish cakes. Then, I season it with soy sauce, flavored salt, sugar, black pepper, and minced garlic. A final toss with chili peppers and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and it’s done—savory, slightly sweet, and absolutely delicious.
With these three simple yet flavorful side dishes, my dinner table feels complete again!
Mom's Easy Korean Recipes 
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