Korean culture has enamored the world as of late. K-pop, Korean soap operas, and films are all the rage now.

I’m not as up to speed on K-pop, but growing up in Southern California, my biggest connection to the culture comes from food. Korean cuisine is a cacophony of colors, textures, and flavors at every meal. Plenty of tasty Korean restaurants surround me, and I’m a short drive away from H-Mart, a Korean supermarket chain. But rarely do offerings from either match the excellent stuff made lovingly in home kitchens.