Are You Sure It Was Cooked?

I grew up eating raw fish. So when ceviche appeared in front of me for the first time, I'm not sure why I hesitated.

The Crab Who Stole Rice

My Korean aunt had the soy sauce marinade already cooling when we arrived with the crabs. No question about what would happen next.

Hot When It's Hot

In Korea, you eat hot soup at the hottest time of year. You finish the last gulp and exhale: 아 시원하다. Ah, refreshing. It makes no sense, until suddenly it does.

Husik: What Comes After

My sister-in-law pointed at the menu. Noodle soup in the dessert section. I laughed. And then realized I had never thought to explain it.

When It Rains

In Korea, when it rains, someone makes buchimgae. My Pakistani neighbor described paratha the same way, gathered around the pan, waiting for the next one.

The Fish My Grandfather Knew

My first Christmas in the Netherlands, the fish inside the temaki roll was smoked herring. I didn't expect that combination, and I didn't expect what it would remind me of either.

The Neighbor Who Rang the Doorbell

My mother sent me a picture of spring greens from a neighbor. In Korea, spring used to arrive that way, through someone else's hands.

Before I Tasted It

My friends suggested gochujang spaghetti for our Saturday cook. I couldn't picture it. Spaghetti was Italian. Gochujang was Korean. I was wrong before I even tasted it.

Dubu Han Mo

My mother would call out with a little urgency: can you go to the store and get dubu han mo? I always knew what dinner was going to be.

The Vegetables That Weren't From There

I was going to make ratatouille in my mother-in-law's kitchen. One conversation later, I was questioning why we call any of these vegetables Mediterranean.

The Heat You Come Back For

My mother still sources gochugaru in bulk once a year and keeps some in the freezer for me. Running out was never an option in our house.

The Squid I Wanted to Marry

Everyone else was in the long line at the best satay stall. I was standing alone at the wrong one, except it wasn't wrong at all.

The Word I'd Never Heard

I had seen the words on every warung sign in Bali. I never once heard anyone say them. Then a man set down a banana leaf and everything shifted.

The Soup I Wasn't Supposed to Eat

My first Christmas in Hungary, the choice was halászlé or duck. I had a family rule about carp. Nobody at the table knew.

When Donkkaseu Was Special

Going to a gyeongyangsik restaurant meant something. The soup wasn't very good, but it arrived in a bowl we never used at home, and that alone made it feel different.