Korean Summer Banchan Table with Kimchi Pancakes and Kimchi Fried Rice

Stir-Fried Anchovies with Garlic and Sesame

Dry-toasting tiny anchovies keeps them crisp, while a brief honey-tamari glaze gives them a savory, lightly sticky finish.

Ingredients

• 60 g small Korean dried anchovies for stir-frying, not large stock anchovies
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Shake the anchovies in a sieve to remove loose dust. Toast in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring until dry and fragrant; transfer to a plate.
2. Add avocado oil and garlic to the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the garlic is pale gold, about 2 minutes.
3. Mix the honey, tamari, and water. Add to the skillet and let bubble for 20–30 seconds.
4. Return the anchovies and toss for 30–60 seconds, just until lightly glazed. Remove from the heat and fold in sesame oil and sesame seeds.
5. Spread on a plate to cool so the anchovies do not set into one clump.

Notes

• Dried anchovies vary in saltiness; taste one before adding the tamari and reduce it if needed.

Crisp Kimchi Pancakes

Chopped ripe kimchi supplies acidity and seasoning. A thin cassava-tapioca batter binds it while allowing the edges to become crisp.

Ingredients

• 1 cup well-drained gluten-free napa cabbage kimchi, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup gluten-free kimchi brine
• 1/2–3/4 cup cold water, as needed
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided, plus more if needed

Instructions

1. Whisk the cassava flour and tapioca starch together. Stir in the kimchi brine and 1/2 cup cold water, then fold in the kimchi and scallions.
2. Rest for 5 minutes. Add more water by the tablespoon until the batter spreads easily with a spoon but still holds the kimchi together.
3. Heat a wide nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough avocado oil to coat the surface generously.
4. Spoon in scant 1/4-cup portions and spread each to roughly 4 inches wide and no more than 1/4 inch thick. Cook in batches without crowding.
5. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the undersides are deeply golden and the edges look set. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes, pressing lightly, until crisp with no wet batter inside.
6. Transfer to a wire rack rather than stacking. Add oil between batches as needed.

Notes

• Use ripe, tangy kimchi rather than freshly made kimchi. Taste the kimchi before adding any extra salt.
• Keep finished pancakes on a rack in a 225°F oven for up to 20 minutes.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

A hot pan blisters the skins before the peppers collapse, providing a smoky, juicy contrast to the pancakes.

Ingredients

• 8 oz shishito peppers, washed and thoroughly dried
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the avocado oil, then the dry peppers in one layer.
2. Cook for 5–7 minutes, turning every minute or so, until blistered in patches and tender but still holding their shape.
3. Remove from the heat, season with salt, and toss with rice vinegar. Serve warm.

Notes

• Cook in two batches if the peppers would overlap heavily.

Quick Cherry Tomato Kimchi

Peak-season tomatoes release just enough juice to carry the gochugaru, garlic, and fish sauce into a bright, lightly spicy dressing.

Ingredients

• 1 lb mixed red and orange cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons gochugaru
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon honey

Instructions

1. Toss the tomatoes with the salt and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the scallions, garlic, gochugaru, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and honey in a bowl.
3. Fold in the tomatoes and their juices without crushing them. Rest for another 10–20 minutes before serving.
4. Taste and adjust with a little more vinegar or fish sauce only if needed.

Notes

• This is a fresh kimchi-style preparation, not a room-temperature fermentation. Refrigerate if making ahead.

Long Beans with Sweet Peppers and Onion

A short covered cook softens long beans, followed by an uncovered reduction that leaves the vegetables glossy rather than watery.

Ingredients

• 12 oz green or purple long beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 small sweet red peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

1. Heat the avocado oil in a wok or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and long beans. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the beans begin to blister in spots.
3. Add the tamari and water, cover, and cook for 4–6 minutes, until the beans are tender with a little resistance and no raw, grassy taste.
4. Uncover and toss over higher heat for 1–2 minutes to evaporate excess liquid.
5. Remove from the heat and finish with rice vinegar and sesame oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• Purple long beans may lose some color during cooking; tenderness matters more than preserving their raw color.

Soft Tofu with Scallion-Sesame Marinade

Unpressed tofu stays delicate and custardy, while a thin tamari dressing seasons the surface without hiding its fresh soybean flavor.

Ingredients

• 14–16 oz fresh soft tofu, ready to eat, drained but not pressed
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Drain the tofu gently and cut into thick squares or slabs. Arrange in a shallow serving bowl.
2. Stir together the tamari, water, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, garlic, and sesame seeds.
3. Spoon the marinade over and around the tofu. Refrigerate for 15–30 minutes, spooning the dressing over it once more before serving.

Notes

• Use fresh tofu intended for eating without further cooking and follow its package handling instructions.

Napa Cabbage Kimchi

A bowl of fermented cabbage supplies the table's most direct sour, spicy counterpoint without requiring another cooked preparation.

Ingredients

• 1 cup prepared gluten-free napa cabbage kimchi, such as Queens kimchi if available

Instructions

1. Cut long cabbage leaves into bite-size pieces with kitchen shears if needed.
2. Place in a small bowl with a spoonful of its brine. Serve cool alongside the other banchan.

Notes

• Check the ingredient label for gluten-containing seasonings.

Mild Kimchi Fried Rice with Sesame and Seaweed

Cold white rice fries into distinct grains, while mild fermented cabbage brings acidity without overwhelming the banchan. Sesame and crumbled seaweed provide the fragrant finish.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked white short- or medium-grain rice, thoroughly chilled
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free white napa cabbage kimchi, drained and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons reserved white kimchi brine
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 4 scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 sheets plain toasted gim or nori, crumbled

Instructions

1. Break up the cold rice with clean hands or a spoon before heating the pan.
2. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil, scallion whites, and garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds.
3. Add the drained kimchi and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until the stems soften and excess moisture evaporates.
4. Add the rice and toss for 4–5 minutes, breaking up any remaining clumps. Use two batches if the pan is too crowded to fry effectively.
5. Add the tamari and kimchi brine around the hot edge of the pan. Toss until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is steaming hot throughout, at least 165°F.
6. Let the rice sit undisturbed for 1 minute for a lightly toasted bottom. Turn off the heat and fold in sesame oil and most of the scallion greens.
7. Finish with sesame seeds, crumbled seaweed, and the remaining scallion greens.

Notes

• For 4 cups cooked rice, start with approximately 1 1/2 cups dry rice and cook according to its package. Spread in a shallow container, refrigerate within 1 hour, and chill thoroughly before frying.
• Red napa kimchi also works, but will make the rice spicier and more deeply colored.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The cool and room-temperature banchan can be finished first, leaving the last stretch for crisp pancakes, hot peppers, and freshly fried rice.

Instructions

1. The day before, or several hours ahead, cook and safely chill the rice if you do not already have refrigerated cooked rice.
2. 0:00 — Drain the tofu, mix its marinade, and refrigerate. Salt the tomatoes and prepare their dressing.
3. 0:10 — Finish the tomato kimchi. Cut the long beans, peppers, onion, scallions, and garlic, keeping each component's portions separate.
4. 0:20 — Cook the anchovies and spread them out to cool. Set out the prepared napa kimchi.
5. 0:30 — Cook the long beans and peppers; transfer to a serving bowl. Mix the pancake batter while the vegetables cook.
6. 0:42 — Fry the pancakes in batches and hold on a rack in a 225°F oven.
7. 0:55 — Blister the shishitos in a second skillet if available. Finish the fried rice while the final pancakes cook.
8. 1:10 — Transfer the hot dishes to serving bowls, finish the rice with seaweed and sesame, and bring everything to the table.

Notes

• Allow about 75 minutes with chilled rice ready; add time if using only one burner or making the rice the same day.

Plating

Separate shallow bowls preserve the different textures and let everyone build bites around the rice.

Instructions

1. Arrange the anchovies, tomato kimchi, long beans, marinated tofu, and napa kimchi in individual small bowls.
2. Place the pancakes and shishitos together on a broad platter, keeping the peppers and their moisture away from the pancakes' crisp edges.
3. Serve the fried rice in its skillet or a wide warmed bowl with the sesame, seaweed, and scallion finish visible.
4. Give each person a rice bowl and small plate, and provide separate serving utensils for the shared dishes.

Leftover Path

Separate storage keeps the crisp components from absorbing brine and gives each dish an appropriate reheating method.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers in separate covered containers within 2 hours. Cool the fried rice promptly in a shallow container.
2. Eat the marinated tofu and tomato kimchi within 2 days. Use the cooked vegetables, pancakes, and fried rice within 3 days; keep the anchovies refrigerated for up to 5 days.
3. Reheat pancakes on a rack in a 400°F oven for 6–10 minutes until crisp and hot. Warm the peppers and long beans briefly in a skillet.
4. Reheat fried rice once, with a small splash of water if needed, until steaming throughout and at least 165°F.
5. Turn leftover long beans, anchovies, and cabbage kimchi into a simple rice bowl, keeping the tofu and tomato kimchi cool on the side.
6. Keep unused kimchi from its original container refrigerated according to the maker's instructions; do not return table leftovers to the jar.