Michelle Zauner's "Crying in H Mart" and all the Korean foods listed with recipes [Something Interesting #56]
- Alex Bemish
- May 18
- 3 min read
Updated: May 19
After spending most of May trying to find time to read it, Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart is a book I highly recommend reading/listening to. Initially I started with the audiobook but because of all of the Korean used to describe the food that's central to the story of Zauner and her mother, I found it easier to see the dishes named in writing. As for the memoir itself, Zauner focused mostly on the final months of her mother's cancer and their complicated relationship within the context of the relationships she had with her father, her boyfriend/husband, and her mother's family in Seoul. From a writing perspective, it hits similar memoir-beats I've seen before (it reminded me a lot of Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, actually) but also gave a great run-through on Korean cuisine I would've never known about it. If a book is teaching you something new and useful, I'd say that's the mark of excellent writing.
Photo of a Seoul food market by Mike Swigunski (Unsplash)
So this Something Interesting is less a book review and more a record with all of the terms I've learned while reading. Along with the glossary below, I'll also provide the audiobook, some related videos to what's mentioned later in the book, and the albums I posted in a previous journal entry from Zauner's band Japanese Breakfast.
(Also, if you've never been to an H Mart with a food court and get the opportunity to visit one, take it - they're a fucking delight.)
A Quick Glossary Regarding Korean Food from the Book
The below is a list of the foods and cooking items found throughout the book, linked to Wikipedia articles to give more context. I've also gone through Maangchi's website to find recipes if you'd like to try them yourself. Zauner mentions referencing these recipes in her learning how to cook many of these items to better connect with her mother.
Anju (안주): General term for any food served during drinking [Collection of recipes]
Banchan (반찬): Small side dishes usually served alongside rice [Collection of recipes]
Bindae-tteok (빈대떡): Mung-bean pancake [Recipe]
Chamoe (참외): Also known as Oriental melon, a type of melon often compared to a mix of cucumbers and honeydews
Danmuji (단무지): Pickled daikon radish
Dolsot (돌솥): Stoneware pot used for cooking and serving rice dishes
Gochujang (고추장): Red chili paste
Gopchang (곱창): Grilled intestines
Gyeran-jjim (계란찜): Steamed egg custard [Recipe]
Jajangmyeon (자장면): Chinese-inspired noodle dish topped with gochujang and pork [Recipe]
Jjigae (찌개): Family of Korean stews
Jorim (조림): Family of dishes simmered for cooking
Kong-guksu (콩국수): Cold soybean noodle soup [Recipe]
Maekju (맥주): Korean beer
Maeun-tang (매운탕): Spicy fish stew [Recipe]
Misu (미수): Drink made from a barley powder
Miyeok (미역): Also known as wakame, a type of edible seaweed
Miyeok-guk (미역국): Seaweed soup [Recipe]
Nakji-bokkeum (낙지볶음): Stir-fried octopus [Recipe]
Namul (나물): Family of edible greens
Onggi (옹기): Earthenware tableware
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살): Multi-layered grilled pork dish [Recipe]
Samgye-tang (삼계탕): Ginseng chicken soup [Recipe]
Seolleongtang (설렁탕): Ox bone soup [Recipe]
Soboro-ppang (소보로빵): Peanut butter streusel bread [Recipe from Reddit]
Soju (소주): Clear rice-based spirit, similar to vodka
Somaek (소맥): Beer cocktail with soju and beer
Ssamjang (쌈장): Thick spicy paste
Tteokbokki (떡볶이): Simmered rice cake [Recipe]
Ttukbaegi (뚝배기): Type of black-brown earthenware
Some Supplemental Things
The audiobook
Some videos
“Coffee Hanjan” by Pearl Sisters, which is important to the last chapter of the book (plus Zauner's cover of the song)
Albums from Japanese Breakfast
Psychopomp (2016)
Jubilee (2021)
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