Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This book has some great recipes and the pictures that went along with the recipes was a nice touch. I’m definitely looking forward to trying these recipes.

Love the layout of this cookbook! I've come across a fair amount of cookbooks recently that have terrible formatting, so I really enjoyed how each recipe is color coded. The recipes are also pretty easy to follow.

Wow! Banchan by Caroline Choe is exactly the book I have been looking for! One of my guilty pleasures is watching aesthetic YouTube videos of Korean housewives working in their kitchen. The food culture is so different from mine and inspiring, but it didn't feel accessible to me to make the same delicious foods for myself because I felt I lacked a fundamental understanding of Korean cooking. Banchan has changed that and made me feel like I can easily recreate many recipes I’ve drooled over in the past! I’m so excited to get started and will be purchasing a hard copy of this book once it’s published!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I have been craving banchan lately, so browsing this cookbook was perfect. The photos are pleasing and the overall layout works. I prefer the more traditional recipes, but for those who are into more fusion-y plates, this book provides that as well. Sides don't get nearly as much attention as they should and this cookbook lets them shine!

A recipe book dedicated to banchan, which might be most well-known to a non-Korean audience as the numerous free side dishes you get at the beginning of a meal at Korean BBQ.

The author specifies these aren’t technically traditional Korean recipes, but rather Korean-American recipes, which I understand. The first half leans toward traditional Korean dishes, while the second half does feel more like the Korean American side, where you’ll see more American/western dishes given a Korean twist or using banchan from recipes earlier in the book. I liked this organization and also how earlier recipes made appearances in later recipes (kind of like foreshadowing in a novel, but it might just point to how Korean food is good at using one dish in multiple ways). There’s also a bit at the beginning about the ingredients you’ll need for the recipes and where you’ll find them if you’re not already familiar with Asian groceries, and recipes often include substitutes as well, so it’s very helpful. The recipes are often short, too, usually about one page. The anecdotes before each recipe were cute, and I sympathize with the author on getting actual measurements on those family recipes, when immigrant parents might tend not to be the most specific. The photos were great, too.

One recipe for soup had an accompanying picture of bread so that confused me. Also, there were just a few recipes in the book that weren’t technically Korean or featured Korean ingredients, like miso soup, which I didn’t really understand the relevance. There were tiny illustrations at the bottom of the recipes as well, and most of them were cute but some of them could have used more effort (like the little dots). I feel like maybe there’s some expectation of a bit of cooking knowledge from the recipe, like knowing what blanching is, so it might be hard for total newbies. But the directions are clear and simple, with a variety of recipes and helpful tips on storage.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

Banchan was a great book for introducing myself to Korean cooking! It was a wealth of recipes, including several Kimchi recipes that I cannot wait to try! The book included a guide for staples to have in your pantry for Korean cooking and amazing photos of the large variety of recipes!

Received this as an Advanced Reading Copy from NetGalley for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It's always intimidating to try cooking different cuisines. The author did a great job introducing Korean cuisine. She introduced the ingredients and made the recipes very approachable for newbies. Most of the recipes used relatively easy to find ingredients. I also loved the Korean American influenced recipes. It was a fun breakaway from the usual, more traditional dishes you often see in restaurants. She also included some of her family's own recipes which gave her writing a fun and personal touch. I can't wait until this book is officially published. I've already pre-ordered on Amazon.

I think the book is solid, but it's not one of my favorites. This is a situation where I'm under the impression that Choe is a better cook than she is an author. The second section really does have some inventive, interesting takes on banchan and other Korean food, but the writing needs to be more assertive of Choe's expertise. However, this is her first book and I'm sure she'll be more confident in the next.

I for one, love LOVE that there are pictures for almost every dish, and that the pictures are gorgeous.

Recipes are written in a way that are easy to follow. It not dumbed down to a point that are repetitive or annoying.

I also really liked that each recipe has a story or educational tidbit.

I'm a huge banchan lover so this ARC thrilled me. I had the chance to try some of the recipes and can confirm, they are amazing. The recipes range from more traditional Korean-American banchan to the author, and her family's, unique riffs on recipes. In addition to dishes like various kimchis and jeon, there's also an awesome japchae recipe and plenty of jjigaes! The ingredients selected are all easily accessible if you have an Asian/Korean grocery store nearby, and the recipes are very instructive, with photos for every dish.

Banchan
Author: Caroline Choe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such a great cookbook for those wanting to make Korean dishes at home! The book is well organized and I really liked that all the recipes had photos to accompany them. I'm really looking forward to trying out the recipes especially the Creamy Kimchi Bacon Dip that I think would be an instant hit for parties. This book would make a great addition to any cookbook shelf!

Thanks to NetGalley, Chronicle Books, and Caroline Choe for an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of "Banchan" by Caroline Choe. All opinions are my own.

This beautiful cookbook includes 60 recipes featuring Korean American dishes. So many of these dishes sounds delicious and I can't wait to try them!!

I have liked Korean food since I worked at a Korean restaurant when in college. I have tried over the years to make certain foods at home more successful in some endeavors than others. So I was really excited to see this book available here for review. I have not made the I love the layout of the book and the deep dive of banchan. It expanded my knowledge and what I thought of even as banchan. I like the educational aspect of this book.

This cookbook hits all the right notes! The photography is bright and gorgeous, and nearly every dish has a photo to show you the final product (so helpful!!). The recipes are clear, uncomplicated, and delicious sounding. I learned a lot about what banchan is and the place it has in Korean cuisine. I can’t wait to try several of these recipes!

Banchan focuses on Korean side dishes and shareables.

The Sections are
Fermented & Preserved
Namul & Muchim
Jorim & Soy Sauce-Marinated
Stir-Fried & Steamed
Soups & Stews
Buchimgae
Cold Banchan
Hot Banchan

Each recipe has servings, ingredients, a little blurb, a beautiful photo of the dish, directions, and any notes on the dish. Though there weren’t any prep, cooking, or total times included which is a little fall out for me.

Overall there are tons of great recipes to try.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Banchan are Korean side dishes served during the meal. Items like zucchini or kimchi pancakes, pickled veggies or tofu in a soy sauce are served on the table to eat with the main dish and rice. Combining them in a dish like Kimbab, recipe included, as well. If you are a fan of K-dramas you have seen these on the screen. Now you can make them at home too.
So delicious. Each recipe also includes a spice rating and accompanying pictures.

I love Korean food + have been wanting to learn how to make banchan, so I was super excited to check out this book! The way it's written is very conversational, like talking with/getting to know a friend (who happens to be a chef) better. The beginning also includes a section on what she usually keeps her kitchen (pantry/fridge) stocked with to make these recipes possible.

The book is divided into 2 parts -- the first part containing the more traditional recipes + the 2nd with her version of lots of different classic recipes. There are hot + cold recipes + honestly some of everything for everyone. (Some ingredients may be harder to find outside of an Asian grocery store.)

Each recipe includes the ingredient list, an intro, serving size, and instructions (+ sometimes notes, e.g. for how to store, where to find certain ingredients). I'm looking forward to trying out the Gamja Jorim (soy-braised potatoes) + "hot honey" crispy tofu!

Thank you to the publisher + NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review!

This was such a good intro to banchan!! I loved how it was divided!! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This cookbook is beautiful. The layout is easy to follow. The pictures look delicious and make my stomach growl. I am going to make every one of these side dishes. The recipes are very straight forward and easy to follow.

I really like the straightforward nature of this cookbook. It is what it is, straight to the point, but it also feels like it was personally written by a friend just for you. Banchan is an array of shared side dishes seen at a Korean table. Part 1 of this book are the Banchan Classics broken into six sections that include the Fermented & Preserved (mostly various kimchis and pickled chilis), Namul & Muchim (fresh vegetables), Jorim & Soy Sauce-Marinated (soy-marinated or braised foods), Stir-Fried & Steamed foods, Soups and Stews, and the section that looks the most interesting to me: Buchimgae (pancakes). Part 2 has both hot and cold banchan recipes from Caroline Choe’s kitchen and are a bit more non-traditional. We also get to hear some stories about her growing up as a Korean American.

There is also a section about what she usually keeps in her pantry and fridge for preparing these tasty side dishes. Who knew there were so many ways to add kimchi to a meal? I always used to see Korean dramas and wonder about all the dishes they’d have to wash after every meal, but they always looked so delicious. It was fun to see recipes for things I’d seen in dramas. Now I can make kimbap, bibimbap, and the different pancakes I’ve always seen on tv. It’s a sweet cookbook with a very personal feel.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.