At the Korean culinary workshop at Manorama Hortus, Hyeonju Park charms the attendees with deft hands and a dash of humour. Her workshop, Chef Studio, requires her participants to get their hands dirty making Korea’s most popular side dish, Kimchi. The salted, fermented dish is made with over 12 ingredients and Napa cabbage, a Chinese variety of the vegetable. Perfectly sliced cabbage leaves laced with multiple ingredients are wrapped with a single chord of leaf drawn from one end. A seemingly complex task is performed with ease and a warm smile and when one of the participants surprises with a perfect fold, Park is thrilled. " You have Korean hands", says Park who runs a restaurant in Kochi.
The workshops begin with Park's sister, Maria Noh, giving a brief overview of Korean food. This is followed by a demonstration of how the cabbage is cut. The participants follow her instructions on how to mix the kimchi paste and apply it to the cabbage. The participants are then given bags to pack their creations to take home. Special instructions are given on how to take care of the fermentation process. Kimchi tastes different at each stage of fermentation and, therefore, must be kept cool.
The best part is at the end; while a plethora of the most popular Korean dishes from Yangnyeom chicken (Korean fried chicken) to Tteokbokki (rice cakes served in a spicy and creamy sauce) are served to the participants, Park sings a song. The participants greet the song with applause, suggesting her voice is as great as her food.
After the workshop, the venue will be converted into a makeshift Korean street food stall called Foodie Mukbang. The smell of delicious Tteokbokki and corndogs attracts passersby. Some come in just out of curiosity and ask questions about Korea and its culture.
Mukbang Korean Restaurant, run by Park and her family, is famous for serving the most authentic Korean food in Kerala. She is known for making the basic ingredients like soya sauce and gochujang (a korean chilli paste) from scratch by herself. A second outlet called Foodie Mukbang focused on Korean street food will soon be opened at Kaloor, Ernakulam.
