Recipes from the beating heart of Korea's food scene

But in Korea, a pocha is a tented or tarpaulin-covered stall, bar or market vendor that serves up cheap and unfussy Korean comfort food, snacks and drinks.

It's also the title of Su Scott's recipe book. In it, the London-based food writer returns to the streets where she grew up to deep dive into the food that shaped her - the food that's the beating heart of Korea's food scene.

Ingredients

Method

1. Crack the eggs into a jug or bowl. Add the salt and white pepper and beat energetically to create smooth strands with no lumps.

2. Melt a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a low heat and swirl it round to coat the pan evenly. When the butter has melted, pour the whisked egg into the pan. As the egg starts to spread around the pan, start dragging the cooked edges decisively towards you, while tilting the pan slightly to let the uncooked egg run away to cook - we are aiming to make a quick, barely set egg somewhere between scrambled and an omelette. Gather and fold the egg on itself to maintain the shape and size of the bread. The eggs should appear almost cooked in under 30 seconds. Flip carefully and briefly cook the other side. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with the sugar and top with the cheese. Keep warm.

3. Wipe down the pan with kitchen paper, if necessary, and melt another small knob of butter. Place in both slices of bread to toast, adding more butter to the pan as necessary. Flip frequently to toast evenly. Once the bread is golden and lightly crispy, remove from the pan and allow to cool a little.

4. To assemble the sandwich, place the cheese-topped omelette on top of the first slice of toasted bread, followed by the slice of ham, the pickles and cabbage. Top with a generous dollop of mayonnaise and ketchup. Cover with the second slice of toast. Slice in half, if you like, and serve warm.

Makes 1

Ingredients

Method

1. To prepare the cabbage, remove any wilted green outer leaves. Make a cut in the base of the cabbage then gently pull it apart in half lengthways to tear the leaves. Remove the cores and cut diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the cut cabbage to a large mixing bowl or container.

2. Combine the salt and water and whisk well until the salt has fully dissolved. Pour over the cabbage and press gently to submerge; you may want to use a plate to keep the cabbage under the water. Cover and leave to brine for 1 hour, flipping the top and bottom halfway through to ensure even salting, until the cabbage has softened.

3. Drain well, then rinse with fresh water and drain again. Repeat the process two more times so that you have thoroughly cleaned the cabbage. Leave to drain fully - this may take 30 minutes. Never squeeze the water out by hand as it will damage the structure of the cabbage and spoil the texture.

4. Once drained thoroughly, transfer to a large mixing bowl or container.

5. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the sesame seeds, and gently massage everything together by hand (with gloves on) to combine. Check for seasoning and adjust it with a pinch more salt, if necessary. Toss in the sesame seeds.

6. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Makes about 1L jar or equivalent

Ingredients

For the dough

For the filling

Method

1. Whisk together the water, sugar and salt to dissolve. Stir in the tablespoon of vegetable oil: don't worry if it doesn't incorporate well.

2. Meanwhile, combine both flours and the yeast in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the warm water and sugar mixture. Stir to combine using a wooden spoon to form a rough dough. Tip it out on a work surface and continue to work the dough to build strong gluten bonds until it becomes smooth and supple - it should take about 15 minutes; or less time if you use a stand mixer. The dough will feel quite tacky and that is perfectly okay. Wipe out, then oil the bowl. Shape the dough into a large ball and transfer to the bowl. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest it in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled in volume.

3. Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Have a large baking tray ready, lightly greased with some vegetable oil. Once the dough has risen, rub some vegetable oil on your hands so the dough doesn't stick. Transfer the dough onto a lightly oiled surface and divide it into 8 equal dough balls, then cover. Working with one ball at a time, gently press the dough ball flat to form a roughly palm-sized round disc. Remember, the shape doesn't need to be perfect. Put one heaped teaspoonful of the filling in the middle and gather the edges together to seal tightly at the centre, maintaining a more or less round shape. At this stage, the pancake will still resemble a dough ball. Place it seam-side down onto the oiled tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

4. Prepare a cooling rack set over a roasting tray. Place a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat and fill generously with vegetable oil to about 1cm (1/2in) deep. Have a flat-based heatproof jug or spatula well-oiled and ready nearby.

5. Carefully transfer the shaped dough balls into the pan, a few at a time, seam-side down, and cook for 30 seconds. Flip the pancakes and press gently to flatten them with the base of the oiled jug or spatula you prepared earlier, then flip and press again to firmly seal the seam side. Fry gently for 2 minutes on each side until golden. If they brown too quickly, lower the heat slightly. Transfer to the cooling rack and continue until you have cooked all the pancakes.The pancakes are best enjoyed warm, either on their own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Makes 8 9cm pancakes

Ingredients

Method

1. Heat the vegetable and sesame oils in a large, lidded, heavy-based saucepan. Add the beef and onion and sauté over a medium heat for about 4 minutes until the meat is browned a little and the onions are softened. Lower the heat a touch and add the garlic and gochujang. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it from burning. You should notice the rich crimson-red oil separating in the pan and everything smelling deliciously fragrant.

2. Stir in the gochugaru, soy sauce and fish sauce. Add the potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes and water and bring just to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes with the lid on ajar.

3. Add the tofu and cook for a further 10 minutes until everything is tender and the tofu has absorbed the flavour.

4. Check for seasoning and adjust with a pinch of salt. Reserve some of the watercress and spring onions for the garnish and add the rest to the pan with the chilli. Cover with the lid and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes to soften.

5. Divide the stew into four deep bowls. Top with the reserved watercress and spring onions. Serve immediately while steaming hot with plain steamed rice.

Serves 4

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