Emily Han

Emily Han is a Los Angeles-based recipe developer, educator, herbalist, and author of Wild Drinks & Cocktails and co-author of Wild Remedies. For recipes and classes, check out her personal site.
How To Clean a Cast-Iron Skillet in 4 Easy Steps
It's a lot easier than you might think.
Emily Han
Oct 6, 2023
My Mother-In-Law's Kimchi Is Perfect for Beginners
It tastes good with everything.
Emily Han
Sep 26, 2023
Spread This Jammy Zucchini Butter on All Your Summer Sandwiches
It's a great little staple to have in your summer cooking repertoire.
Emily Han
Aug 31, 2023
Brown Rice Congee with Shiitake Mushrooms and Greens
Congee, jook, okayu. Asian-style rice porridge has many names and countless variations, but in every instance it is a simple, comforting dish for breakfast or any time of day. This extra nutritious version includes brown rice, shiitake mushrooms, handfuls of greens, and warming ginger. I grew up with the Vietnamese version, called cháo, which my parents made using white rice and lots of water in a big, simmering pot. (It can also be made in a rice cooker or slow cooker.
Emily Han
Aug 31, 2023
Che Bap (Vietnamese Sweet Corn Pudding)
One of my most enduring childhood memories is watching my bà nội, or grandmother, shaving corn – the clean, confident stroke of her knife, and the tumble of sweet, juicy kernels released from the cob. If we were lucky, she’d stir the kernels into a pot of coconut milk with tapioca pearls to make chè, a delectable Vietnamese pudding. I can think of few better treats than chè on a summer afternoon.
Emily Han
Aug 28, 2023
How To Make Herb-Infused Honey
If you peek inside my cupboards, you’ll see countless little jars of herb and honey concoctions that are both delicious and healing. Making herb-infused honey has become one of my favorite ways to use leftover sprigs of thyme from cooking dinner, a handful of wild mint found while foraging, or the buds of an edible flower bouquet. There are five steps in making herb-infused honey.
Emily Han
Aug 17, 2023
How to Get Rid of Grain Weevils In Your Pantry
One Saturday morning, years ago, we awoke to a rather horrifying sight: hundreds of little brown bugs pouring out of the pantry cupboard and across the kitchen floor. We’ve encountered ants, pantry moths, and grain beetles, but this was a new one for us. We did some research and learned that our new guests were grain weevils (aka wheat weevils). Grain weevils are pantry insects and before they multiply, learn how you can prevent them from invading your pantry.
Emily Han
Aug 1, 2023
Lemon Balm Tea
Are you looking for a little boost this time of year? If you’re looking for a tea that calms your nerves and lifts your mood, have this lemon balm tea. It’s made with a blend of herbs including oatstraw, rose hips, lavender, orange peel, and lemon balm, a cheery plant with a long history of raising our spirits. Sipping this tea will surely brighten those dreary days.
Emily Han
Jul 6, 2023
How To Brew Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is often described as being between green tea and black tea, so it makes sense that steeping techniques usually fall somewhere in the middle, too. Oolong tea comes in different oxidation levels and leaf shapes, so there is no one-size-fits-all method for steeping. This is also a wonderful tea for re-steeping, and you can discover new aromas and flavors with each new infusion. Oolong tea is often steeped in an Asian-style gaiwan or a clay Yixing teapot.
Emily Han
Jun 30, 2023
How To Make Sprouted Grains
Now that we’re up to speed on sprouted grains and their nutritional and culinary benefits, let’s take a look at how to actually make them at home. Sprouted grains, like wheat berries and rice, are super simple to make. They don’t require any major equipment, and they are also fun for both adults and kids to make. The grains are first soaked in water and then rinsed, drained, and kept moist inside a jar for a period of one to five days.
Emily Han
Jun 19, 2023
Korean-Style Steamed Eggs
You’ve had eggs boiled, fried, poached, and scrambled … but how about steamed? Silky, savory Asian-style steamed eggs are a real treat at any meal. Different variations are used in China, Japan, and Korea, and I’ll share a recipe for making Korean-style steamed eggs or gyeran jjim. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When steamed, the eggs set into the loveliest custard with the texture of silken tofu.
Emily Han
Jun 17, 2023
How to Make Beet Kvass
Have you ever tried beet kvass? Earthy, salty, sour, and sweet, this jewel-toned lacto-fermented beverage is full of probiotic goodness. Plus it’s ridiculously easy and affordable to brew right on your kitchen counter. Making beet kvass is similar to the process of making sauerkraut, traditional dill pickles, and kimchi.
Emily Han
Jun 14, 2023
Fire Cider
Have you heard of fire cider? The first time I encountered this traditional folk recipe, I have to admit I was terrified. Horseradish, garlic, onion, ginger, hot peppers, and spices infused in apple cider vinegar? To drink? It took me years before I tried it, but you can be braver than me. It’s worth it! Plus you can use fire cider in so many ways — from cold cure to cooking to cocktails. Hot, pungent, sour, and sweet, fire cider is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Emily Han
Jun 4, 2023
A Beginner's Guide to Kimbap — Korea's Iconic Finger Food
It’s infinitely customizable.
Emily Han
Jun 2, 2023
15 Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Have With a Meal
From simple tricks to store-bought sips, we have you covered when it comes to non-alcoholic drink ideas. Most of these beverages aren’t too sweet, making them perfect to serve alongside food.• 12 Noon to Midnight – Light, refreshing, and not too sweet• Cascal – Fermented sodas made from fruit juice• Grown-Up Soda (GUS), Vignette Wine Country Soda, DRY Soda Co.
Emily Han
May 25, 2023
Salvadoran Pupusas con Curtido (Masa Cakes with Cabbage Slaw)
More than a decade after experiencing my first pupusa, I can still remember my wide-eyed joy as I bit into the thick, stuffed tortilla. Why had I never eaten one before, and how soon could I have another? As I learned, the best part about El Salvador’s national dish isn’t just the warm, savory masa filled with melty cheese (or meat or beans), but its brilliant accompaniment called curtido.
Emily Han
May 16, 2023
Don’t Have Espresso Powder? Try These Substitutes.
Espresso powder and instant espresso provide nuanced flavors in rich, chocolatey baked goods. Learn the best swaps here.
Emily Han
Nov 19, 2022
Ingredient Spotlight: Saba
We have been grilling tons of fruit this summer – plums, peaches, pluots, figs – and it has been the perfect opportunity to break out our precious bottle of saba.We first encountered saba at a gourmet market and just had to bring a bottle home. Although it was a bit pricey and we had never tasted it before, we were intrigued by the description of an ancient, syrupy condiment similar to Balsamic vinegar. The splurge was worth it.
Emily Han
Sep 28, 2022
How To Make Tahini
Tahini, or sesame seed paste, is a staple of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It’s perhaps most notable for its essential role in making hummus, although its uses go far beyond that iconic dip. But tahini can get pricey at the grocery store, and it’s sometimes bitter or rancid after its long wait on the shelf. The good news is you can make this pantry staple at home for a fraction of the cost — and chances are it will taste better, too!
Emily Han
Sep 19, 2022
The Best Ways to Freeze Butternut Squash
Yes, it can be done.
Whether it's raw or cooked, these are the two best methods for preserving it in the freezer.
Emily Han
Sep 9, 2022
Korean BBQ Marinade
Being the primary cook in my household, I was shocked to realize recently that I had no idea how to make one of my favorite marinades. My partner always handles the grilling of galbi (Korean short ribs) plus tofu or tempeh for me, but it seemed silly not to know what went into the sauce for this deeply flavored, salty and sweet Korean-style barbecue. Fortunately, it’s pretty simple and now that I know, I can share it with you, too.
Emily Han
Sep 3, 2022
How To Make Homemade Bitters
From the medicine cabinet to the bar, bitters have a long history of curing ailments and flavoring drinks. Though they may seem mysterious, at heart, bitters are simply bitter and aromatic herbs and spices infused or tinctured in spirits. Combining the various flavors is where the fun part comes in. Here’s a primer to making your own bitters at home, which you can use in cocktails, sodas, cooking, and even as digestive aids.
Emily Han
Aug 30, 2022
Short on Limes? Try These Substitutes
Are you feeling the effects of the lime shortage? Due to a combination of severe weather, tree disease, and organized crime, imported limes are now scarce and expensive. While nothing can truly take the place of a fresh lime in a margarita, depending on what you’re making there are plenty of adequate substitutes. Lime juice substitutes include lemon juice, white wine or tamarind, while lime zest can be replaced with orange zest or lime oil.
Emily Han
Aug 22, 2022
Non-Alcoholic Sangria
My favorite thing about sangria, the Spanish punch, isn’t actually the wine or spirits; it’s the luscious assortment of fruit that gets ladled into each glass. I love how refreshing it is to sip, and munch, on a warm day, and I’ve often felt bad that my teetotaling partner hasn’t been able to enjoy it. I developed this non-alcoholic version with him in mind, and discovered that I like it just as much as the real thing.
Emily Han
Aug 20, 2022
6 Ways to Make Smoothies Without Bananas
Most recipes call for them — but they actually aren't essential.
Emily Han
Aug 16, 2022
Eight Ways to Make Steamed Vegetables Taste Amazing
One of the simplest ways to prepare fresh or even frozen vegetables is to steam them over simmering water. This method is quick, light, and retains flavor and nutritional value. As long as you take care not to overcook them, steamed in-season vegetables often taste perfectly wonderful as they are.
Emily Han
Aug 14, 2022
How To Blanch Vegetables
Along with steaming, blanching vegetables is a basic technique every cook should know. Briefly boiled and then plunged into ice water, these bright and tender-crisp vegetables may be used in crudité platters, salads, sushi rolls, and stir fries, or refrigerated or frozen for later use. Blanching is a classic technique that involves quickly cooking food in boiling water then dunking it in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Emily Han
Aug 14, 2022
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
This method is foolproof.
Emily Han
Aug 11, 2022
What Is Kombu & How Do You Use It?
A member of the kelp family, kombu is a seaweed that makes for a versatile pantry ingredient, providing dishes with umami flavor, nutrients, and minerals. While most kombu comes from Hokkaidō, Japan, it is also cultivated in Korea, where it is known as dashima, and China, where it is known as haidai. (Maine kelp is similar and can be substituted for kombu.) Dried kombu can be used to make Japanese dashi (a savory broth), added to beans to make them more digestible, and eaten in salads.
Emily Han
Aug 9, 2022
What Is Epazote & How Do You Use It?
When it comes to beans and lessening their “digestive consequences,” we have two main strategies: one, soak them before cooking and two, add epazote. Not familiar with epazote? Learn all about this pungent Mexican herb, plus how to cook with it.Epazote (pronounced eh-puh-ZOE-tay) is an herb native to Mexico and Central America that is perhaps best known for its carminative, or gas-relieving, properties.
Emily Han
Aug 8, 2022
What’s the Difference Between English, Irish and Scottish Breakfast Teas?
English breakfast, Irish breakfast, Scottish breakfast … why are they served at breakfast, and is there really any difference between them? According to Frank Sanchez of Upton Tea Imports, each breakfast tea blend has it owns flavor profile and different caffeine levels. Breakfast teas are black tea blends intended to accompany a hearty, rich morning meal (think of the full English breakfast or fry-up) and are therefore more robust than afternoon tea blends.
Emily Han
Aug 3, 2022
Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pomegranate-Sumac Dressing
You’d think I didn’t like fresh tomatoes, the way I avoid them most of the year. Yet it’s precisely because I love tomatoes — ripe, juicy, just-plucked and not shipped-around-the-world ones — that I wait until summer. At last the season has arrived, filling my dinner plate with colorful rounds of heirloom tomatoes. Here’s one way I like to serve them: a simple salad with a sweet, tangy pomegranate and sumac dressing and a handful of fresh herbs.
Emily Han
May 17, 2022
Dinner Party Recipe: Polenta with Spring Vegetable Ragout
This week in Gatherings from The Kitchn, we’re sharing the details of an Italian Polenta Supper featuring lots of toppings, like hearty braised beef, on a bed of creamy cornmeal polenta. For a lighter, vegan-friendly accompaniment to polenta, let me suggest this spring vegetable ragout. Like the braised beef, it’s rustic and uncomplicated yet completely dinner-party worthy.
Emily Han
May 17, 2022
Recipe: Zucchini with Yogurt-Dill Sauce
Usually, when you offer to snap a photo of fellow tourists, the exchange is quick and polite and you forget each other long before you ever return home. But this time was different. This time I came home with a recipe. This is Helen and her husband Blago, a self-proclaimed “Wild Bulgarian” whom I met on the shores of Vancouver, BC, this summer. As one might expect of someone who introduces himself as a Wild Bulgarian, Blago was quite the character.
Emily Han
May 17, 2022
Vegetarian Recipe: Korean Dolsot Bibimbap
When I think of my favorite comfort foods, the vast majority of them are, shall we say, a bit wanting in the nutrition department. Dolsot bibimbap is the exception. Like mac and cheese or potato pancakes, this popular Korean dish has plenty of carbs – but it’s also a well-balanced meal, with a rainbow of vegetables and protein crowning the bowl of hot, steaming rice.
Emily Han
May 17, 2022
Recipe: Summer Squash Shakshuka with Baked Eggs
It’s that squash-y time of year, when gardens, CSA boxes, and market baskets overflow with zucchini, crooknecks, pattypans, and more. Whether you have one variety or three, here’s a great way to eat a bunch of squash – plus summer tomatoes, basil, and a handful of eggs. It’s a riff on classic shakshuka, and it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner.
Emily Han
May 17, 2022