Michelle No

There’s no wonder why Japanese is one of the most beloved cuisines in the world. Besides being responsible for sushi, Japanese cuisine also commands a deep understanding of umami — or deeply satisfying, savory flavor. What’s more, it’s a cuisine that’s full of simple, accessible recipes, going far beyond the expensive raw fish or days-long ramen recipes by which it can be commonly defined.

Korean food is an ideal starter cuisine for the beginner home cook. It delivers complex, savory-meets-spicy favors, often with a more simple preparation than you might think. Here, we’ve compiled several classic recipes — from the most basic cabbage kimchi to fiery bulgogi — plus a few recipes that have fun with the classics, like cheesy, savory oatmeal with kimchi and honey butter rice krispies tteok treats.

It's called budae jjigae, or Korean army stew, and it's pure comfort in a bowl.