The Korean Cookbook is not just a comprehensive recipe collection but also an inviting introduction to hansik (Korean cuisine). Junghyun Park, a New York City restaurateur, and Jungyoon Choi, a research chef, trace the history of Korean food culture from Neolithic agriculture to the present. They depict a "multifaceted"--and naturally 70% plant-based--cuisine that embraces both home cooking and street food. Each recipe includes context and helpful tips alongside clear instructions. Clean images of single-plated dishes appear every few pages. The cookbook covers soy sauces, kimchi, rice dishes, lettuce wraps, broths, dumplings, porridge, and sweets served with tea. Banchan (side dishes), some fresh and others fermented, are served family-style, the authors explain. Blanched chrysanthemum greens and Korean fried chicken are just two of the appealing dishes from this encyclopedic gem. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader and blogger at Bookish Beck