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Korean food is suddenly a "must try," thanks to talented Korean chef Gi Ho Yim, who wowed New York foodies recently at a 10-day United Nations Korean food festival. His iconic approach has given new respectability to what, until now, has been an underrated cuisine.

High-end Korean food eschews the slathering of every dish with kimchee. Instead, it focuses on deep flavours, complex spices and beautiful presentation. Here are three recipes developed by my recipe tester, freelance chef Soo Kim, who is originally from South Korea.

Spicy Squid

This is a sensational and easy-to-prepare squid dish. Korean hot pepper powder is not as hot as cayenne. If you substitute cayenne, add only half a teaspoon. Korean hot pepper paste is made with chilies and miso and is available at Korean and Asian stores. Substitute 2 tablespoons miso mixed with 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce and a pinch of sugar. (This dish is quite hot, so use less seasoning if you prefer.) Serve with plain rice.

500 grams squid

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Hot Red Pepper Sauce:

2 tablespoons Korean red-pepper paste (kochujang)

1 tablespoon hot red-pepper powder, or 1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Vegetables:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup halved shallots

1 cup thickly sliced celery

½ cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced red peppers

1 Korean green chili pepper, or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thickly sliced

2 green onions cut in thirds

Juice of ½ lemon

Slice squid into rings or strips, rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Place in a bowl and mix with vegetable oil and generous amounts of salt and pepper. Reserve.

Combine Korean red-pepper paste, hot red-pepper powder, soy sauce, rice wine, honey, sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a bowl to make sauce.

Mix well and reserve.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan over high heat. Add shallots and sauté for 1 minute or until seared.

Add celery, carrots, red pepper and green chili pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add green onions, toss together for one more minute and season well with salt and pepper.

Empty pan into a bowl and reserve.

Return pan to stove and heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until very hot. Add reserved squid and quickly sauté for 1 minute or until just tender. Season with salt and pepper and finish with lemon juice.

Add in vegetable mixture and sauce. Toss to coat. Serves 4.

Fire Beef (Bulgogi)

If you do not have a grill pan, use a non-stick skillet. Serve on a bed of red leaf lettuce.

1 pound New York sirloin steak, trimmed of fat

Marinade:

¼ cup light soy sauce

½ cup rice wine

½ Korean or Asian pear, peeled and grated

¼ cup grated onion

2 green onions, minced

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup thickly sliced Portobello mushrooms

1 red onion, halved and thickly sliced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Slice beef thinly on a bias across the grain. Reserve.

Combine soy sauce, rice wine, Korean pear, grated onion, green onion, garlic, honey, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Mix well and reserve.

Place beef in a bowl with marinade and make sure beef is coated well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Combine Portobello mushrooms and red onion with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and salt and pepper. Reserve.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a grill pan over high heat until pan begins to smoke. Add beef and vegetables to pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side or until tender. Remove to serving dish. Pour pan juices over beef. Serves 4.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Pokkum-Bap)

For many Koreans, pokkum-bap ("pokkum" means fried and "bap" means rice) isn't pokkum-bap without kimchee (pickled cabbage). Biting into the spicy, tangy bits of kimchee adds special notes of flavour to this satisfying, one-dish creation. Kimchee is very spicy and available at Korean or Asian stores. There is no substitute. Omit if not available and add 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup chopped onion

4 ounces bacon, diced

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 cup chopped kimchee

½ cup chopped red pepper

5 ounces oyster mushrooms, chopped

4 cups cooked cold short grain rice (sushi rice is best)

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine

3 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

¼ cup chopped green onions

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until soft. Add bacon and cook for 2 minutes or until crisp. Do not drain fat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in kimchee and cook for 2 minutes to incorporate flavours. Remove mixture to bowl and wipe pan clean.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in pan over medium heat. Add red pepper and mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute until barely soft.

Reduce heat to low. Add kimchee mixture and rice, stirring constantly. Pour in soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil and quickly stir. Season with salt and generous amounts of pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion before serving. Serves 4.

lwaverman@globeandmail.com