MOKJA

👇
Recap of the past week as part of the residency at Timelab — exploring local approaches to jang making.
With 피스풀 테이블 in 구례, we explore(d) gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste).
📷
1. During the past month, we delved into ganjang and doenjang (Korean soy sauce and fermented soybean paste) under the guidance of Woo Taeyoung. Now the 'meju' (naturally fermented soybean blocks) we made from black beans and yellow soybeans, are ready for the next stage:
2. Pouring Himalayan salt brine over the meju.
3. Meju made from yellow soybeans during the past masterclass, submerged in brine.
4. Some of the jang samples we made (with four additional jars fermenting outdoors on my rooftop), now undergoing their second fermentation phase.
🌱
5. We harvested edible leaves, including Jerusalem artichoke leaves (my favourite — I pickle them every year) and bean leaves.
6. This time, we fermented the leaves in gochujang.
7. Before leaving them to ferment, we topped the leaves with kelp and a splash of soy sauce.
8. As a local alternative to Korean lotus leaf rice, I experimented with fig leaves from my garden. Their aroma is delicate and surprisingly delicious.
🌾
9. The first step in making fermented rice syrup: washing yeotgireum (sprouted grains used for saccharification).
10. The rice was washed, soaked, and cooked with the liquid extracted from the sprouted grains. Afterward, the rice was sieved and thoroughly squeezed to extract as much liquid as possible.
11. This liquid was then simmered for several hours until it reduced into a rich syrup.
12–13. Finished — homemade stickyness ♡.
🍐🍏
14–18. In search of a local Belgian syrup for making gochujang, I naturally turned to the traditional fruit syrup of Belgium: Luikse siroop. We were given a tour and learned about the family's history (now in its 12th generation) and their slow food production methods.
19. These historic earthenware jars (Belgian onggi?) were once used to store the syrup. The longer it matured, the deeper and more harmonious the flavour became.
🥂
20. We finished by tasting delicious Belgian cider, local beers, and sparkling wines from the region.

Today's workshop was the first in a series with .
The theme was gochujang, Korea's iconic fermented chili paste.

Together, we explored a range of gochujang recipes, from traditional Korean preparations to variations with local ingredients.

Everything was delicious, but I'll especially remember the finger-licking fermented plums and young shoots of Toona sinensis, both preserved in gochujang.

Stay tuned for upcoming workshops, or simply drop by Timelab next Monday and Tuesday.
We'll be testing small-batch fermented grain syrups, experimenting with new varieties of gochujang, and checking on the jang batches we previously made with Woo Taeyoung teacher.

MOKJA nieuwsbrief! Highlights:

PEACEFUL TABLE ~ UNIEKE WORKSHOPREEKS
De voorbije weken leerden we jang en meju maken onder deskundige begeleiding van Woo Taeyoung, directeur van het JANG forum in Korea. Deze maand volgt een reeks vervolgworkshops met Peaceful Table.
(workshops aangeboden door Timelab & Mokja)

MOKJA'S KBBQ POP-UP
Zin in een Koreaanse barbecuetrip? Kom bij Mokja tafelen vooraleer de Gentse feesten in te duiken!

18/07 tem 21/07
24/07 tem 26/07

De pop-up vangt aan om 17.30 uur en gaat door op het terras van Mokja. Reserveer per tafel van 4 tot 5 personen.

https://mailchi.mp/4667e2f2f4e3/mokja-nieuwsbrief-17330939

Step 1:
Samples of fermented soybeans in various shades, shapes, and stages of fermentation in local conditions.
Organic soybeans from .nl ~ exploration of local #장 jang (fermented sauces) under guidance of ~ research & residency supported by .
Initiator / sparring partner / student

Step 2, 3: to be continued.
Check the upcoming workshops (link in bio).

A two-day masterclass on *jang* and *meju* with Korean fermentation expert Woo Tae Young at Timelab.

Far more than a technical workshop, it became a deep dive into the philosophy of Korean fermentation culture and the teacher’s humble belief that imagination is more important than knowledge.

Rather than focusing on exact recipes, we explored the bone structure and roots of *jang* — its flesh, its living character, and the invisible relationships shaping fermentation — the role of salt, the influence of seasons and uncontrollable environmental conditions on *jang*.

All intertwined with the teacher’s infectious laughter, enthusiasm, wonder, and gratitude towards the participants.
In turn, we are equally grateful for everything that was shared over these two days.

Thank you to everyone who joined, to Timelab for creating space for wonder, questioning, and research and to Zoutman for the support.

The coming days of the residency will be non-public, but anyone interested in *jang* is warmly welcome to visit while we continue our research into local *jang* making — experimenting with different salts, beans, and water.

In June, three additional public workshops will take place with Moon Sung Hee, focusing on *gochujang* and cooking with *jang*.

Stay tuned and keep an eye on the websites of Timelab and Mokja for updates.
(https://timelab.org)
(https://mokja.be)

《 my upcoming cookbook ~ pre order now (link in comment) 》

English edition: 'From the heart'
Built around the concept of food as memory, ritual, and sustenance, this beautifully produced book reflects the myriad ways Korean cuisine embraces care, connection, and belonging at the table.

Born in Korea before she was adopted by a Belgian family, author Ae Jin Huys brings to this project her own lived experience of displacement and reconnection, gathering 26 contributors from across regions, generations, and professions, each sharing the single dish that defines comfort in their life.
From shiitake noodle soup made from family-grown mushrooms to kimchi rice porridge representing childhood remedies, the recipes unfold alongside the stories that shaped them.
75 recipes span home cooking and ceremonial dishes, offering a wide portrait of both continuity and change within Korean food culture. The narratives open into ancestral rites, seasonal customs, fermentation traditions, and the social meaning of everyday meals, tracing how memory and collective identity meet at the table.
Pairing food photography with portraits, landscapes, and documentary detail, the volume creates a layered visual record of people and place. An accessible cookbook for home cooks and anyone interested in Korean cuisine, the book is richly visual, filled with photographs that showcase not only the dishes and ingredients but also the people and settings of Korea.
With practical tips for sourcing ingredients, suggestions for complementary side dishes, and insights into where these foods are enjoyed in Korea, this book serves as both a culinary guide and a celebration of heritage and community.

Dutch edition: 'Korean soulfood'
Na Proef Korea en Kimchi nodigt Ae Jin Huys je opnieuw uit in de keuken met recepten en verhalen die diep geworteld zijn in de Koreaanse eetcultuur. Korean Soul food is een boek over wat blijft nadat de tafel is afgeruimd. Het is een bonte verzameling zielsgerechten en persoonlijke verhalen van Koreanen die antwoord geven op de vragen 'Wat is jouw soul food? Wat maakt het zo memorabel?' Onder hen een schrijver die per toeval boer werd, een floriste die haar voorouders eert met bibimbap, een curator die droomt van een jazzbar in een vergeten kuststad, en een kunstenares die plots besefte dat ze niet zonder kimchi kon.

Met 63 authentieke Koreaanse home-foodrecepten - meer dan de helft plantaardig en ruim tien kimchi-recepten - kun je zelf de smaken en warmte van de Koreaanse eettafel ontdekken.

German edition: 'Soulfood Korea'

The sun is out — ready for Korean BBQ? ☀️🔥
Check our take-out menu, featuring Korean street food–style grill sets, complete with tables, crockery, and cutlery.
Perfect for home parties and team-building events. 먹자!
Order now via the link in bio.
📸
last photo

What makes Korean food truly festive?
Banchan! Side dishes, a table full of color, texture, and balance.
Discover our upcoming workshops:
28/04 — BANCHAN
healthy side dishes

26/05 — GUKSU
exotic noodle dishes

23/06 — KIMCHI
fermented vegetables

30/06 — GOGI GUI
KBBQ

👉 Reserve your spot via the link in bio.
Fall workshops are now online as well.
📍 Mokja cooking studio in Ghent

Also checn the upcoming Masterclasses: deep dive into jang & meju — the foundations of Korean fermentation.
Discover more via the Mokja website.

Last week in Amsterdam: working as a food consultant and chef for a Samsung event.
300+ guests experienced the menu I created, brought to life with a team of local chefs.

In between, I rediscovered the city—running into INJI (we met during a makgeolli event), unexpectedly met up with Lara Chung (usually in Seoul), and being taken by Luc Hoornaert to one of the best bakeries .amsterdam.

I also stumbled upon , where the owner enthusiastically showed my book. Martin Parr at Foam | Photography Museum Amsterdam, refreshing Wilder Land kombucha, bitterballen at Volkshotel, de lekkerste saucijzenbrood from JWO lekkernijen, de lekkerste koffie bij rum baba coffeeroasters and krentebollen from Euro Pizza Restaurant completed the trip.
Work = fun. Amsterdam = smaakt naar meer.

CHEF'S DNA

In the upcoming Korean TV documentary Chef’s DNA, Belgian chef Ae Jin Huys and actor Ryu Soo Young journey to Jeongeup, in Jeolla province, to connect with the essence of hansik, traditional Korean cuisine.

More than a cooking program, this documentary tells a story of identity, reconciliation, and the power of food to bridge cultures.
Watch the trailers (link in bio).

Chef’s DNA — 16/02 on MBC, one of South Korea’s leading national public broadcasters.