Gillian Ferguson heads to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market to catch up with Chef Ki Kim of Naemo, a modern Korean pop-up. Kim and his partner, Arnold Byun, come from the New York fine dining world and are putting that experience in a to-go box in Los Angeles. Their dosirak starts with rice and individual banchan on the side. Kim is buying his turnips from County Line Harvest. CSA Program Manager Angela Brittain explains that the shape and size of a turnip can change its flavor.
The “Farmers Rice” is just one of the dosirak Ki Kim offers at Naemo. This version has mixed grain rice topped with steamed turnip, radish, romanesco, ikura, lotus root, and egg. Photo by Ben Hon.