{"id":5492,"date":"2023-07-11T00:12:21","date_gmt":"2023-07-10T17:12:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5492"},"modified":"2023-07-11T00:12:21","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T17:12:21","slug":"meet-the-sisters-behind-las-korean-hangari-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5492","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Sisters Behind LA\u2019s Korean Hangari House"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">S<\/span>imilar to millions of Americans in the midst and wake of the global pandemic, Los Angeles-based sisters Sally and Sarah We found themselves rethinking where their careers were headed. Sally, then a fashion retail store manager, and Sarah, employed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, both figured it was as good a time as any to change course and ultimately to bring work closer to home. In July 2022, the duo created <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hangarihouse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.hangarihouse.com\/\">Hangari House<\/a>: a food business inspired by their mother\u2019s cooking that \u201celevates popular Korean street food but keeps authentic Korean flavors and recipes,\u201d Sally says.<\/div>\n<p>Though the sisters didn\u2019t have professional culinary training, they were sure that their mother\u2019s recipes had the special sauce\u2014both literally and figuratively\u2014to sustain a successful enterprise. \u201cOur mom worked hard as an immigrant to give us \u2018the American dream,\u2019 and we wanted to do something for her,\u201d Sally shares. \u201cWe grew up with good Korean food: authentic recipes she brought from her mom and sisters in Busan, South Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sarah adds that the opportunity to share rich and delicious flavors\u2014all the while honoring their family and cultural legacies\u2014was a no-brainer as far as the risk of starting a small business was concerned. \u201cWe were blessed with bundles of plant-based foods since our mom wanted to create healthy dishes for us,\u201d she explains. \u201cShe loves cooking, is great at anything she tries to make, and just has that detailed touch.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hangari-house\/\" current-title=\"Meet the Korean-American Sisters Behind LA\u2019s Hangari House, Who Honor Their Mother and Culture Through Plant-Based Cuisine\" current-image=\"Stocksy_txp3aeafacfeuj300_Small_2574398-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-01-10\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hangari-house\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hangari-house\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hangari-house\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Passionate about nature and animals, Sally always appreciated that their mom\u2019s cooking was mainly vegan. (Despite the abundance of vegetables in the <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24456354\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24456354\/\">traditional Korean dietary pattern<\/a>, veganism isn\u2019t common in the culture\u2019s cuisine at large. In fact, she says their mother was unfamiliar with the terms \u201cvegan\u201d and \u201cplant-based\u201d when she brought them to her attention.) Korean cuisine is perhaps best known worldwide largely for two staples: Korean barbecue and kimchi, the latter of which typically includes animal products despite its fame as a probiotic-packed, veggie-forward staple.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/radish-kimchi-recipe\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/radish-kimchi-recipe\/\">Korean kimchi recipes<\/a> call for <em>jeotgal<\/em> [salted seafood], which can vary from shrimp to anchovies,\u201d Sarah explains. Yet no one in their family favors the taste of seafood or fish sauce, so their mother\u2019s own kimchi recipe has always skipped <em>jeotgal<\/em> in favor of a secret blend of plant-based dupes. \u201cThis recipe is something she grew up learning,\u201d she continues. \u201cAnd the art form of fermenting is a skill,\u201d not to mention a core component of <em>kimjang<\/em> culture (the traditional ritual of making and sharing kimchi). Tying back to their roots, the sisters add that the word <em>hangari<\/em> itself refers to a Korean earthenware vessel used to ferment kimchi.<\/p>\n<p>While their initial plan was to focus on kimchi only for wholesale distribution, their business organically expanded to include other vegan family recipes. The duo travels around LA daily, setting up shop at farmers markets, food festivals, and other pop-ups. Sally notes that the broader interest in Korean food has come a long way since her childhood. She recalls the puzzled glances her classmates gave upon looking at her boxed lunch of kimchi and other Korean fare. Now, she takes pride in the fact that people are actively searching for authentic Korean flavors\u2014and that Hangari House provides them in spades.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no surprise that kimchi takes a starring role in their most popular dishes, which include kimchi fried rice with <em>bulgogi<\/em>-style (thin and marinated) Beyond Meat, kimchi pizza (modeled on <em>jeon<\/em>, a Korean pancake, but with a crispier texture to mimic pizza crust), and <em>bibimbap<\/em> (mixed rice bowls with assorted <em>banchan<\/em>, aka side dishes). Hangari House rotates the <em>banchan<\/em> on offer\u2014such as garlic eggplant, shishito peppers, and braised tofu\u2014on a seasonal basis, which are also available to purchase \u00e0 la carte. However, their original napa cabbage kimchi remains a fixed staple year round thanks to a detailed fermenting process, which the sisters are still trying to perfect.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough fermenting, we have been creating <em>banchan<\/em> around local ingredients. That has been the [most] challenging part, but one we\u2019re the most proud of sharing,\u201d Sally explains. On this point, Sarah recalls a tough moment in which they miscalculated yields for a large batch of kimchi, which they had to toss out. \u201cIt was heartbreaking, as every dollar matters,\u201d she says. Still, she was able to laugh it off with her family by her side.<\/p>\n<p>On the heels of their one-year anniversary in July 2023, Sally recognizes how far they\u2019ve come in a short amount of time. She remembers the first market they worked, for which they overestimated how much food to bring and exhausted themselves by unloading and reloading the items, on top of the lingering uncertainty of how their new venture would pan out. Nonetheless, leaning on and having faith in each other\u2014and their mother\u2019s recipes, of course\u2014kept their spirits high. \u201cI know it sounds clich\u00e9, but every moment was rewarding [by being] together,\u201d Sally shares. \u201cIt became clear that we were going to give it our all and have fun building this company.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI know it sounds clich\u00e9, but every moment was rewarding [by being] together. It became clear that we were going to give it our all and have fun building this company.\u201d \u2014Sally We<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Eventually, the We sisters hope to build Hangari House into a standalone storefront to serve as a home base for the plant-based Korean fare that\u2019s as dear to their hearts as it is to their palates\u2014as well as those of their growing customer base. Until their manifestations become a reality, they\u2019ll continue to bounce around LA with a discernible dedication to crafting food made with and borne out of love.<\/p>\n<p>While they\u2019re grateful to learn alongside and spend quality time with each other, different forms of support from customers go a long way, proving that the risk to start a business in honor of their mother and Korean roots was worth taking. Sally cites one couple who frequents the Hangari House stall at one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/veganplayground\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/veganplayground\/\">Vegan Playground<\/a> night markets on a weekly basis. Happy to have repeat customers to begin with, she says that a small yet sentimental gift moved her in a big way. \u201cAfter a few months, they brought us a card with a photo they took of us at the market,\u201d she shares. \u201cWe both sincerely got caught off guard and became emotional; it was the most thoughtful gesture and we are forever grateful. Small things like that can really change everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Similar to millions of Americans in the midst and wake of the global pandemic, Los Angeles-based sisters Sally and Sarah We found themselves rethinking where their careers were headed. Sally, then a fashion retail store manager, and Sarah, employed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, both figured it was as good a time as any to change &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5492"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5492\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}