I cannot believe it is already the middle of 2026 and I’m finally posting January’s dosiraks! Time passed so quickly — honestly, January still feels like it was just a month ago.
January is always a special month for all of us. We make New Year’s resolutions, wish happiness for the people we love, and get ready for spring when everything slowly begins to bloom again.
For us, this January felt even more special because it was our very first January in California. Until now, every January I had experienced was freezing cold — always coat season. But here in California, I wear light jackets instead of thick winter coats. Sometimes it honestly feels more like March than January!
So! What did I pack for his lunch box?
Menu
- Monday: Kkanpung Mandu
- Tuesday: Soy Sauce Stir-Fried Pork
- Wednesday: Jangjorim with Grilled Tofu
- Thursday: Spicy Stir-Fried Octopus
- Friday: Sweet & Spicy Spam Tofu Gangjeong
Monday: Kkanpung Mandu
First of all, Kkanpung sauce is actually inspired by Chinese cuisine. It is savory, slightly sour, sweet, and spicy all at once. Koreans love this flavor because it feels both familiar and appetite-boosting.
Usually, Kkanpung sauce is paired with meat dishes, especially pork. But honestly, it works incredibly well with mandu too. Personally, I recommend using pork mandu rather than vegetable mandu for this dish. The richer flavor matches the sauce much better.
Tuesday: Soy Sauce Stir-Fried Pork
Many Korean men seem to have two ultimate comfort foods: donkatsu and spicy pork dishes, commonly called Jeyuk.
Once you start exploring the world of Jeyuk, you realize how wide its flavor spectrum really is. The most famous version is made with gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), but today I wanted to make a soy sauce-based version instead since I had already cooked something spicy the day before.
Using the same flavor profile two days in a row feels a little boring to me! Surprisingly, I also think more people in the U.S. would enjoy soy sauce-based Jeyuk because it is milder and easier to approach.
Wednesday: Jangjorim with Grilled Tofu
Jangjorim is such a unique Korean dish. Meat is slowly simmered and marinated in soy sauce so it can stay flavorful for a long time — sometimes even over a week.
I personally like adding black pepper and onions to mine. Jangjorim itself is already delicious, but I felt like the meal needed something softer and lighter to balance it out. So I added grilled tofu on the side.
I especially love eating the tofu together with the sauce from the Jangjorim. It feels comforting, smooth, and easy to eat.
Thursday: Spicy Stir-Fried Octopus
After two days of milder flavors, it was finally time for something spicy again!
If you enjoy seafood and bold heat, I highly recommend this dish. Boil the octopus for only about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then let it cool slightly.
The sauce itself is pretty simple: gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, onions, green onions, and peppers. Stir-fry the vegetables first — onions and carrots work especially well — then add the octopus at the very end and cook it briefly for less than a minute.
My hubby told me this one was especially good, and even some of his coworkers became curious about it. Honestly… don’t blame me for being a good cook!
Friday: Sweet & Spicy Spam Tofu Gangjeong
Spicy, mild, spicy again… too predictable. So this time, I wanted to make something a little unexpected: sweet and spicy together.
Korean fried chicken has become more and more popular in the U.S. these days, and I think the sauce is the biggest reason why. It tastes spicy at first, but the more you eat it, the sweeter and more addictive it becomes.
I used a similar sauce for this dish. Cut extra-firm tofu and spam into cubes, coat them lightly with potato starch, and fry them until crispy. Let them cool slightly, then quickly toss them in the sauce.
It looks simple, but it actually took me a while to get used to balancing the texture correctly. But once you do — trust me — you’ll love it 🙂
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