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International Foods

How to make Yakisoba at home (Tokyo-Style!)

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Yakisoba. It was my-go to lunch as an exchange student in Tokyo. The noodles were cheap, delicious and filling! Lately, I’ve been reminiscing about my time in Japan and started to think about these stir-fried noodles. I tried visiting Japanese izakayas in Seoul, but many of them add too much sugar or the sauce is watered down – no good! I’m craving that Tokyo flavor… So over the weekend, I went through a few batches of Yakisoba to come up with an authentic Yakisoba sauce recipe. I’m happy to report that it was a success!

Yakisoba

First, you’ll need to go to an asian mart and buy Yakisoba noodles. I recommend peaking into the package and checking whether the noodles are yellow or white. Go for the yellow noodles – these tend to taste better and make for a better presentation. Now head to the other aisle,  and pick out your protein of choice. You can use thin slices of pork and shrimp like us. Or you can go all beef. Or keep it healthier with just veggies. Up to you!

Cooking notes:

  • If you want to make larger servings, multiply the ingredients listed under Yakisoba Sauce by 2. However, keep the sugar amount fixed at 1/2 Tablespoon. (Trust us – it will still taste just right!)
  • We used a large open-faced grill in our video – however feel free to use a large wok or frying pan
  • Yakisoba is not supposed to have alot of liquid – after adding the Yakisoba Sauce, stir-fry it until most of the sauce has thickened into the noodles
  • Our recipe makes enough for 2-3 people!

Enjoy Neighbors! And tell us how you liked the sauce 🙂

Dan-yul out 🕺

Yakisoba
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Homemade Yakisoba - Tokyo Style!

Ingredients

  • 2 package Yakisoba Noodles (300 grams in total, 1 package is typically ~150 grams)
  • 250 grams Thinly Sliced Pork (Or use beef, chicken, shrimp)
  • 6-8 Shrimp
  • 1/2 whole Onion
  • 1/5 whole Carrot (About the length of your pinky finger)
  • 2 stalks Spring Onion (Use green portion)
  • A handful Chopped Green Cabbage
  • 3 whole Shiitake Mushroom

Yakisoba Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon of Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Ketchup
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sugar

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Take the noodles out of the package. Soak them in warm water for a few minutes. Afterwards, use your fingers to gently loosen up the noodles. Then give the noodles a quick rinse under running water. Set aside so they can drip off excess water.
  • Dice onion, carrot and Shiitake mushroom into thin slices. Cut a few layers off the green cabbage and dice them into small-sized pieces. Then cut your spring onion stalks into bite-sized rectangular pieces. If you're using shrimp, clean and de-vein them.
  • Make Yakisoba Sauce: Mix Worcestershire Sauce (4 Tablespoons), Oyster Sauce (2 Tablespoons), Water (1 Tablespoon), Ketchup (1 Tablespoon) and Sugar (1/2 Tablespoon).

Make Yakisoba

  • Get your wok or frying pan on a medium-high heat. Place in a few Tablespoons of cooking oil. Once its hot, place in the thin pieces of pork and shrimp. Stir-fry it around until the pork pieces start to get some browning on the edges.
  • Then add in the carrots and onions. Stir-fry for 15-20 seconds. Then add in your spring onions and mushrooms. Stir-fry for another 15-20 seconds. Season everything with a few cracks of black pepper.
  • Then add in your noodles. Mix everything together. Then add in your stir-fry sauce. Finally, add in the cabbage pieces. Stir-fry everything together for a final 30 seconds.
  • Plate and enjoy! Serve with some Pickled Ginger (or Kimchi!)

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Papaya Salad (Som Tam) – Thai Classic

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Papaya Salad. I order it everytime I go to a Thai restaurant. In Thai, its called Som Tam – with “som” meaning sour and “tum” referring to the pounding sound made by the large pestle. I love this dish because its refreshing. (It reminds me of Kimchi in Korean meals). In between bites, the acidity and light flavors refreshes your palate – making it a nice complement to any stir-fried dish. If you have enough of this salad, you’ll start to develop a preference for specific flavors. Some like the sauce pungent – with lots of fish sauce. While others like it spicy – with extra chili peppers. I prefer harmony – where spice, pungency and tartness blend together. Often times, the restaurants go for the bold flavors. So today, I’ll teach you how to make a balanced version at home!

Papaya-Salad

If you don’t have a proper mortar and pestle, it’s ok! Simply take out a sturdy mixing bowl and any large round object. (We used a baking roller for ours – lol.) But do anticipate for some juice to splatter outside of the bowl. Or you can also toss the ingredients into a blender and give it a few blitzes.

The key flavor ingredient is the dried shrimp. Though it looks wilted and unappetizing, it’s packed with flavorful oils. As it’s pounded, the oils will mix with the other ingredients to create that base of umami flavor. Also season to your taste – we ended up adding 2-3 shakes of salt to the sauce because it tasted slightly bland. If you want it more pungent, add 1/2 Tablespoon more of the fish sauce. Or an extra squeeze of the lime.

And most importantly, be extra careful when chopping the papaya salad with the knife. Turn on some music and go slow — no need to rush it!

Enjoy neighbors – and see you in the next recipe. Daniel out! 🕺

Papaya-Salad
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Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

Ingredients

Papaya Fresh Ingredient

  • 4 cups worth of Green Papaya
  • 6 Green Beans (Or long beans)
  • 6 Cherry Tomatoes

Papaya Sauce

  • 1 large Clove of Garlic (Or 2 small cloves)
  • 1 Tablespoon Roasted Salted Peanuts
  • 2 Bird's Eye Chili (Or 1 Serrano Chili)
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Shrimp
  • 1/2 teaspoon Brown Sugar (Or White Sugar)
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce (Use 1.5 Tablespoons if you like fish sauce)
  • 2-3 pinches Salt (Optional, season to taste)

Instructions

Make Dressing

  • Use a mortar and pestle to grind the following ingredients: Garlic (1 Large Clove), Roasted Peanut (1 Tablespoon), Chopped Bird's Eye Chili Pepper (1-2 Chili Peppers), Dried Shrimp (1 Tablespoon) and Brown Sugar (1/2 teaspoon). Give it a good pounding so the oils seep out of each ingredient and mix with each other. (If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a sturdy mixing bowl and a rolling pin -- or blitz everything in a blender).
  • To the mix, add in Fresh Lime Juice (2 Tablespoons). Then add in the Fish Sauce (1 Tablespoon). Mix everything together. Give it a taste.

Prep Fresh Ingredients

  • Use your knife to chop-up the green papaya. Then slice off small strips (reference video). You want enough papaya strips to fill 4 standard cups.
  • Then bring a pot of water up to boil. Blanche the green beans for 1 minute. Rinse under cold water and cool them down. Then cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • Take stems off the cherry tomatoes. Then cut each in half. We're ready to get our salad on now...

Make Salad.

  • Add cherry tomatoes to the other sauce ingredients. Use your pestle to gently mash the cherry tomatoes - just enough to release the juices.
  • Then add in the green beans. Followed by 4 cups of papaya strips.
  • Now mix everything together. We find it helpful to use a soupe ladle along with a pestle. Slightly mash everything together, scoop up the bottom pieces and repeat. Do this until the flavors soak into the papaya strips.
  • Finish the salad with a few pinches of salt. Give it a final taste. Now if you need, add slightly more fish sauce, lime juice, or salt.
  • Garnish with chopped peanuts. Plate and enjoy. Bon Appetit!

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Shrimp Salad Pasta – Healthy, Light & Filling

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Shrimp Salad Pasta. There’s a go-to phrase that Korean use to describe greasy, buttery or overly rich foods. It’s Nuh-kee-heh (느끼해)! When I brought my cousins to California for the first time, that’s all I heard. Their eyes always got huge when they saw the portion sizes. But the enthusiasm quickly waned and they usually gave-up after a few bites – stating it’s too Nuh-kee-heh. That’s way many Italian restaurants in Seoul introduce pasta with lighter sauces. Today, I wanted to share with you a fusion pasta dish that I found online. I tried it over the weekend and it was light, filling and just perfect for the summer.

Cooking Notes:

  • In the Youtube video, I was poking fun at how large the piece of “Kale” was. Funny enough, it turned out to be Collard Greens (thank you Youtube Viewers for letting me know). Collard greens are not common here in Korea and it seems the markets label them as “Kale” 👺
  • If you’re unsure what veggies to go with, grab a handful of Collard Greens, Red-Swiss Chard and some Romaine. And sprinkle some feta or blue cheese on top – takes it to the next level!
  • After boiling, make sure to wash the pasta under cold water. We want to cool it all the way down. Then shake-off as much of the water from the noodles as possible.

Okay – Shrimp Salad Pasta! Let’s go! 🚀🌘

Shrimp Pasta Salad
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Shrimp Pasta Salad

Servings: 1 person

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

  • 150 grams of Spaghetti Or use pasta of choice
  • Small handful of Romain Lettuce
  • Small handful of Collard Greens
  • Small handful of Red Swiss Chard
  • 6 Cherry Tomatoes

Grilled Shrimp

  • 6 piece of Shrimp
  • Few shakes of Salt
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper
  • Few shakes of Dried Red Chili Peppers optional

Dressing Sauce

  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 1 Tablespoon Maesil
  • 1 clove of Garlic 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
  • Few shakes of Salt
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper

Instructions

Prep Greens & Make Salad Dressing

  • Wash greens and let them excess water drip-off (or use a salad spinner). Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
  • Mix Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons), Vinegar (2 Tablespoons), Honey (1 Tablespoon), Maesil (1 Tablespoon), Minced Garlic (1 teaspoon!), Sesame Oil (2 Tablespoons), Salt (Few pinches), Black Pepper (Few pinches)

Fry Shrimp

  • Put frying pan on a medium-high heat. Use a paper towel and pat-off any excess water on the shrimp. Place some oil in. When it's hot, place shrimp pieces in. Season with a few shakes of salt, black pepper and chili flakes (optional). Cook until you get a nice crispy top on both sides. Turn heat off and set aside.

Cook Pasta

  • Bring a pot of water up to boil. Cook pasta until soft. Then drain the pasta in a drainer and cool it completely down under cold water (Don't forget this step!). Shake the excess water off the pasta - as much as you can.

Toss Salad

  • Add the spaghetti to a mixing bowl. Add-in half of the soy-sauce marinade and toss the noodles. Then add-in the mixed greens, tomatoes and shrimp. Add-in some more of the sauce and toss everything once more. Garnish with feta cheese or blue cheese. Bon Appetit!

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Myeongran Pasta Recipe – Hit Pasta Menu in Seoul

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Myeongran Pasta. If Katie sees it on a menu, her mind is made up – she’ll have it! And she’s not alone… many young women in Korea really love myeongran pasta. So what exactly is it? Well, Myeongran is fresh pollock roe. When eaten raw and unseasoned, it doesn’t have any particular flavor. It’s eaten more for its crunchy (and popping) texture. When you reduce it in oil with garlic and peppers, it flavors the water to create an incredibly tasty and creamy sauce.

MyeongranPasta-HeroImage

At the Korean market, you may see two types of myeongran:

The first type is unseasoned myeongran. It’s simply fresh roe that’s been frozen, with no marinade or seasoning.

The second type is seasoned myeongran – which is referred to as “myeongran-jeot (명란젓)”. It’s seasoned with gochugaru and other condiments. This roe is typically sold as a banchan – to be eaten alongside fresh rice.

For this pasta recipe, go with the first type. Once you find myeongran, this pasta comes together in minutes! Let us know how you like it 🙂

Dan-yul out! 🕺

Myeongran Pasta
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Myeongran Pasta

Course: Easy
Servings: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 piece of Myeongran (Pollock Roe)
  • 6-8 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 Thai Chili
  • 1 serving size of Spaghetti
  • 2.5 cups of Water
  • 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
  • Few squeezes of Lemon
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper

Toppings (Optional but recommended)

  • 1/2 piece of Myeongran (Pollock Roe)
  • Few shakes of Seaweed Flakes
  • Few shakes of Parmesean Cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Instructions

Prep Myeongran

  • Thaw your myeongran until it becomes soft. Then use a knife and cut the sac down the middle. Use a spoon to scrape out the roe.
  • Chop 6-8 cloves of garlic into thin slices. 
  • Then, chop your dried thai chili pepper into small pieces - don't throw away the seeds. We'll use those too.

Cook Pasta

  • Put frying pan on a medium-low heat. Put some olive oil in. Mix it around.
  • Once oil is hot, place garlic slices in. Add-in the chili pepper pieces as well. Cook both until the edges of the garlic pieces start to brown.
  • Then pour in 2 cups of water. (Pour the water in quickly so the oil doesn't splatter too much). Increase the heat to a medium-high. Then add in your spaghetti noodles.
  • Next, add in the roe. Use your chopstick or other utensil to thoroughly stir the roe into the water - so it doesn't clump-up into big pieces.
  • Next, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt (not dining salt!). Don't forget this step or your noodles will taste bland.
  • Now, let it cook and reduce for 10-15 minutes - or until the broth reduces into a small amount.
  • When the broth reduces to a small amount, give the noodle a taste. You'll notice that it's still undercooked. Place in some more water (1/2 cup). This should be just the right amount! Once again, let it reduce until most of the broth dissipates and the leftover sauce starts to turn creamy.
  • Give a quick taste of the sauce and add more salt or black pepper - if necessary.
  • If it tastes good, turn the heat off. Place-in a few squeezes of lemon - which will give it a nice lift! Then a few cracks of black pepper. Give it one final stir. 
  • Now, plate it into a beautiful bowl. Garnish with roe, seaweed flakes and Parmesan cheese. Bon Appetit!

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Avocado & Half-Cooked Egg Croissant

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Avocado & Half-Cooked Egg Croissant. We were delighted to come across this cute sandwich at a cafe in Sinsa (Garosu-gil district). It caught Katie’s attention and we ended up wolfing down two of them, alongside a freshly brewed Americano.  We recreated it at home this weekend and it tasted just as good. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, consider this for brunch…

Avocado Croissant & Half-Baked Egg

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The hardest part about this recipe is nailing down the soft-boiled egg. (Of course, you can cook it to your preference.) But we think it tests best when the yolk has set but is slightly gooey. Makes the sandwich look very appetizing!

Now, they’re many articles that teach you how to get the “perfect” soft-boiled eggs. But they fail to consider what type of pot you’re using. Pots – depending on the material – retain heat differently. So chances are, you’re eggs won’t look as “perfect” as the author suggested. The best thing to is to take the pot out of the equation. I’ll show you how in the instructions below.

It doesn’t get better than avocado + croissant. Let’s re-energize and get an awesome start to 2019 🙂

Dan-yul out 🕺

Avocado Croissant & Half-Baked Egg
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Avocado & Soft-Boiled Egg

Upgrade your croissant! 
Course: Easy
Servings: 1 person

Ingredients

  • Fresh Croissant - 1 whole
  • Egg - 1 
  • Arugula - handful

Guacamole

  • Avocado - 1/2 or you can use all of it 
  • Salt - few shakes to taste
  • Cilantro - few shakes to taste
  • Lime - few squeezes to taste

Sandwich Seasoning

  • Salt - few pinches
  • Black pepper - few pinches
  • Red chili pepper flakes -few pinches

Instructions

Make Perfect Soft-Boiled Egg.

  • Fill a pot with water (enough to cover 1 inch over the eggs)
  • Bring up to a roaring boil on high heat. 
  • Turn off the heat for 10 seconds - so that the boiling water calms down. Then gently place in your egg. Place the lid back on. Turn the heat back onto a high heat. 
  • Cook on a roaring boil for exactly 6 minutes (use a timer on your phone)
  • After 6 minutes, immediately place the egg in very cold water. Run it under cold water until it cools down completely. 
  • Then slice the egg into 3-4 pieces. 

Make Avocado

  • Dice avocado and place into a mixing bowl. 
  • Use a fork to mash it up - until you get a smooth texture
  • Add in salt, diced cilantro and few squeezes of lime. Sample it and season to taste. 

Make Sandwich

  • Use a knife and cut the croissant down the middle (from the top).
  • Put a few piece of arugula down. 
  • Next, add a few scoops of the guacamole. 
  • Now add the egg slices. 
  • Finally, garnish with few pinches of salt, black pepper and red chili pepper flakes.
  • Bon Appetit 

Notes

  • See video below for more details

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EggSlut Fairfax Sandwich

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EggSlut Fairfax Sandwich. Living in Seoul, I often get cravings for a greasy cheeseburger or a gourmet deli sandwich. I mean Korean food is great. But on the weekends, can you beat the taste of a simple cheeseburger? This past weekend, that craving hit me real early in the morning. I woke up found myself browsing Instagram trying to find a matjib. That’s when I stumbled across EggSlut. Yea, I know… what a name!

EggSlut Fairfax Sandwich

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EggSlut is a restaurant in LA that’s whipping up beautiful gourmet egg sandwiches. Their Fairfax Sandwich – in particular – caught my attention. I loved the simplicity: caramelized onions, siracha-mayo and silky scrambled eggs on a plush brioche bun. I started to imagine what it would taste like lying in bed. But it was too much. And within 15 minutes, I was in a pair of jeans and on my way to the local baker. Sadly, no brioche buns! I grabbed a ciabatta bun instead and scurried back to my house.

So how did it taste? Exactly as advertised… marvelous! I loved the sweetness of the caramelized onions. The slightly spicy flavor of the sriracha-mayo and the soft silky texture of the scrambled eggs. If this breakfast sandwich was a tad-bit more healthy, I would be eating it throughout the week. But for now, I save it for the weekends 🙂

Few cooking notes:

  • Caramelizing onions takes time – about 30-45 minutes. Keep that in mind.
  • No need to complicate the recipe with silky, creamy scrambled eggs. Make your scrambled eggs however you like!
  • No need to get brioche buns – will taste good on any bread.
  • Highly recommend the sharp cheddar cheese though!
EggSlut Fairfax Sandwich
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EggSlut's FairFax Sandwich

Delicious Breakfast Sandwich for Egg-Lovers!
Course: Easy
Servings: 1 person

Ingredients

  • Brioche bun - 1 or use any bread
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese - 1 slice

Caramelized onions

  • Onion - 1 whole
  • Olive oil - 2-3 Tablespoons
  • Salt - 1 teaspoon

Sriracha-Mayo

  • Mayonnaise - 2 Tablespoons
  • Sriracha - 1 teaspoon

Scrambled Eggs

  • Eggs - 3 
  • Butter - 1 Tablespoon
  • Chives - 2 Tablespoons
  • Salt - few shakes 

Instructions

Make caramelized onions

  • Cut onion in half. Then cut into thin strips. 
  • Put olive oil (2-3 Tablespoons) into frying pan. Place on medium-heat. Once it's hot, place onion slices in. Season with salt (1 teaspoon). Separate any clumps and place evenly around the pan. 
  • Now don't touch the onion slices. Let them cook on one side and develop a slight char. It should take about 3-5 minutes.
  • Flip it over with a spatula. And let them cook on the other side for 3-5 minutes.
  • Now, reduce to a low-heat. And let the onions continue to reduce for another 15-30 minutes. Stir once-in-a-while and check that it doesn't burn.
  • Once the onions get deep brown color and turn mushy, take them off the heat. Set aside for later. 

Prep Sandwich

  • Place some butter in your frying pan. And toast your sandwich buns. 
  • Next, make the sandwich spread: Mix Mayonnaise (2 Tablespoons) with Sriracha (1 teaspoon)
  • Spread generous amount of the sriracha-mayo onto the toasted buns. 

Make Scrambled Eggs & Finish

  • Crack 3 eggs into a cold frying-pan. Place a scoop of cold butter (1 Tablespoon) into the pan as well. 
  • Beat the 3 eggs together. (Note: Don't worry about stirring in the piece of cold butter - it will melt later)
  • Now, place your frying-pan on a medium-high heat. Then continuously stir the eggs with a rubber or wooden spatula. Keep stirring and don't stop! Once the eggs start to curdle, take the frying pan off the heat and keep stirring until you get a oatmeal-like consistency. (Note: You can always place it back on the heat if it needs to cook some more)
  • Now, garnish the eggs with chives (2 Tablespoons) and season with salt (few shakes). 
  • Place the silky eggs on the bun.
  • Place the caramelized onions over the egg. 
  • Finally, pour yourself a glass of orange juice and Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • Who says you have to make silky scrambled eggs? Make them your own way - no need to complicate it!
  • See video below for more details

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Toowoomba Pasta: Korea’s Latest Pasta Craze

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Toowoomba Pasta. It’s a pasta dish that’s taking over Korea right now. So what exactly is Toowoomba? It’s actually a small city in Australia (thanks Wikipedia!). But also the name of a hit-dish from Outback Steakhouse. Yes, you read correctly – ha! Koreans simply can’t get enough of this flavor. I know chances of you visiting Outback Steakhouse in the near future is slim. So here’s how to make it at home.

Toowoomba-Pasta-Final

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First, what does it taste like?

Well, it has the same creamy texture as fettucine Alfredo. But skip the ridiculous portions of butter and cheese. In fact, we don’t put a single drop of butter into this pasta! Instead, we replace that salty-cheesy flavor with aromatics. The gochugaru and garlic do a phenomenal job in adding a layer of spice – you can taste it a few seconds after the initial creamy flavor.  It’s a must-try for a dinner date at home. Thank me later 🙂

A key thing is to give the green onions ample time to soak in that heavy cream. For best results, let it soak overnight in the refrigerator. But if you’re in a rush, let it sit for at least 1 hour. The other tip is to give ample time for the sauce to reduce. This was exactly 15 minutes for me. But keep an eye on it!

Neighbors, I hope you enjoy this delicious pasta and get another great start to the week! Tag us on Instagram if you do.
Alrighty, Dan-yul out! 🕺

Note: The original recipe is from a Naver Blogger, Redlily76

Toowoomba Pasta
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Toowoomba Pasta

This pasta is going viral in Korea! 
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Fresh Ingredients

  • Pasta noodles - 2 servings
  • Green onions - 3 stalks
  • Heavy cream - 400 ml or ~1.5 cups
  • Milk - 1.25 cups
  • Shrimp - 10 
  • Bacon - 3 slices
  • Button mushroom - 2 
  • Broccoli - 4 florets
  • Onion - 1/2 a whole
  • Garlic - 5 cloves

Seasoning Ingredients

  • Soy Sauce - 1 Tablespoon
  • Gochugaru - 1 Tablespoon
  • Mirim - 1 Tablespoon or use white wine
  • Salt - few shakes to taste

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Chop green onions into small pieces. Take out a mixing bowl and pour-in the heavy cream. Then add-in the chopped green onions and Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon). Mix everything thoroughly. 
  • Set the bowl aside for at least 1 hour (or overnight) in refrigerator.
  • Next, cut mushroom, garlic cloves and onion into thin slices. Split broccoli florets into smaller pieces as well. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
  • Peel, devein and butterfly your shrimp.
  • Finally, take out another mixing bowl. Add-in the cleaned shrimp and bacon strips. Add in Gochugaru (1 Tablespoon) and Mirim (1 Tablespoon). Mix it thoroughly.

Cook pasta

  • Put oil into a large frying pan. Place on medium heat. 
  • Once oil is hot, put in garlic pieces. Once the garlic pieces start to sizzle, place in the shrimp-and-bacon mixture. Next, add in the mushroom and onion slices too.
  • Stir everything until the shrimp get plump and the bacon develops a slight crisp on the edges. Then pour in that heavy cream (1.5 cup). As well as the milk (1.25 cups). 
  • Now raise the heat to a medium-high heat. Once the sauce starts to boil, place in the broccoli pieces.
  • Allow the mixture to reduce for approx. 15 minutes on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, you should cook your pasta according to box instructions. (Note: Cook the noodles adente, so it can finish cooking in our sauce). 
  • After 15 minutes, the sauce will have thickened (reference video). Take a quick taste and add-in some salt (few shakes). (Don't forget this step to season)
  • Finally, add your cooked pasta into the sauce. Stir around and coat evenly. Plate the noodles and garnish with a few sprinkles of green onion. 
  • Bon Appetit! Enjoy life 🙂

Notes

  • See video below for more details

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Hawaiian Style Ahi Poke – Light & Healthy

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Hawaiian Poke. Aloha from Maui! In Korean culture, its customary to celebrate your parent’s 60th birthday (‘Hwangap’). In the past, a person’s average life expectancy was much less than 60. So Hwangap was a celebration-worthy milestone. This celebration party is customarily thrown by the children – usually a big celebration with lots of food! However, I wanted to switch it up a bit. Instead of splurging on food, I wanted to splurge my parents with experiences. Growing up, our family never had the time or money to take an proper vacation. So Hwangap was the perfect reason to check out the beautiful Hawaiian islands.

Hawaiian Style Ahi Poke

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It was hard to choose between the islands – but I selected Maui. And boy – it did not disappoint. Maui was beautiful, simply picturesque! Anywhere we went on the island looked like a calendar photo. The beaches in West Maui felt cozy, sheltered and almost intimate at times (our favorites were Napili Beach and Kapalua Bay). The water was warm, inviting and clear.  Clear enough to see sea turtles frolicking near the rocks. The beauty of the island simply blew our minds.

We kept saying to each other that this island was #blessed. And that if we ever found ourselves feeling down-and-out or depressed in the future, the panacea would be a week on Maui 😎

During our 7-day trip, we fell in love with Hawaiian poke! Poke is a Hawaiian dish that’s all about raw fish – usually Ahi (yellow-fin tuna). The poke from Hawaii tasted light and simple and didn’t overpower the taste of the fresh fish. I’ve had poke a few times in California, but its always been lathered in sauces. I always got annoyed by this – when shops turn a healthy dish “unhealthy” for the sake of more flavor.

In Maui, we sampled various types of poke at restaurants and food trucks. But surprisingly felt that the poke from the local grocery markets tasted the best. It matched our palate perfectly. I particularly liked Shoyu Ahi Poke (‘Shoyu’ means Soy Sauce in Japanese)

After eating Shoyu Ahi Poke for 3 days in a row, I wanted to learn how to make it. I experimented with a few recipes from online and was excited to find one that tasted identical to the one from the local Maui market.

This deeelicious recipe is from HawaiianMagazine.com

Hawaiian Poke Style Ahi
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Hawaii-style Ahi Poke

A deeelicious poke recipe. Light on marinade. Full on natural flavor!
Course: Easy
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

  • Sushi-grade Ahi - 1 lb 

Marinade

  • Soy sauce - 1/4 cup
  • Green onion - 1 forearm-sized stalk we need 1/4 cup
  • Onion - 1/2 a whole we need 1/4 cup
  • Fresh ginger - 1 pinky-sized piece we need 1 teaspoon
  • Sesame oil - 2 teaspoons
  • Sea salt - 3-4 shakes
  • Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoons

Instructions

  • Cut ahi into small bite-sized cubes. Place into a large mixing bowl.
  • Chop green onion into thin pieces - measure 1/4 cup. Dice onion into small cubes - measure 1/4 cup. Grate the fresh ginger - measure 1 teaspoon.
  • Take out another mixing bowl. Mix-in all of the listed ingredients under 'Marinade'
  • Pour the soy-sauce marinade over the ahi pieces. Toss the pieces thoroughly into the sauce. 
  • Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours - let the marinade soak in.
  • Bon Appetit - enjoy!

Notes

  • See video below for more details

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Rice Cooker Castella Cake!

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Rice Cooker Castella Cake. Today, we are going to do something sacrilegious. Put something other than rice in the rice cooker. Cooking gods, forgive me.

Rice-Cooker-Castella-Cake-

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This recipe put a smile on our faces. Seeing a cake plop out of the rice cooker was too funny. At first, we doubted that it would taste good. But were pleasantly surprised by the results. Enough so to make a video and share the goods news with our neighbors 🙂

Making Castella cake – the traditional way – is a bit tricky. It also requires a few involved steps like whipping the egg whites into a foam. This mean you need to pull out an electric blender and… well, lot of extra steps. So today, we settle for a simpler method.

Traditional Castella is made of just 4 basic ingredients: bread flour, eggs, sugar, and honey. Which is the same ingredients used in muffin mix. So muffin mix works well as a substitute. However, our version is not as airy and bouncy as the famous ones sold in Korean department stores. I think that took years of experimentation and testing.

Anyhow, if you want to try pain-free baking, give this a shot!

Daniel out 🕺

Rice Cooker Castella Cake
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No Bake - Castella Cake

Use your rice cooker to make a delicious Castella Cake. Fun, experimental recipe!
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Muffin Mix

  • Flour - 1.5 cups
  • Sugar - 3/4 cup
  • Baking powder - 2 teaspoons
  • Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Wet Ingredients

  • Eggs - 3
  • Butter - 2 Tablespoons
  • Milk - 1/3 cup

Instructions

  • Make Muffin Mix: Take out a mixing bowl. And thoroughly mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
  • Take out another small bowl. Slice off a piece of butter. Melt in microwave for 1 minute.
  • Crack 3 eggs into a separate large bowl. Whisk eggs well. Pour half of the melted butter in. Mix into the eggs.
  • Take out a strainer and place over the egg mixture. Pour flour into the strainer. Gently tap on the strainer and sift the flour into the egg mixture. 
  • Finally, pour milk into the mixture. 
  • Thoroughly mix and blend all of the ingredients together.  The batter should be slightly runny and goopy.
  • Take out your rice cooker bowl. Brush the remaining melted butter into the bowl. Make sure to coat the sides so the cake don't stick. 
  • Pour batter into rice cooker bowl. Place bowl into rice cooker. Set it to steam (찜) mode and let it cook for 40 minutes. 
  • Once 40 minutes is up, use a toothpick and poke the middle to see if the cake has cooked all the way through. If is slightly wet, just let it sit in the cooker for 5-10 more minutes.
  • Enjoy with a cup of milk! 

Notes

  • Make sure to use baking powder - not baking soda!
  • Poke cake with a toothpick to see if middle is fully cooked through - let it sit in the cooker for 5-10 minutes longer if slightly wet. 
  • Feel free to add chocolate, fruits and other ingredients into the batter.
  • Watch video below for more details

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Stir Fried Udon Noodles – Japanese Lunch

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Stir Fried Udon Noodles. You’ve probably had Udon as soup. But let me show you how to work these fat and chewy noodles into a delicious stir-fry.

Stir Fried Udon NoodlesSkip to Recipe

Japanese udon noodles are thick and chewy – made from wheat flour. They are usually served in broth. But I think the noodles work very well in stir-fries. In fact, when I was living in Japan, I would make this specific recipe at least once a week. It fast, simple and delicious.

This week, I challenge you to try this at home. After work, pick out a few vegetables that are listed in the recipe. You can also add some shiitake mushrooms, asparagus or bok-choy. Then throw it all in a frying pan and you’ll have a delicious dinner in minutes.

The key to this Stir Fried Udon Noodles is the stir-fry sauce. The blend of oyster sauce and soy sauce provides just the right level of seasoning and depth in flavor.

Bon Appetit Neighbors! 🙂

Stir Fried Udon Noodles
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Stir-Fried Udon Noodles - Easy Weekday Dinner

Udon noodles work well in stir-fries. Throw in a few vegetables, a meat of your choice... and wok-it-out!
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Udon noodles - 1 package 200 grams
  • Thinly sliced beef - 100-150 grams
  • Fried egg - 1 optional

Fresh vegetables

  • Onion - 1/4 a whole
  • Carrot - 30 grams measure up to 2nd crease in your pointer finger
  • Bell pepper - 1/5 a whole
  • Purple cabbage - 1 leaf roughly size of your hand
  • Mungbean sprouts - 1 handful
  • Spring onion - 1 stalk arms length
  • Garlic cloves - 3

Stir-fry Sauce

  • Soy sauce - 1 Tablespoon
  • Oyster sauce - 2 teaspoons
  • Sugar - 2 teaspoons
  • Water - 1 Tablespoon
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Instructions

Prep veggies and meat

  • Cut onion, carrot, bell pepper and cabbage into thin slices.
  • Grab a handful of mungbean sprouts and set aside.
  • Cut the white-portion of your spring onions into thin slices - at a slight angle. Then roll-up the green portion of the stalk and cut that into thin slices (reference video). Divide the thin slices into thirds.
  • Cut each garlic cloves into thin slices.
  • Detangle your beef slices and set aside in a bowl. 

Blanche Udon noodles

  • Bring a pot of water up to boil. Then put your udon noodles in. Let it cook for 1 minute. (Note: Let the water loosen-up the noodles - don't try to forcibly de-tangle them with your chopsticks. They will break)
  • Drain noodles and set aside.

Cook meat and stir-fry noodles

  • Put frying pan on a medium-high heat. Put some oil in. Once oil is hot, place the meat pieces in. Season with salt and pepper. Once they are fully cooked, set aside on a bowl.
  • Clean out your frying pan. Then add some more oil. Once oil is hot, place garlic slices in. Then put in carrots and onions slices. Stir them around. 
  • Once garlic slices get a slight browning to them, place in the cabbage and bell pepper slices. Stir it around for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the udon noodles in. Then put in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and water. Give it all a nice stir.
  • Add in the cooked beef slices. Then add in the mungbean sprouts and spring onion slices. Turn off the heat. (The mungbean sprouts will continue to cook from the residual heat).
  • Put a few shakes of black pepper in. Then plate-it-up. Garnish with spring onion slices. Place a fried egg over the top (optional). Enjoy!

Notes

  • When boiling the udon noodles - do not try to forcibly untangle the noodles. You will break them. Rather, give a few nudges back-and-forth with your chopstick.
  • See video below for more details

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls – That Peanut Sauce Tho!

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls – its all about that peanut sauce. Growing up in California, I’ve eaten my fair share of spring rolls. But when I visited Vietnam a few weeks ago, it tasted so much better!

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

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Initially, I couldn’t figure out why. Was it simply the fact that I was abroad and traveling that made it so tasty? Well not exactly. There were specific flavors that made the rolls taste so light and fresh. I later learned (during my cooking classes) that this was from the eclectic mix of local Vietnamese herbs. It was my first time trying local Vietnamese herbs – like Sawtooth Coriander (ngo gai), cinnamon basil and cockscomb mint (Kinh Giới). 

When I got back to Korea, I went on a mission to find some of these Vietnamese herbs. But I failed – couldn’t get any! As I mentioned in the video, I even resorted to visiting a Pho shop to get my hands on cilantro in Korea!

Luckily, the key flavor variable with Vietnamese spring rolls is the peanut hoisin dipping sauce. This sauce uses two main ingredients: hoisin sauce and peanut butter. Together, they work magically.

The recipe is enough for 2-3 people. Try it out with friends or family – and delegate some of the prep work!

Vietnamese-Egg-Rolls
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Vietnamese Spring Rolls

The key to authentic Vietnamese Spring Rolls is fresh herbs and the peanut sauce. These rolls are light, full of herbal flavors and have a nice crunch!
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Vietnamese Rice Paper - 6-8
  • Vermicelli Noodles - 1 portion

Protein

  • Shrimp - 10-15
  • Pork - 100 grams

Fresh Vegetables

  • Lettuce - 6-8 pieces
  • Carrot - Finger-length piece
  • Cucumber - Finger-length piece
  • Mungbean Sprouts - Handful of
  • Mint - Handful of
  • Cilantro - Handful of
  • Basil - Handful of
  • Chives - 2 stalks of

Peanut-Hoisin Sauce

  • Vegetable oil - 1 Tablespoon
  • Minced garlic - 2 teaspoon
  • Hoisin sauce - 4 Tablespoon
  • Peanut butter - 2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1 teaspoon
  • Water - 1/3 cup

Instructions

Make Sauce

  • Put a pot on low heat. (Yes, keep it on a low heat!) Add oil in. Then add minced garlic in.
  • Once garlic starts to sizzle in the oil and turns golden, add in then hoisin sauce. Then the peanut butter. Then finally the sugar and water. Mix it around the pot and let it reduce.
  • Reduce until the texture becomes something like dijon mustard or ranch. Set aside and let it cool down.

Prep vegetables

  • Cut cucumber and carrot into length of your pointer finger. Then cut cucumber into thin rectangular slices. Julienne the carrot into thin long strips. Then cut the chives to the size of your hand. Then give the lettuce and mungbean sprouts a good wash under running water. Let them dry out.
  • Take out the mint, cilantro and basil and assemble onto a plate.

Prep Protein

  • Bring pot of water to boil. Put shrimp in and cook for 2 minutes. Strain and set aside.
  • Bring pot of water back up to boil again. Put in pork and cook through until there is no more pink left. Strain pork and set aside.
  • Take heads and legs off shrimp. Use your knife to cut along the backside of the shrimp and devein it. Then cut the shrimp in half and separate the meat from the shell.
  • For the pork, simply cut it into thin pieces.

Make Noodles

  • Prep vermicelli noodles according to the package. If the instructions are in a foreign language, follow these steps: Grab a handful of noodles from the package. Fully submerge the dry noodles in a large bowl with cold water. Let the noodles sit in the water and re-hydrate for at least 20 minutes.
  • Then bring a pot to boil. Blanche the noodles for 20-30 seconds. Test to see that they are soft and chewy. If they are, drain the water and set aside. (Note: After draining, if the noodles sit out for too long, they will get sticky and dry. Simply give them a rinse under water and it will make them easy to handle again)

Make Rolls

  • Fill a large frying pan with cold water. Set it aside on your table - we will dip our rice paper in it. Then take out a wooden cutting board. Dip your finger in the water and gently rub some water across the wooden board. This will keep the rice paper from sticking to the board
  • Take one rice paper and fully dip it into the frying pan with the water. Then [lace the rice paper onto the cutting board. Time to fill the roll: Start with a lettuce piece - place that one the wrap. Then add the noodles on top. Then add all the other vegetables. Next add a few pieces of pork next to it. Then a row of shrimp.
  • Start rolling - maybe one full turn. Then fold in the sides and do one more roll. Add in a few piece of chives and finish the roll. Repeat until you run out of ingredients. Dip in peanut sauce and enjoy!

Notes

  • Don't pack it like a burrito! If you have trouble rolling, just add less 😉
  • If you get stuck, just re-watch the video below
 

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Gambas al Ajillo Set Menu: Tapas, Pasta, Salad

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Gambas al Ajillo. It’s Spanish tapas. Lately, this specific Gambas tapas has been trending among home-cooks in Korea. Its a very simple dish – mainly olive oil, garlic and shrimp. However, it is a nice and simple meal to cook for a friend.

Gambas-Ajillo-2

Last month, Katie and I visited a former colleague and he had planned this set course menu for us. The newlywed cooked in front of us – enjoying sips of wine and keeping a watchful eye on their adventurous toddler. The baby had an uncanny ability to steal beer bottles. One second it was on the table. Next thing, he was hiding the bottles in his play-pen!

Overall, I was impressed by the set menu as it was simple, fast-t0-cook and no one had to spend hours in the kitchen. I wanted to share this recipe as well – so you can pamper a close friend during your next catch-up.

Gambas-Ajillo-2
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Gambas al Ajillo Course Menu

Gambas al Ajillo is a delicious dish that you could build a course menu around. Shrimp appetizer, oil pasta and mushroom salad - perfect. All we are missing is a bottle of wine.
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Gambas al ajillo (Shrimp Prep)

  • Shrimp - 20
  • Salt - 2 pinches
  • Black pepper - 2 pinches
  • Baking soda - 2 pinches

Gambas al ajillo (Cooking)

  • Olive oil - 1 cup
  • Garlic - 10 cloves
  • Dried chili pepper - 1/3 whole
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes
  • Minced parsley - few shakes

King Oyster Mushroom Salad

  • King oyster mushroom - 2
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes
  • Lettuce - handful
  • Baby greens - hanful

Soy Sauce Vinaigrette Sauce

  • Olive oil - 2 tablespoon
  • Balsamic vinegar - 2 tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1 teaspoon
  • Soy sauce - 1 teaspoon
  • Bell pepper - 1/4 whole
  • Onion - 1/4 whole

Aglio E Olio Pasta

  • Pasta - 2 person serving
  • Leftover oil - 2 wooden-ladle scoops
  • Pasta water - 2 wooden-ladle scoops
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Instructions

Gambas Al Ajillo

  • Peel and devein shrimp. Keep tails on. Also save 5 shrimp heads (set these aside in a separate dish, no need to season them). Then season the deveined shrimp bodies with salt and black pepper. Add a few pinches of baking soda as well. Set shrimp aside. Cut each clove of garlic into 2-3 thin slices. Then cut dried pepper into thin strips with kitchen scissors. Set both aside.
  • Take out a small frying pan. Add the olive oil into the pan. Then throw in the garlic and chili pepper pieces. Put the frying pan on a medium-low heat. Once you see the garlic pieces start to sizzle in the oil, immediately add the shrimp pieces. Place in the 5 shrimp heads as well. Once the shrimp turns pink on one side, flip them over. Once both sides turn pink, turn off the heat. Then season the oil with salt and black pepper (don't forget this step - you need to salt!). If you have fresh parsley, garnish with this. Serve with some fresh slices of bread. Enjoy!

King Oyster Mushroom

  • Cut king mushrooms into long strips. Then cube them into bite-sized pieces. Place frying pan on medium-high heat. Put some olive oil in. Once it is hot, place mushrooms pieces in. Don't touch it - let it sit in the frying pan to develop a slight char on one side. Then season with salt and black pepper. After it has browned on one side, give them a stir (or flip) and let it cook on the other side. Turn off the heat and set-aside.
  • Take out a mixing bowl. Put olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar and soy sauce in. Mix thoroughly. Then take out a chopping board and dice-up the bell pepper and onion. Place the diced veggies into the salad dressing and give a final stir. Place lettuce and baby greens into a salad bowl. Place grilled mushrooms over the top. Then pour the vinaigrette dressing over the salad when you are ready to eat.

Aglio E Olio Pasta

  • Boil 2 servings of pasta. Drain the pasta - but save some of the pasta water in a small bowl. Then take out a large frying pan. Put two wooden ladles of the leftover oil from the Gambas into the frying pan. (The amount of oil doesn't have to be exact - just estimate). Then put the frying pan on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place pasta into the frying pan. Then put in two wooden ladles worth of pasta water. Give a quick stir. Make sure to season with salt and black pepper! Enjoy!

Notes

  • Use extra olive oil when cooking the tapas – you can use the leftover oil to make Aglio e Olio pasta.
  • Also, put the shrimp into the olive oil as soon as you see the garlic pieces start to sizzle in the oil. This way, it doesn’t burn.
  • Watch video below for more details

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Kimchi at home – Your First Batch

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Kimchi is the quintessential Korean dish. There are many different types of Kimchi, but the most famous one is Napa Cabbage Kimchi.

Korean Kimchi

You will find this healthy dish in virtually every refrigerator in Korea. It is so important to the culture of Korea that there is even a “Kimchi Index” in Korea. It helps Koreans track the change in price of the main ingredients used in Kimchi – Napa cabbage, chili, radish and anchovies. When the price volatility is high, it makes national headlines.

It seems with the ever-busy lifestyle of Korea, the art of making Kimchi is being lost. It is rare to see families (let alone, single dwellers) to make it at home. Traditionally, a family would schedule a weekend in winter to make a large batch of Kimchi for the year, often using up to 10 Napa cabbages at a time! It is a labor of love.

Today, we show you a simple recipe that you can make at home – using only one head of Napa cabbage. This way, you can sample the flavors, gauge spice level and reduce prep time. Also, it’s okay if you mess up with one cabbage. Big deal – just buy another one! However, if you mess up with a batch of 10 cabbages, chances are you will never try making Kimchi again! Our recipe is simple and has the right balance of Korean flavors

Key taste variable: Time
The taste of the Kimchi will change slightly as you leave it longer in the refrigerator. This is normal and you should try it at its different stages.  Try tasting it fresh – right after you finish coating it with the Kimchi paste. Then sample it after 1 day of sitting out (and fermenting). Then try it cold, after it has had time to chill in the refrigerator. You will notice the flavor get deeper and more concentrated. I think it taste best when it has had some time to sit in the refrigerator for a few days.

Korean Kimchi
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Kimchi - A simple recipe for your first time

Kimchi is spicy, fermented cabbage. A quintessential dish to Korean cuisine. We eat it with just about everything.
Course: Hard
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • Napa cabbage - 1 head
  • Kosher salt or Sea Salt - 1.5 cups Don't use regular dining salt - the salt crystals should be large
  • Korean radish - 2 inch piece
  • Asian Chives - 20 stalks

Kimchi Paste

  • Dashima Kombu - iPhone size piece of
  • Shiitake mushrooms - 4
  • Glutinous rice powder - 2 Tablespoon ok to use all-purpose flour as well
  • Gochugaru Korean red chili flakes - 1 cup
  • Minced garlic - 2 Tablespoon
  • Minced ginger - 1 Tablespoon
  • Anchovy sauce - 1/4 cup
  • Honey - 2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Kosher Salt - 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Brine Cabbage

  • Cut the Napa cabbage into 4 pieces. Wash thoroughly and get off any dirt - especially near the stems.
  • Fill a large plastic bowl with 6 cups of water. Then add-in 1/2 cup* of kosher salt.
    [*NOTE: In the video, we state to add 1 cup of kosher salt. That's because we purposely didn't stir the water until the salt pieces completely dissolved. Some of our viewers have stirred the water until all of the salt crystals disintegrate - which makes the water too salty! To avoid confusion, we recommend using only 1/2 cup of kosher salt.]
    After adding the 1/2 cup, give the water a few stirs with your hands. (Again, no need to completely dissolve the salt into the water.) Then quickly dip each cabbage piece into the water - just so its wet, don't leave it sitting in the water. Afterwards, set it on a strainer and let it drip-off excess water for a few minutes.
  • Then pour-out 1 cup** of kosher salt - we'll use roughly this amount for the entire 4 cabbage pieces. Now, grab some salt with your fingers and toss it onto each layer of the cabbage - just a few sprinkles for each layer. (Imagine sprinkling salt on an egg - thats the amount you want to put on each layer.) Focus the salt onto the white stems of the cabbage.
    [**NOTE: You do NOT need to sprinkle on the whole 1 cup of salt - okay to use like 3/4 cup and have some leftover (as cabbage sizes are not always the same). Don't over-salt in this stage or your Kimchi will taste too salty]
    Then cover it with a lid (to prevent bugs from getting in) and let it sit in room-temperature for at least 6 hours (or overnight).

Check Cabbage

  • Next day, bend the cabbage stem and check that it doesn't snap. If it does snap, let it sit for longer in the salty water.
  • Drain the cabbage from the brine and wash each layer thoroughly under a running faucet. After one round of washing, wash again! This second wash will help reduce the overall salty flavor from the leaves.
    [IMPORTANT: At this point, taste the cabbage leaf - it should taste slightly-salty, but not overly salty.]
    Wash it again for a third time - if it tastes too salty. 
  • Set the washed cabbage pieces on a strainer and get rid of excess water.

Prep Veggies

  • Peel Korean radish. Then cut each section into thin circles. Then cut each circle into thin match sticks.
  • Cut asian chives into 2 inch sections.

Make Paste

  • Take out a pot and fill with 2 cups of water. Place in 4 Shiitake mushrooms and dashima pieces. Put it on a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes to extract broth. Strain the broth and let it fully cool down. (Note: It is important to let the stock broth cool down completely)
  • When the broth is cooled down, place in the glutinous rice powder (or flour) and mix into the stock. Mix thoroughly to get rid of all clumps. (Note: Don't turn on the heat until you have fully mixed the powder into the stock). Then place the pot onto a medium heat. Keep stirring until the paste thickens up and gets a gravvy-like consistency.
  • Get a large plastic bowl. Put in Gochugaru, minced garlic, minced ginger, anchovy sauce, honey, salt and sugar. Then put-in the paste as well. Give all of the ingredients a good mix.
  • Then put-in the Korean radish and garlic chive pieces as well. Mix veggies in and coat them in the thick paste.

Layering Kimchi

  • Place Kimchi paste on each layer of the cabbage leaf (reference video). Repeat for all 4 cabbage pieces.
  • Place the finished Kimchi pieces into a large Tupperware or large mason jar.
  • Place plastic wrap over the container and poke some holes into it. Let it sit out in room temperature for one day.
  • The next day, you will see bubbles in the kimchi liquid (from the fermentation). Now place the fermenting kimchi in the refrigerator. Let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours
  • Once the kimchi is cold, chop the cabbage into sections and serve! Enjoy! 

Notes

  • Make sure to cool down the stock soup before placing in the glutinous rice powder. Fully stir in the powder until you see no lumps - then turn on the heat.
  • With each week, the Kimchi will taste more sour as it ferments longer. Kimchi is edible for many months. "Aged" Kimchi is popular in Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi panackes.
  • If you have any specific questions, leave us a comment.
  • Watch video below for more details.

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Omurice – Write your name in Ketchup

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Omurice is a simple yet delicious dish my mother used to make for my sister and I. The best part was trying to neatly write our initials with ketchup over the egg omelette. Even better was messing up my sister’s effort with a large spoon. As an adult, I still enjoy making and eating omurice from time-to-time.

Omurice

There are many variations of the recipe. The most popular style calls for ketchup in the fried rice. Some use marinara sauce while others do not flavor the rice at all. There are also different ways to flavor the egg omelette. Typically, I will use store bought ketchup or donkatsu sauce. But if its a special occasion, I will make a gravy sauce that you can pour over the omelette. I will show you one of the simpler but delicious ways to make omurice at home.

Key flavor variable: Ketchup. Use Ketchup to flavor the fried rice as it adds a touch of sweetness. If you really do not like ketchup, you can also try marinara sauce.

Omurice
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Omurice - Your Kids will Love it

Your kids will love omurice. And they will love you for making it. Then they will grow up and make omurice for their kids... the cycle continues.
Course: Medium
Servings: 1 person

Ingredients

Fried Rice

  • Short Grain Rice - 1 cup fully cooked
  • Carrot - 1/4 a whole
  • Onion - 1/4 a whole
  • Bell pepper - 1/4 a whole
  • Button mushrooms - 1
  • Bacon - 2 strips
  • Minced garlic - 1/2 teaspoon
  • Ketchup - 2 Tablespoons
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Egg Omelette

  • Eggs - 3
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Butter - 1 Tablespoon

Omurice Gravy (Optional)

  • Vegetable oil - 1 Tablespoon
  • Minced garlic - 1 teaspoon
  • Tonkatsu sauce - 3 Tablespoons
  • Ketchup - 2 Tablespoons
  • Water - 1/4 cup
  • Corn syrup - 1 Tablespoon honey ok as well
  • Milk - 1.5 Tablespoon
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Instructions

Make Fried Rice

  • Dice onion, carrots, bell pepper, mushroom and bacon into small pieces.
  • Place a large frying (or work) on medium-high heat. Pour some oil in the pan. Place bacon in first. Once bacon starts sizzling, add minced garlic and stir it around until it starts to get fragrant. 
  • Then add in all of the other vegetables and stir-fry together for a few minutes.
  • Once the onion starts to turn translucent, add in ketchup. Mix the ketchup into the vegetables.
  • Then add in the rice. Mix everything together well. Season fried rice with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Make Egg Omelette

  • Crack three eggs into a bowl. Season with salt. Mix them thoroughly together. Put egg mixture through a strainer.
  • Then put a frying pan on low heat. When hot, pour in some vegetable oil. Then place in a tablespoon of butter. Pour egg batter in. Use chopsticks (or a wooden spoon) to quickly stir the eggs in a circular motion. This will create egg curds. Once you see the egg curds start to set, lift the pan and move around any of the leftover egg mixture to create an even layer. Turn off the heat. (We will use the residual heat from the frying pan now...)
  • Place your fried rice into the center of the omelette. Then tilt your frying pan to one side and use a spatula to gently fold one side of the egg omelette to the other. Your omurice will have moved to one side of the pan. Flip over your omelette onto a large plate.
  • Spread some donkatsu, ketchup or marinara sauce over the egg omelette. Or if you want to make an impression - make the gravy sauce below

Gravy Sauce (Optional)

  • Put pot on medium low heat. Pour oil in first. Once hot, place minced garlic in.
  • Then put in all of the other listed ingredients (except for the salt and black pepper).
  • Season with salt and black pepper at the very end.

Notes

  • Put your eggs through a strainer to make an extra fluffy omelette.  It also helps to undercook the eggs a bit - they will finish cooking from the residual heat of the fried rice.
  • The gravy sauce is optional - I only make it if there is a special occasion. If you are home-alone, just use a store-bought ketchup, donkatsu sauce or marinara sauce. 
  • Watch video below for more details

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Kimchi Quesadilla – Sauteed Kimchi with Cheese

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Kimchi Quesadilla – it makes complete sense! It’s just that you have never thought to put the two together before.

Kimchi Quesadilla
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The saltiness and spiciness of sautéed Kimchi pairs so well with cheese. In fact, the latest food rage in Seoul (well for the last 6 years) has been Korean-Mexican fusion food. From bulgogi burritos to carne-asada kimchi fries, there is an endless number of combinations to make as the two cuisines work so well together. For an nice intro into Korean-Mexican dishes, start off with this dead-simple kimchi quesadilla recipe. You can whip it up in less than 10 minutes!

Key taste variable: Sautéed Kimchi. Pan-frying the kimchi removes the moisture from the kimchi and infuses a nice smoky flavor.

Kimchi Quesadilla
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Kimchi Quesadilla - Sauteed Kimchi with Cheese

Kimchi Quesadilla – it makes complete sense! It’s just that you have never thought to put the two together before. Try it out 😉
Course: Easy
Servings: 1

Ingredients

  • Tortilla - 1
  • Mozzarella cheese - 1/3 cup
  • Kimchi - 2 Tablespoons
  • Shiitake mushrooms - 1 whole
  • Scallions - 1 teaspoon
  • Sesame seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
  • Butter - 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Make Kimchi Filling

  • Chop kimchi and Shiitake mushroom into small pieces.
  • Place butter into a frying pan and put it on medium heat. Put both into a frying pan and stir-fry together. Stop when the kimchi turns slightly brown on the edges. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Make Quesadilla

  • Put frying pan on medium heat. Place tortilla on frying pan and flip to get both sides hot. Then place the sautéed kimchi and mushrooms on one side of the tortilla. Add scallions on top. Add cheese on top.
  • Fold the two halves together. Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown. Garnish with scallions. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Cook the quesadilla on a medium heat - that way you get a slightly crispy surface and the cheese fully melts.
  • See video below for more details

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