Category: Appetizer

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Hobakjuk (Pumpkin Porridge with Rice Dumplings)

I have a habit I need to break.

I buy way too much of foods that I love – unreasonably too much. I love kabocha pumpkins. And the last time I went to Whole Foods, organic kabochas were on sale. I can’t pass that up right? So I bought the biggest kabocha they had in stock and a smaller one – 12+ pounds in total. When I bought them I felt so good that I whistled all they way home despite the pain in my shoulder from lugging the heavy load. Not too much, I figured. It’s just the two of us, but half of it will be seeds that I will discard right?

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Jaht Jook (Pine Nut Porridge)

My husband had some kind of a stomach bug. And he hadn’t been able to eat much of anything. I remembered whenever I had a stomach ache, my grandmother used to make me jook (porridge). I had some pine nuts on hand. And pine nuts are gluten-free and rich in nutrients; the hubs was really in need of some nutrients after 2 days of very little food. So I decided to make some jaht jook – pine nut porridge – a delicious, gluten-free, vegan dish.

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Pan-Seared Tofu with Soy Dipping Sauce

Amanda Knox is out of an Italian prison. Do you wonder what really happened? So many things seem sketchy about this whole case: the prosecutor, the evidence (or the lack thereof), the accused themselves, etc. The story reads like a lurid tabloid fodder. I feel sad for everyone involved though – the families, of course, the victim, and even the accused. The stink of being accused of murder is impossible to get off, even if you had nothing to do with, especially in the age of fast and loose internet access. Everyone has an opinion about everything. I mean, look at me! I’m writing about it!

To inject a little levity to this serious situation, I would like to share a little tidbit about a Korean custom. In Korea, tofu is given to people right out of prison. This is thought to keep them out of prison in the future. No; the tofu isn’t thought to ward off evil spirits or bad luck that may land them back in prison and help them in their life of crime. Instead, the tofu symbolizes a future of a crime-free life. More specifically, white color of the tofu symbolizes purity, innocence, and starting anew. So I decided to make some pan-seared tofu in the spirit of this symbolism. It’s a positive thing. We all need a reminder to be good at times, albeit for the smaller things in life.

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Vegetable Japchae

Is it wrong to treat your husband like a 5-year-old?

My husband doesn’t like to try new things. He says he doesn’t like something if he has never tried it or heard of it. Does it sound familiar moms and dads? It’s kind of like watching a toddler look at new food, smell it, put it in his mouth, take it out again, and frown.

I love japchae. I grew up with it. It was always made for birthdays because it symbolizes long life and prosperity. And it is absolutely delicious. My husband hates it. He didn’t grow up with it. His mother never made it. Now, he thinks it looks slimy and slippery. And he thinks it will make him queasy. Really?! How old are you?!

I hear that a toddler must try a new food about 8-15 times before the toddler knows if he likes it or not. I think I’m going to test that theory on my husband. Today, I made japchae for the first time since we got married. I am determined he will try it. And I will keep making it. After about 8 times – if he still hates it – I will let him be…   (Update: My husband LOVED it.)

Japchae is usually made with sweet potato noodles. And if you’ve had it in a restaurant, it comes stir-fried on top of rice. But there is a bit of irony to the name “japchae” as it literally means mixture (“jap”) of vegetables (“chae”); and in its original form, japchae didn’t include noodles at all. I’ve had some varieties without noodles. But in my opinion, they don’t come close in taste to the noodle variety.

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Miyeok Guk for the Soul (Korean Seaweed Soup)

Growing up, I didn’t get chicken noodle soup for colds and other ailments. I got Miyeok Guk, sometimes Samgaetang (soup with cornish game hen stuffed with sweet rice), but mostly Miyeok Guk.

Miyeok (seaweed) is rich in minerals and phytonutrients that are beneficial to the human body. In fact, Miyeok Guk is served in hospitals in Korea to postpartum women to replenish nutrients that may have been depleted during childbirth; and they continue to consume the soup during lactation due to its properties that are believed to stimulate lactation. So it’s apropos that it is traditionally served on birthdays as symbolism for the first food consumed after birth. But Miyeok Guk is not reserved for these occasions alone. It is consumed all year round due to its health benefits and deliciously savory flavor.

If that doesn’t convince you to give this soup a try, I read an article the other day about 5 nutrients that people are not getting enough of. One of the nutrients mentioned is iodine. Many believe that iodine intake from the contents of their salt shaker would suffice, but this article suggests otherwise. Iodine is required to produce hormones that control your metabolism; so deficiency in iodine may cause weight gain, and according to the article, fatigue. Miyeok is a type of sea vegetable. And sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine.

It’s a good thing that Miyeok Guk is so healthy. Because I have been under the weather lately. It must be the change in the weather. The huge fluctuations in temperature and humidity level really messes with my system. So I’ve been sniffly and feeling really weak. And my pounding head, my sinuses and my throat have been keeping me awake at night. ugh… the dreaded cold.

I decided to make Miyeok Guk. It’s pretty easy to make. It’s nourishing for the body (and the soul). It’s soothing. It’s tasty. And it takes me to a happy place.

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