Ddeok Ggochi 떡꼬치

Hey guys, so today is the last day for my week long posting. I have enjoyed it and I think that I should do this more often to treat myself ^^

To end this weeks posting I have decided to go for a very easy and in many ways addictive recipe. I am sure that you have all heard of ddeokbokki right? If you haven't heard of it, go and check out the recipe I previously posted for ddeokbokki.

Well this recipe today is something similar. Today I will introducing you to ddeokggochi (떡꼬치). It is fried rice cakes on a skewered and lathered in a layer of gochujang. It is a very simple snack and as you can see it is very similar to ddeokbokki, just much more simple.

The dish is very popular with school; aged children as an after school treat and it is also widely sold throughout Korean by street vendors.

Anyway, moving on to the recipe:

Ingredients
20 Sticky Rice Cakes
10 Skewers
Some Oil for Frying
Sauce
3 Tbsp Ketchup
2 Tbsp Red Pepper Paste
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Cooking Wine
1 Tbsp Onion Juice
1 Clove Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Chopped Peanuts
⅛ tsp Black Pepper

Method
1. Boil frozen rice cakes for 1 minute, or until soft. If not frozen, then boil for 30 seconds. After that, drain water, rinse in cold water, and pull them apart.
2. Cut the rice cakes in half.
3. Put 4 or 5 rice cakes on a skewer. You will get about 10 skewered sticky rice cakes.
4. Place the rice cakes in a heated pan with a little oil.
5. Fry until golden brown.
6. While you are frying the rice cakes, make the sauce. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a pan.
7. Heat the sauce on medium until it boils, stirring occasionally.
8. Coat the fried rice cakes with the sauce.




And there you have it, a quick snack and if you are really desperate you can make a meal out of it.

That will be it from me this week. I will try my best to post again next week, but I do have one final exam. Maybe I can post after the exam, after all the holidays are after that, look forward to it. Until next time stay healthy and happy ^~^

Jjol Myeon 쫄면

Hey guys. So today is the second last day of my week long posting T_T I'm sad, but school is resuming on Monday so there is no choice bu for this to stop. At least I promise to post every day in the holidays which are coming up soon.

Today I will introduce to you a noodle dish called Jjol Myeon (쫄면) which refers to either a type of Korean noodle that has a very chewy texture and are made from wheat flour and starch or a cold and spicy dish made with the noodles and vegetables.

The story behind the name is that the letter “Jjol (쫄)” came from the first letter of the Korean word jjolgit jjolgithan “쫄깃 쫄깃한,” which means very chewy and elastic. The letter “myeon (면)” means noodle in Korean. Interesting right?

The history of the dish is that Jjolmyeon is one of the most popular noodle dishes in South Korea, especially among young people at bunsikjeom (Korean snack restaurant).It is the representative dish of Incheon, where jjolmeyon originated in the early 1970s by a mistake made while making naengmyeon. Noodles larger than regular naengmyeon noodles were made at a factory and instead of being thrown out, were given away to a nearby bunsikjeom. The owner mixed the noodles with gochujang sauce and jjolmyeon was born. An accident caused the creation of one of the nation's most loved dishes.

Anyways, that is enough talking from me. Now to the recipe:

Ingredients
2 Packs Jjol Myeon Noodles
2 Handfuls Bean Sprouts
⅓ Cucumber
½ Carrot
¼ Cabbage
1 Hard Boiled Egg
Sauce
2 Tbsp Red Pepper Paste
2 Tbsp Brown Rice Vinegar or Apple Vinegar
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Red Pepper Powder (Optional)
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Sesame Oil

Method
1. Remove any bad parts from the bean sprouts and wash them. Cover 2 handfuls of bean sprouts with water in a pan, and boil them for 10 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid. Don’t lift the lid until the bean sprouts are finished cooking otherwise, the bean sprouts will have a raw bean smell and taste. Rinse in cold water and drain water.
2. Julienne the cucumber and carrot into same length pieces. Slice the cabbage thinly. Cut the hard boiled egg half.
3. In the boiling water, add the jjol myeon noodles and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Wash the noodles in cold water twice and drain the water.
Sauce
5. In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp red pepper paste, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp red pepper powder, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame seeds, and 1 tsp sesame oil. If you don’t want yours spicy, then skip the red pepper powder.
6. Place the noodles on a plate, and put cucumber, carrot, cabbage, and the bean sprouts on top. Pour 2 to 3 spoons of sauce on top of the vegetables. Add the egg on top of the sauce. Mix all ingredients together before eating.



And there you have it, a delicious looking meal that is sure to satisfy your tastes. Spicy and tangy, what more could you want?

That is it from me today. There will be another post tomorrow ^^

Green Tea Ice Cream 녹차 아이스크림

Hey guys, it is already day five. Only two more posts after this one until the week comes to an end. I am kind of sad that I will be going back to posting only once a week, but then again school work will be hectic.

Anyways, todays post will be a Korean favourite, in fact I am quite sure that most people of Asian descent like this. The post today will be showing you how to make your own green tea ice cream. I know that this is not a strictly Korean recipe, but let's face it. Koreans really do like this stuff.

In Korean, green tea ice cream is called 녹차 아이스크림 (nok-cha aiseukeurim). And it is sold in Baskin-Robbins and other ice cream shops, and is a flavour that you can choose for almost all types of ice cream.

There isn't much to say about the history so I will get straight into the recipe.

Ingredients
3/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks
5 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 Tbsp green tea powder
3 Tbsp hot water

Method
1. Mix hot water and green tea powder together in a bowl and set aside.
2. Lightly whisk egg yolks in a pan. Add sugar in the pan and mix well.
3. Gradually add milk in the pan and mix well.
4. Put the pan on low heat and heat the mixture, stirring constantly. When the mixture is thickened, remove the pan from the heat.
5. Soak the bottom of the pan in ice water and cool the mixture.
6. Add green tea in the egg mixture and mix well, cooling in ice water.
7. Add whipped heavy cream in the mixture and stir gently.
8. Pour the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze, following instructions of the ice cream maker. Or, pour the mixture in a container and freeze, stirring the ice cream a few times until the consistency of ice cream.




And there you have it, creamy green tea ice cream that you can make anytime. It will be a perfect way to end a meal as it starts getting warmer and heads towards summer in Korea.

Until tomorrow, stay healthy and happy.

Cinnamon and Persimmon Punch 수정과

Hi, so I am already up to days four of the week, I'm more than half way ^^

Today I will be introducing you to a beverage that is muck loved by Kkoreans. I know that it has been a long time since I have last posted about a beverage, I think the last time was in my post about Sikhye. Anyways, on to today's drink...

Sujeonggwa is a Korean traditional fruit punch. Dark reddish brown in color, it is made from dried persimmons, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorn and is often garnished with pine nuts. The punch is made by brewing first the cinnamon, ginger and peppercorn at a slow boil. The solids are then removed for clarification and the remaining liquid is boiled again after adding either honey or brown sugar. The dried persimmons are cut into portions and are added to soak and soften after the brew has completely cooled. This is usually done several hours before serving, as extensive soaking of the fruit may thicken the clear liquid to a murky appearance.

Sujeonggwa is served cold and commonly as a dessert, much like sikhye, due to its sweet taste. It is also widely available in canned form.photo

The earliest mention of sujeonggwa dates back to 1849 in the book Dongguksesigi (동국세시기, 東國歲時記), a book of seasonal customs written by scholar Hong Seok Mo (홍석모). The sujeonggwa recipe mentioned in the book is a dried persimmon brew with added ginger and pine nuts.

That is a very through introduction to sujeonggwa and its history. I think it is time to get started on the recipe....

Ingredients
10 Cups Water
About 12 Cinnamon Sticks
About ⅓ Cup Ginger
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
Some Dried Persimmons
Some Pine Nuts (to Garnish)

Method
1. In a pot, bring water, cinnamon, and ginger to a boil.
2. Simmer vigorously for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, strain and discard solids, and stir in sugar to dissolve.
4. Place persimmons into liquid and steep for at least two hours or store in refrigerator to serve cold.
5. To serve, ladle punch into small bowls or teacups and garnish with a few pine nuts per serving. (You can remove persimmons or slice and add to drink)



And there you have it, a sweet drink to serve either hot or cold according to the weather. You can always make more and bring it out when guests come over, or even have some at the end of a long day to relax.

That is it from me today, tomorrow I will be back with another post. Please look forward to it ^^

Spicy Seafood Noodle 짬뽕 (Jjam Ppong)

Hey guys, day three of the week.

Ok, it admit it. I'm kinda starting to hit a slump here, literally. I am really tired at the moment. Friends came over today and we made our costumes for this things next week. Anyways, because I am really tired, I'm just going to post a quick post. I'll try and post more tomorrow.

So today I'm not posting a rice dish. It is a noodle dish. Today I will be introducing you to Spicy Seafood Noodle or Jjam Ppong (짬뽕). This is pretty much noodles in a seafood broth. This is a dish similar to jajangmyeon which also has origins from China.

"Jjamppong is a popular noodle dish that is prepared in a red, spicy seafood broth containing hearty vegetables and variety of seafood. This dish presumably has its origins in Japan with influence from China and is known to be very popular at various restaurants or even at homes. Instant noodle versions are also popular which can be prepared within minutes.

However, to enjoy this authentic dish, many Koreans go to Korean/Chinese restaurants where noodles are mixed in with real seafood such as squids, shrimps, clams and scallions. Fresh vegetables such as onions, red peppers, green onions as well as many others are included in this dish to compliment the spiciness of the base soup. Jjampong is considered to be mild to high in spiciness so expect to sweat while consuming this dish."

That is a description of the dish, and a bit about it's history. Now, on to it's recipe:

Ingredients
1 package fresh egg noodles
½ cup pork, thinly sliced
½ cup squid, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 small shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 mussels, scrubbed
5 dried black mushrooms
½ onion sliced
½ carrot, cut into match-stick pieces
¼ napa cabbage, cut into 1x2 in pieces
2 green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red chili peppers, seeded and sliced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
7 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
½ tbsp gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes - optional for spiciness)

Method
1. Soak mushrooms in warm water and cover for 30 minutes. Drain. Slice and set aside.
2. Bring mussels and water to a boil in a pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes or until the shells open. Lift out mussels and set aside. Retain liquid and add 7 cups of chicken broth.
3. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions until tender but firm to the bite. Drain well and set aside.
4. Add olive oil to a wok or frying pan.
5. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 5 seconds. For spicier taste, add gochugaru.
6. Add pork, shrimp, squid, mussels, and stir-fry.
7. Add onions, carrots, red chili pepper, and green onions and stir-fry.
8. Add cabbage and chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low and let simmer.
9. Add soy sauce.
10. Add salt & pepper to taste.
11. Place noodles in a large soup bowl and pour hot soup mixture over noodles

And there you have it. A delicious hearty seafood meal, you is going to warm you up in this cold weather.



That is it from me today. Until tomorrow remember to stay healthy and happy. See you tomorrow.

Fist Rice 주먹밥 (Jumeok Bap)

So I am back today like promised with another recipe. I think I am going to try and come up with a weeks worth of Korean recipes. How does that sound?

Well, for day two of the week I will being telling you about another rice dish. Fist Rice or 주먹밥 (Jumeok Bap)are fried rice balls, in other words. Fried rice which has been shaped into a ball. This is a favourite amongst many younger Koreans, such as kids because it makes food fun.

This has been called the Korean version of Onigiri (おにぎり) which is Japanese rice balls.

This is a very simple dish and there isn't much of a history behind it all. The story was probably that there were some children who were being naughty and did not want to eat their rice. To persuade them the eat, their mother probably came u with the idea, and it has stuck ever since.

Anyways, I'm going to move on to the recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups Cooked rice
1/4 cup Ham/ SPAM/ sausage (or whatever meat you want)
1/4 cup Carrot
1/4 cup Onion
1/4 cup Zucchini
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil (if desired)
Canola oil
Sesame seeds

Method
1. In a big bowl, season rice with salt, sesame seed, and sesame oil. Set it aside.
2. Prepare and cut all the ingredients.
3. Preheat a pan on a low heat. Add canola oil.
4. Add carrot, onion, and zucchini on a pan. Stir.
5. Add whichever meat you prepared. Season with salt. Stir.
6. When the meat is done, add all the ingredients to the rice. Mix it well.
7. Wear plastic gloves, grab a small amount of mixture, and shape it like a small ball. (be careful that it is no hot, or else you are going to get a burn)You can also shape these into a triangle to get samgak gimbap (삼각김밥)
8. Place on a plate and serve.




And there you have it, a simple dish to make when the kids are getting rowdy or bored of your usual fried rice.

That is it from me today, I hope that you all enjoyed hat recipe and tomorrow I will post another recipe. Take care, and don't forget to check for the new recipe.

Ogokbap (오곡밥) Five-Grain Rice

Hey guys. Did you miss me?? My exams are finally over so I will be doing my week long of blogging starting todayyyyy!!!!

I am so happy that I will be able to share a number of different recipes over this week, even when I was procrastinating during my exams I was thinking about what recipes I should be posting up when I return.

So to start off the week, I thought that I should introduce you to Ogokbap (오곡밥) or Five-Grain Rice. This is a glutinous rice dish that is usually served at the end of Winter. I'm a bit sad though because I have just missed out on posting this before the change to spring in Korea, but it doesn't matter. It is still quite cold there these days.

Usually a mixture of rice, red beans, black beans, millet, and sorghum, but can be varied with glutinous rice and other grains in place of these. Ogokbap usually served during the end of winter, especially on the first full moon of the year (jeongwol daeboreum 대보름)

In the past, many Koreans ate foods lacking nutritional value during the long winter because food was scarce. Anticipating these problems, they dried grains before the coming of the winter to fulfill the winter’s meals. On the night of jeongwol daeboreum (대보름) , people would eat ogokbap with ingredients such as walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, and beans to provide them with adequate energy.

Today, the concept of making ogokbap has been changing. Koreans make ogokbap with many different kinds of grains that do not necessarily mirror those traditionally used in the past. Ogokbap continues to be enjoyed by Koreans for its nutritious and healthf benefits.

And now, for you as the reader to be able to experience the same nutritious and health benefits the recipe:

Ingredients
360 g glutinous rice
80 g black bean
85 g glutinous African millet
85 g glutinous millet
83 g sweet red bean
300 g scalding water
500 g boiling water
rice water
100 g sweet red bean boiled water
500 g water
10.5 g salt

Method
Preparation
1. Wash the glutinous rice, soak in water for 30 min. and drain water on a strainer for 10 min.
2. Wash the black bean, soak in water for 3 hours and drain water on a strainer for 10 min.
3. Wash the glutinous African millet by rubbing until washing water to be clear, soak in water for 1 hour, and drain water on a strainer for 10 min.
4. Wash the sweet red bean and remove foreign elements, drain water on a strainer for 10 min.
5. Wash the glutinous millet and drain water on a strainer for 10 min.
Recipe
1. Put sweet red bean and scalding water into the pot, heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, discard the scalding water. Add fresh water to the sweet red bean, heat it up for 3 min. on high heat. Lower the heat to medium, boil for 20 min. taking care the bean not to be burst, drain through a strainer (131 g). Prepare rice cooking water with sweet red bean boiled water after adding water and salt.
2. Put the rice, black bean, glutinous African millet, sweat red bean and rice water into the pot.
3. Heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, continue to boil for another 3 min. Lower the heat to medium, add glutinous millet and boil it for 10 min. When the rice become sodden, lower the heat to low, steam for 13 min. Turn the heat off, and let it sit there for 10 min. more to be well-done.
4. Mix them with scoop thoroughly and serve in a bowl.

And there you have it, delicious rice to help warm you up from the inside on a cold Winter's day.




I hope that you enjoy that recipe, and I will see you all tomorrow with another recipe :)

미역 냉국 Chiiled Seaweed Soup

Hey, it has been a while since my last post hasn't it?

I'm sorry for that, but today is going to be another short post. I have exams in a week. I am really stressed out. But I promise, posts everyday for a week following exams. Is that ok??

Anyways, I don't have that much time today (I'm on a study break) so I'm not going to do anything too hard. I am going to be posting about chilled seaweed soup (Miyeok Naengguk). Do you guys remember the Chilled Cucumber soup from last year? well this is the same thing, but it is made with seaweed.

The weather today has warmed up in, so I thought that it would be a good idea to introduce you to the soup. It is basically the same thing as the cucumber version, just with a more ...well....seaweed-y taste to it.

Anyways, on to the recipe

Ingredients
1 cup miyeok cut into small pieces.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
some sliced onion
1/2 spring onion,thinly sliced
1/4 teaspon red pepper flake
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
For the Soup base
a pinch of salt, to taste
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Method
1. Put the dried seaweed in a large bowl and cover completely with cold water till submerged and leave for 5-15 minutes or till the seaweed is completely rehydrated.
2. Put 1 cup of rehydrated seaweed in to the boiling water about 1-2 min and quickly strain out from the water and cool it with running cold water. ( by doing this step, you will have odorless seaweed and fresh coloful seaweed)
3. In a medium bowl, put the strained seaweed, onion, spring onion and soysauce, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seed, sugar, salt massage well so that the seaweed is evenly seasoned. Put into an airtight container into the fridge.
4. When it is about time to serve, remove it from the fridge.
5. Add cold water & ice, salt and vinegar.
6. Give it a good stir and taste it - if it is too vinegary then add a little sugar to help lighten it, or if its not vinegary enough then add a little more vinegar (incidentally, this is meant to be somewhat vinegary as opposed to sweet or salty).
7. When you find the perfect taste, serve.

And there you have it, a quick dish for summer. If you want you can also add some cucumbers so it becomes chilled cucumber and seaweed soup.





That is it from me today, but I promise. A week of posting when exams have finished. Back to more study now. Bye...until next time, stay healthy, happy and eat lots of good food.