Korean Honey Bread 허니브레드 | Tom n Toms Style |

It has been a while since I last posted a recipe again...woops. Sorry!!! I've kinda been busy packing to go on holidays :D:D:D I leave tomorrow and just procrastinating in general. I'm going to try and have all my posts for when I'm away all lined up, if not I'm going to try and write them while I'm busy travelling in cars, trains and buses.

Anyways, today's recipe is a Korean favourite. You may also love this dish if there is a Tom n Toms near where you live. There is the legend-wait for it-ary honey butter toast with ice-cream. It is absolutely AMAZING. And you know what? Today I'm going to show you how to make it at home.

It may not be exactly the same as what you can get in store, but it is a pretty good dupe and if you are like me, too lazy to actually go out and buy it you can enjoy it 24/7 at home. Honestly, for most of us it is too much of a hassle to go out to Tom n Toms unless it is literally right below where you live.

I don't know if you know about this dish much, but it is pretty much a thick slice of toast that is topped with various types of sweet things on top and it is absolutely delicious with the Tom n Toms blue lemonade.

Anyways, I'll tell you how to make it and then you can look at the pictures and just tell me whether or not you start salivating at the pictures.

Ingredients
5cm thick piece of white bread (white tastes best)
4 tbs butter
3 tbs honey
1 tsp cinnamon sugar
2 tbs caramel sauce
1 scoop vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (for a can is fine)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2. Spread butter on one side of the bread.
3. Cut the bread into 9 cubes and keep the shape of the bread.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the buttered bread.
5. Put the bread into the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Place scoop of ice cream on the centre, or a generous amount of whipped cream. Top with lashings of caramel sauce and honey. Serve immediately.

And there you have it, a delectable delight that will be sure to satisfy your taste buds and keep you cool this summer. A cinnamon-ey sweet treat that is amazing at Tom n Toms in the comfort of your own home. (I know the blue lemonade is amazing too, but I'm still in the process of figuring out how to make it)

It looks absolutely amazing doesn't it? It is a recipe that doesn't require anything too difficult to find so why aren't you going to the kitchen to make this right now? You're tastebuds will thank you. They seriously will.

I hope that you enjoyed this recipe a lot, I'm going to try and keep the blog posts rolling while I'm overseas, I might even do a blog post with just the photos of food that I've eaten. I hope that you have an awesome July and until next time remember to stay safe, healthy and happy!!! :D

육개장 YukGaeJang

Heyyyy dere sexy peoples.

It's been a really long time since I have posted a blog :/ I have been busy with finals for uni and completing assignments so there hasn't been any post for a really long time :( BUT I finished all of my exams yesterday, so I'm not back with a recipe. I'm going to be on break until August so I'll probably try and do a post a week, possible more sometimes.

I hope that you have all been well ~~~

Let's see how we are going in terms of seasons, it's now summer in Korea, so we probably want some summer food right? Even though it is not the hottest time of the year just yet, this dish can still be something that you can enjoy to help cool you down. And it is also great for the colder countries in the southern hemisphere where it is winter at the moment,

The dish for today is called yukgaejang (육개장). It is a spicy soup-like dish that is made with beef and scallions as well as other ingredients such as bean sprouts (kong namuel), bracken, taro stem, onion and dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles). It is usually served with rice and kimchi.

The dish can also be made using chicken, and in that case it could be called dak yukgaejang.

This is a hot spicy dish so you may be confused about why it would be eaten in the summer. Western cultures tend to eat cold foods to cool down in the summer, this cools you down from the inside. However in Korea, they also like to cool themselves down from the outside by eating hot spicy foods to sweat more and thus also be cooled that way.

Ingredients
600g beef brisket
1 small onion
100g bean sprouts
50g taro stem (found dried in Asian marts)
50g bracken (found dried in Asian marts)
3 green onions
1/2 korean radish
3 tbs chilli flakes (gochugaru)
2 tbs minced garlic
3tbs soy sauce
60ml sesame oil
60ml vegetable oil
3tbs salt
1tbs pepper
4L water

Method
1. Soak the taro stem and bracken in warm water for an hour.
2. In a large pot add beef, onion, green onions and all the water. Boil it for 30min on a medium heat with the lid on.
3. Blanch the soaked taro stems and bracken in water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze all the water out and then cut into 10cm pieces.
4. Cut the radish into 1cm pieces
5. Remove the cooked beef from the broth and let it cool for 30 min. After that, tear the beef into small strips.
6. In a bowl mix half the chilli flakes, with 3 tbs sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, 1tbs salt and the pepper. If you want you can add more chilli flakes.
7. Add the bracken, taro stem and meat in a bowl with half of the sauce and let it sit for 10 minutes.
8. Add the sauce mixture into the broth with the radish and boil it for 40min on a medium heat.
9. In a small pot add all the remaining oil and chilli flakes and stir fry for 2 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning.
10. Strain the chilli oil through a cheesecloth.
11. Add some more green onions, bean sprouts, rest of the spicy sauce and chilli oil to the broth and salt to season. Boil for another 10 minutes.
12. Serve with rice and kimchi.

And there you have it, a nutritious dish to eat in summer or winter to cool you down or to warm you up. Either way it is bound to satisfy you.

I hope that you like that dish because it is certainly what I'm going to have for dinner tonight as it is super-duper cold and rainy at the moment. Have a try of it when it is super hot or cold and you will feel the heat of the dish radiate throughout the rest of your body.

I'm going to post more in the coming days, and until then remember to keep warm, safe, healthy and happy!

Cookbook and Apple and Rhubarb Cake

Hey everyone, it has been so long since I've last posted a recipe and I'm really sorry about that but I've had exams. The exams are now over so I'll be posting a recipe tonight. But before I do that I have some very big news to share with you all.

I actually submitted one of the recipes on this blog for a cookbook competition at my university and it happened to get accepted. So it seems that one of my recipes is now going to be published into a cookbook. For those of you that are wondering the recipe was the one for the Gyeran Bbang, it's simple, cheap, delicious and perfect for a student like me. There was a photo shoot and all that jazz, and they are even going to film the recipe so you can also watch a video of it. There is going to be a book launch and everything, so I'm super proud about this and I'm so happy to finally be able to share it with all of you! If you haven't seen that recipe before do have a look at it, it's super scrumptious.

Now to move on to the blog for today. today's post is going to be a simple feel good dessert. It is starting to get cold here, as we start May so I thought what's better than a good old apple and rhubarb crumble. Only today I'm going to change it up a bit and convert it to a cake.

Apple and rhubarb cakes are wholesome and warm and are the perfect thing to keep you going on a cold night, or even as the spring approaches because that's technically the rhubarb season. A bit of custard or ice-cream on the side and you have the perfect dessert.

Ingredients
60 g soft unsalted butter
380g brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
1 tsp sodium bicarbonate
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 cup sour cream
grated rind of 1 lemon
250g chopped rhubarb
250g chopped apples
80g brown sugar, extra
1tsp ground cinnamon, extra
Custard or ice-cream to serve

Method
1. Mix butter and sugar in processor until blended.
2. Add one egg at a time, mixing well between additions.
3. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Sift flour, spices and sodium bicarbonate together.
4. Fold into egg mixture alternatively with combined sour cream and lemon rind.
5. Fold rhubarb and apple in using a wooden spoon.
6. Spoon mixture into a 23cm spring form pan lined with baking paper on bottom and sides.
7. Combine extra brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over cake.
8. Bake at 175C for about 1 hour and 50 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
9. Cool in pan.
10. Cut and serve with a scoop of ice-cream or a generous amount of warm custard.

And here is the recipe for my version of an apple and rhubarb cake. I hope that you guys enjoy it, enjoy the weather and the fresh foods that are available at this time of the year, it is usually one of the best. 

I'll try and post more recipes up, until I have my final exams at least....so until the next post have fun, enjoy the sun but remember to stay healthy, safe and happy! 

Steamed Egg Casserole 계란찜 Gyeran Jjim

It has been a REALLY LONG TIME SINCE I'VE LAST POSTED.

I didn't realise just how long it had been until earlier this week when I checked this blog. I am so sorry for not posting for so long, I've been juggling uni and work and just trying to find my footing as there are so many things going on.

Hopefully I'll be able to get into a regular schedule with these recipe posts once I've got everything sorted out.

To make up for not posting I'd like to tell you all that I managed to have over 1000 hits on my blog in the month of March, which was AMAZING because I didn't even post a recipe up. Thank you guys so much. You're what keeps me going.

And today I'm going to be sharing a simple recipe; nothing too fancy but comfort food. It's getting a bit colder in Sydney these day, especially over the past week so this will be a dish that is ready to warm you up.

Today's recipe is gyeran jjim (계란찜) or steamed egg casserole. You may be familiar with this dish if you are Chinese or also just Asian because this is a cheap dish that is often made by Asians on a cold day. It is simple and heart warming, what else do you need?

Today's version is going to be a bit more elaborate than the most basic form but none the less it will still be simple and delicious.

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 chicken stock cube
1/2 cup of spring onions, chopped finely
1/4 onion diced
1/4 zucchini, chopped
1/2 red pepper sliced
1/2 tsp salt
pinch black pepper

Method
1. Dissolve the stock cube in the water.
2. Crack the eggs into a heat safe bowl and whisk with broth.
3. Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4. Place bowl into a pot with hot water that goes half-way up. Cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes, ensuring that the water stays as a gentle simmer.
5. Sprinkle with some gochugaru if you want it to be spicy.

And there you have it, a super simple dish that is loved by all generations of Koreans and Asians
alike. It's great with it's silky smooth texture to serve with hot rice, or even as it's own.

I hope that you liked that recipe, because I never realised that I had missed such a simple but humble dish in my blogging over the years. 

I hope that you have had a great Easter, and I will try my best to keep up with posting and getting a routine going for this blog. Until then I hope that you all stay safe, healthy and most important of all happy. 

닭갈비 Dak Galbi

Hey guys, so it has been a while since I have lasted posted a recipe and I'm really sorry but things have been really hectic with uni about to start next week and me just freaking out about it in general. This may be the last post in a while, so regular posts may not occur until I have settles into uni, but I won't ever stop posting that's for sure.

Today I'm finally going to post up a recipe that is a very popular dish in Korea, and I can't believe that I have never posted about it before. As you can tell from the title the recipe is going to be of dak galbi (닭갈비)

It is said that dak galbi appeared after the late 1960s as an inexpensive anju (food that is eaten while drinking) in small taverns, on the outskirts of the cities to replace the comparatively expensive gui dishes which are grilled over charcoal. The dish has spread to the main districts of Chuncheon, where the livestock industry thrives and offers fresh ingredients with no need for refrigeration. There is a street known as dak galbi golmok (dak galbi alley) which has a high concentration of dak galbi restaurants

That's the history of the dish, I think that it is about time that I get on with the recipe:

Ingredients
6-8 chicken thigh
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon rice wine
salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon gochujang
4 tablespoons gochugaru (chilli flakes)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons rice wine (sake) ground black pepper
2 cups broccoli, cut into bite sizes
1/2 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin cooked rice

Method
1. Place thawed chicken thigh in bowl. Pour the milk over the chicken and set aside for 20 minutes. Drain milk.
2. Add 1 tablespoon rice wine evenly on the chicken. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
3. Heat oil in large pan. Add onions, broccoli and red bell pepper and stir well over high heat, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken, brown chicken on both sides, but not cooked thoroughly at this point.
5. Make sauce by combining gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine, and black pepper.
6. Add the sauce to the pan with chicken.
7. Cut the chicken into bite sizes using kitchen scissors, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through.
8. Add cooked rice to the pan when you’re almost done with the chicken and stir together, if desired.

And there you have it, irresistible dak galbi to share with family and friends or to eat by yourself. The perfect balance of spice, sweet and everything nice.

I hope that you like that recipe, it is quite nice and you can always adjust the level of spice that you like. It may be a while before I post a blog post up again, but I will try to make time in my week (if not once a week then once a fortnight) So until next time I hope that you stay safe, happy and healthy. And to other people in the same shoes as me I wish you the best of luck!! 

Korean Red Bean Doughnut 풀빵 Pul bbang

Hey guys, so today is the last day of my blog spectacular that involved desserts such as apple crumble and japgwapyon and Valentine's Day specials such as breakfast smoothies, a tandoori chicken salad entree, pesto chicken kiev main and a creme brulee panna cotta dessert. So please do check out those other posts from this week.

Today is the last day of my blog week, and I have enjoyed it like I always do. I really do need to blog more often, it is a nice was to de-stress and get creative but I have a slight issue with procrastination...ok it's a pretty big issue, but I'm working on it.

To top off the week I'm going to be introducing you to another Korean dessert, as I had promised yesterday. Pul bbang (풀빵) is a Korean pancake dumpling, usually stuffed with sweetened red bean paste (팥 앙금, patanggeum). You could call them Korean filled doughnuts.

The Japanese have their own version of pul-bbang, called takoyaki. It is stuffed with boiled, chopped octopus. Takoyaki batter also is savory and other than the shape I don't really see a resemblance between the two.

Pul-bbang is sold on the street in most major Korean cities. But they're more difficult to find than their more famous cousins, boong-uh-bbang (붕어빵),which are a red bean–stuffed bread shaped like a fish.

I think that is enough for the history of the bread, it is about time that I get started in the recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 cup sweetened red bean paste (the stuff from the can will do fine)

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients for the batter until smooth.
2. Set a round doughnut pan on medium heat. HINT: you can put your doughnut maker to use or you can use a small cupcake tin in the oven)
3. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of batter into each well of the pan. I used a two spoon technique to scrape and drop the red bean paste into the batter.
4. After you have filled all the wells with batter, immediately start placing the 1/2 teaspoon of the filling e in the middle.
5. Add another tablespoon or so of batter to the top to cover the filling.
6. Let the dumplings cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Turn each dumpling over after you notice bubbles in the batter and slight pulling away on the edges.
8. Cook for a few minutes more on the other side. From there, you can flip them alternating until they are golden brown on both sides.

And there you have it, a delectable Korean dessert that is sure to please all ages, from young kinds to the oldies.

I hope that you all found that as a fitting way to end the blogging week. I will be back soon with more recipes, Korean to clarify for those of you wanting more Korean recipes. 

I hope that you all enjoy your weekend and until next time remember to stay safe, healthy and most important of all happy. 

Apple Crumble

I'm back with another recipe today......I'm nearing the end of this blogging week. It's been fun but coming up with recipe has been a bit hard when I have been busy.

I really should do this more often though, it pushes me to create new content for the blog. Also in other news I am nearing 100 blog posts, I really should do something AMAZING for my 100th blog post.....I'll try and have it figured out my then. Hopefully.

So, today's blog post I think I'll do something that is sweet, after all I'm in a sweet mood these days. I feel like something that is a classic and heart warming.

Apple Crumble. That is what today's recipe is going to be. I know that I have been doing a lot of western recipes this week, but I promise that for tomorrow I am going to blog a Korean recipe.

The humble apple crumble, something that we all saw on our dinner tables a couple times a year.There isn't much to be said about this recipe other than that it will always be loved for it's soft apples and crunchy topping. I hope that you will like this recipe of it, and let's get started!!

Ingredients
4 green apples
1 lemon, juiced
4 tbsp caster sugar
90g plain flour
40g cold butter
65g caster sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
handful of desiccated coconut

Method
1. Preheat an oven to 190˚C. peel and chop the apples.
2. Place into a microwavable bowl and mix with the lemon juice and 4 tbsp sugar.
3. Microwave for 4 minutes on a high setting to soften the apples.
4. Pour into an oven proof baking dish.
5. Rub the butter and flour in a clean bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
6. Add the caster sugar, brown sugar and desiccated coconut, then stir together.
7. Sprinkle over the fruit.
8. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.
Serve hot with cream or ice cream.

And there you have it, a scrumptious apple crumble that is to die for any time of the year.

I hope that you enjoyed that recipe because I know what I'm going to be having for dessert tonight. Until tomorrow remember to stay happy, healthy and safe.