Samgyetang

Samgyetang or more commonly known outside the Korean peninsula as Chicken Ginseng Soup is a popular dish for Koreans during summertime because it is said to replace the lost nutrients one excessively sweats out during the extremely hot season. However, this dish is also served anytime of the year, may it be warm or cold weather because it is a nutritious dish.

I tried cooking this Korean dish a few times eversince watching a re-run of the finals of the Iron Chef, where, Chef Sakai prepared a Samgyetang inspired dish as one of his entrees during his showdown with Chef Alain Passard.

If you have the time and would love to try cooking some thing new, you might want to try this.

Ingredients:

1 pc Small Chicken (Cornish hen or spring chicken)

¼ cup rice (you can use normal white rice, I use sushi rice)

6 cloves of garlic

Green onions

2 pcs small ginseng roots

Few jujubes

Cooking Direction:

1. Wash and rinse your chicken in cold running water.

2. Soak ¼ cup of rice for about an hour.

3. Stuff the chicken with the soaked rice, ginseng root, jujubes, and 6 cloves

of garlic. Place it in a pot.

4. Pour water into the pot and boil it for 20 minutes. When it starts to

boil, skim off any foam or fat that rises on the surface.

5. Pour in more water and boil it for another 30 – 40 minutes.

6. To test whether the chicken is already cooked, it should be easily pulled

apart by chopsticks.

7. Served best with some salt and pepper, and of course kimchi.

Makgeolli

While watching Channel News Asia’s “A Taste of Asia” last month, I remember they had a feature on a Korean drink which is a hit among young Koreans, and the drink is called Makgeolli.

But what exactly is Makgeolli?

Makgeolli is a traditional alcoholic beverage and is said to be the oldest liquor in Korea. It is made from rice, thus it is also referred to as Korean rice wine. It is korean’s version of the Japanese sake, the Philippines tapuy, and Thailand’s sato. Since it is made from rice, it has a milky, off-white color and sweetness.

A popular drink since the Joseon Dynasty but saw its popularity dwindle due to its replacement by soju, beer and wine. However, since 2005, a new version of Makgeolli called the Makgeolli cocktail has been introduced and is responsible for the revival of the drink and, is also turning out to be a hit among young Koreans. Makgeolli cocktail is makgeolli added with fruits such as kiwi, peach, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and, now they even mix it with ginseng.

Makgeolli is also a health drink, because of its low alcoholic content, around 6%, it does not harm the body and it is said to relieve stress. And because of the yeast and lactobacillus microorganisms that are produced during the fermentation process, it is said to contain anti-cancer agents.

Samgyeopsal

Besides bulgogi and galbi, samgyeopsal is another meat dish which I enjoy eating at any Korean restaurant.

Samgyeopsal or uncured pork belly is sliced very thinly and then grilled (you actually grill your own meat. As in any Korean restaurant, its either the tables are equipped with gas grills or a portable gas grill will be given to you for your use). 

This how I actually do my samgyeopsal:

1. Take a leaf or two of either lettuce or perilla.

2. Dip the grilled pork belly in a mixture of salt, sesame oil and 
    black pepper for added taste.

3. Place the meat on the leaf and then add a little rice, a dab of 

    ssamjang(fermented soy bean paste mixed with a bit of sweet 
    chilli paste).

4. You may also want to add a little kimchi or seasoned green 
    onion (shredded green onion mixed with sesame oil and red 
    pepper).

5. Wrap it up into a neat little packet.

6. Then bite in.

I enjoy eating it with a can or two of Coke. 

 

Must try foods while in Jeju

If ever you go to Jeju Island, you might want to try the following native dishes:

Heuk Dwaeji (black pork meat)

Said to be one of the most famous food in Jeju, more tastier than regular pork, and of course more expensive.

Ok-dom (Sea bream)

A small red fish that is known for its delicate taste

and texture and is usually served broiled.

Haemul Dukbaegi (Seafood Hotpot)

A special treat for all seafood lovers.  This is a stone pot filled with all kinds of seafood, usually consisting of shrimps, clams, octopus, squid, crabs cuttlefish, and abalone.

Jeongbukjuk: Abalone Porridge

Porridge is a delightful food to eat. I always consider it as a “home” or “family” food. In Jeju Island, they have what you call Jeongbukjuk as a specialty.

Jeongbukjuk is rice porridge cooked with minced jeonbok or abalone, thus Jeongbukjuk is abalone porridge. It is not only known as one of the specialty food of Jeju Island but is also known for its nutritional value and digestive aid especially for the sick and the elderly.

You might want to try cooking jeonbokjuk, here’s the details.

Servings:  2 - 3

Ingredients:

2 small size ablones

1 cup of rice

7 cups of water

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fish sauce

3 cloves of garlic

a stalk of onion leeks or 2 green onions

¼ cup of chopped carrot,

sheet of roasted laver (edible seaweed)

Directions:

1. Wash 1 cup of rice and soak it in cold water for 2 hours then drain.

2. Clean abalones by using a brush in cold running water. Chop it up and put it aside.

3. Chop some carrot, stalk of onion leeks or 2 green onions, and set it aside.

4. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and set it aside.

5. Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add 2 Tbsp sesame oil.

6. Add the minced garlic, abalone, and chopped carrot to the pot. Stir it for 30 seconds.

7. Add the soaked rice to the pot. Keep stirring for a few minutes until the grains of rice look half translucent.

8. Pour 7 cups of water into the pot and lower the heat to low heat. Close the lid and cook it for about 30 minutes. You might want to open the lid and stir the porridge every now and then to avoid the burning the rice on the bottom of the pot.

9. Open the lid of the pot and add 1 Tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp salt. The amount varies depending on your taste.

10. Roast a sheet of laver and put it in a plastic bag then crush it by rubbing the plastic bag.

11. To serve, ladle the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle the crushed roasted laver and chopped green onion over top.

Japchae (stir fried glass noodles with vegetables)

Japchae, Chapchae, or Jabchae, is a very popular korean dish made from cellophane noodles called dangmyeon  (the type of noodle used is made from sweet potato starch and becomes transluscent when cooked, hence it is sometimes called glass noodles), stir fried in sesame oil and a lot of vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, and spinach and flavoured with soy sauce and sugar. This dish is very versatile that it can be served as a meal by itself or it can be served as a side dish or a snack.  It can also be served either hot or slightly chilled.

This is my simple cook-it-yourself japchae.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound dried Korean sweet potato noodles
2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 stalks green onions, cut into 1″ lengths
1/2 cup shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 lb spinach, washed well and drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Procedure:

Fill a large pot with water and boil.

When water is boiling, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes.

Immediately drain and rinse with cold water.

Drain again and toss with only 1 tsp of the sesame oil.

Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into shorter pieces, about 6-8 inches in length.

Set aside.

In bowl, mix soy sauce and sugar together.

Add the cooking oil in a wok or large saute pan on high heat and swirl to coat.

When the cooking oil is hot but not smoking, stir fry onions and carrots, until just softened, about 1 minute.

Add the garlic, green onions and mushrooms, stir fry for about 30 seconds.

Then add the spinach, soy sauce, sugar and the noodles.

Saute for 2-3 minutes until the noodles are cooked through.

Turn off heat, toss with sesame seeds and the remaining 1 1/2 tsp of sesame oil.

Prepare a platter lined with banana leaves before pouring your japchae.  Just for presentation purposes.  That's how i usually serve my japchae.

You may also add beef strips if you so desire. Just saute it until tender and then stir in the other ingredients.  But i prefer my japchae meat free.

Just like cooking your ordinary stir fried noodles.

Bibimbap

I cooked bibimbap last night for some friends.  I thought it would be a nice alternative to the pasta dish which i usually prepare especially on a short notice.   
 

Here's how I prepared my bibimbap.

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice ( good for 4 – 6 people)

• 7 pcs Shitake mushroom

• 1 medium-sized Zucchini

• bunch of Spinach

• 1 large carrot

• Turnips (just added this)

• Bean sprouts

• Egg

• ¼ kilo ground beef

• Soy sauce, hot pepper paste (gochujang), sesame oil, sesame seeds, sugar, salt vegetable oil, ground black pepper

Recipe:

1. Cook rice.

2. Prepare a large platter, one that can accommodate all your cooked ingredients.

3. Prepare the vegetables. Cut the mushroom, zucchini into strips and julienne the carrots and turnips.

4. Rinse the bean sprouts and cook it (place it in a pot of boiling water and add salt. Leave it for about 15 – 20 minutes, or until cooked). Once cooked, drain water and mix it with minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it on the platter.

5. Rinse the spinach and put it on a pot of boiling water for a few minutes then drain. Squeeze the water out lightly and season with a pinch of salt, soy sauce, minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it on the platter.

6. In a pan, put vegetable oil and sauté mushroom and season it with a pinch of soy sauce, salt, sugar and pepper. Put it on the platter.

7. In a pan, put vegetable oil and sauté zucchini in some salt and sugar. Cook till translucent. Put it on the platter.

8. In a pan, put vegetable oil and sauté carrots and put it on the platter.

9. In a pan, put vegetable oil and sauté the turnips and put it on the platter.

10. On a heated pan, put some oil and the ¼ kg of ground beef then stir. Add minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, ½ Tbsp of sugar, black ground pepper, and sesame oil. Put it on the platter.

11. On a heated pan, put some oil and 200 grams of ground beef and stir it. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1/2 tbs of sugar, a little grounded black pepper, and sesame oil.

12. Cook the egg (sunny side up).

13. Put the cooked rice in a big bowl, then arrange your cooked vegetables and meat on top. Place the sunny side up egg on the center.

14. Serve it with sesame oil and hot pepper paste.

15. Mix it up and eat.

Simple meal yet friends enjoyed it.  I guess that means I'll be expected to cook some more.

Danyang and Damyang

Funny how in some instances one letter in a word can spell a whole lot of difference in your search, I was looking for some info on DaNyang which I thought was Korea’s bamboo center but I accidentally typed in DaMyang in the search bar. Much to my surprise, there is a county in Korea named Damyang and while reading thru the search results, it is actually Damyang which is considered as the center for bamboo cultivation and craftsmanship in Korea and not Danyang, as I initially presumed. Danyang is located in North Chungcheong Province (Chungcheongbuk-do) while Damyang is located in Jeollanam-do.

Here are some info I got to know of the similar sounding counties in Korea:

Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do is located around 22 kms north of Gwangju. A picturesque lush green county, thanks to the bamboo forests and gardens that abound the area. Its Bamboo Museum is the only one of its kind in the world. For those wanting to commune with nature and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday living, Damyang is the place for you. Spectacular Soswaewon garden complex offers a sanctuary for the tired individual offering a serene atmosphere where only the music created by nature are the only sounds you can hear. Jukhyang-ri village right beside Jungnogwon bamboo forest is the perfect place to experience Korean-style lodging. A climb atop Mt. Sanseong-san will reward you with a view of a mountain fortress which is believed to be built during Korea’s Three Kingdoms period. After the climb, you can enjoy yourself with some pampering at the luxurious spa at the Damyang Resort. And since your in Korea’s bamboo land, a representative food of the region is daetongbap, rice cooked in bamboo. It is made by filling a bamboo stalk with rice, dates and other ingredients and covered with hanji paper and steamed for approximately four hours. After eating the dish, you can keep the vessel as a souvenir.

Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, is about a 2.5-hour drive from Seoul. Resting next to the Chungjuho Lake and surrounded by three national parks, namely, Sobaeksan National Park; Chiaksan National Park; and Odaesan National Park, it also has numerous caves (Gosu, Nodong, Ondol, Cheongdong) scattered throughout the area, Danyang is considered as North Chungcheong’s top attraction. Danyang is touted as a complete tourist destination since it not only offers cultural and natural sites, it is also a haven for the active individual, one can actually do paragliding, motorized hang-gliding, rafting, boating, and clay shooting there.

If Damyang is known for its bamboo, Danyang’s major products are cement and garlic.

A simple case of typographical error with a happy ending.

Soju

Soju is probably the best known liquor from Korea, with its distinctive green bottle, it is said to be a favorite dinner accompaniment of Koreans. Soju is distilled liquor traditionally made from rice but is now being combined with other ingredients such as potato, wheat, barley, sweet potato, or tapioca. Soju is a clear-colored drink and typically varies in alcohol content from 20% to 45% alcohol by volume. My friends say its taste is comparable to vodka although a bit sweeter.

Korean rice cake

Rice is a common agricultural product of Asian countries. Asians are known as rice eating people. It is a staple food that is a mainstay in almost all meals in the region. It is also a versatile produce being served not only as the traditional boiled rice and porridge, but it is also used in wine making, desserts, snacks as well as specialty food for particular occasions. Rice in any form has been part of the rich culture and tradition of Asians.

In Korea, they have the traditional rice cake which is called “tteok”. Koreans prepare them for various occasions such as birthdays, weddings, special holidays, as well as ancestral offerings. It is also served as a healthy snack.

Different types of rice cakes are prepared for specific occasions, and here are some of them:

Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day)
songpyeon (crescent-shaped rice cake) is the representative food during this holiday. It is rice cake filled with jujube, red bean, chestnut or sweetened sesame seeds steamed over pine needles.

Seollal (Lunar New Year)
tteokguk (white rice cake soup) a favorite food served during this time of year. It is believed that the first day of a year is supposed to be holy and clean like the white color of the rice cake. And tradition has it that you can not grow a year older without eating tteokguk on Lunar New Year’s Day.

Honryae (Wedding ceremony)
bongchae tteok(steamed glutinous rice sprinkled with red beans) made from 7 jujubes, red beans and sticky rice. The ingredients used to make this cake have their own significant meaning: the sticky rice signifies the inseperable love of the couple; 7 jujubes represents a hope for 7 sons; and red beans are for dispelling evil spirits Other rice cakes served are moon rice cake (symbolizes the moon shining over each one’s life) and 2-color rice cake (representing 2 chickens which symbolizes a couple).

Tol (1st year birthday)
There are many types of rice cakes prepared during a child’s first birthday and one of them is paekseolgi (white steamed rice cakes) which symbolizes a pure and divine clean spirit and long life.

Tteok has become a favorite recipe for the korean palate. It plays a special part in every stage of Korean life.

Korean Tea Ceremony

Tea has evolved to become one of the more popular beverages worldwide. More and more people are becoming tea drinkers because of the health benefits derived from tea and it has also become a way of relaxation for many.

Tea is called “cha” in Korean. It is said that “cha” was introduced to Korea from China sometime in the 6th or 7th century by Buddhist monks or Korean scholars who traveled to China, they eventually brought home with them tea, and that’s how tea made its way to Korea. Buddhist monks drank tea to avoid sleeplessness and purify their minds. With Buddhism flourishing in Korea, tea has gained more popularity but when it was replaced by Confucianism, tea culture was repressed. It was only in the early 19th century when the Korean Way of Tea Life was revived.

Korean tea ceremony is called “Dado”. The focus of Korean tea ceremony is the enjoyment of tea in an easy, formal and natural setting. Its simplicity is what differentiates it from the complexity of the Japanese tea ceremony, were it is bound by formal rituals.

Green tea is most often served in tea ceremonies. In order to prepare green tea the Korean way, a tea set is recommended (if I’m not mistaken, they call it cha-kee). A tea set is basically a small tea pot for brewing; a small tea bowl for water cooling; and tea cup/s. Now that you have the tea set, this is how the actual ceremony is done:

1. Boiled water is poured into the tea set (tea pot, tea bowl and tea cup/s) to warm the utensils. The water is then discarded.

2. The right amount of dried tea leaves are placed in the pot.

3. Hot water is allowed to cool in the tea bowl.

4. Warmed water is gently poured into the pot with the tea leaves and allowed to brew for about 2-3 minutes.

5. Water from the teapot is then poured back to the tea bowl to mix it evenly and is poured into the cups.

Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving Day

Chuseok or Thanksgiving Day is one of the two most important traditional holidays in Korea, the other being Seollal or Lunar New Year’s Day. It is during this time of year when Koreans, en masse, head back to their hometowns to pay respect to their ancestors and celebrate holidays with the family.

Chuseok which is also called Hangawi, is a harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar Month. This year Chuseok falls on October 3.

A traditional food during Chuseok is Songpyeon, a crescent-shaped rice cake filled with sesame seeds, red beans, chestnuts, jujube and other grains which is steamed upon pine needles and is prepared on the eve of Chuseok.

On the morning of Chuseok, songpyeon and other food such as fruits, are arranged to give thanks to their ancestors through Charye (ancestor memorial service). After Charye, Koreans perform the Seongmyo (visiting the ancestral grave) and during the visit they do the Beolcho (remove the weeds around the burial ground).

Under the light of the full moon, the Gaggangsulle (Korean circle dance) is performed by the female family members, dressed in hanbok, they gather around in a circle holding hands and they sing together.

Because Chuseok is such an important occasion, most department stores, restaurants and establishments are closed during this 3-day holiday (the day before Chuseok, Chuseok day itself, and the day after).

If you would like to enjoy the major cities in Korea sans the regular hustle and bustle, traffic jams and the like, this would be a perfect time for you to visit the country. Although most establishments are closed, the museums and other places of interests are still open, a perfect time to immerse yourself in the rich treasures of Korea, without the usual crowd. If you enjoy just simply strolling and feasting your senses with the beauty of the place, which you would not usually have the chance to catch when there are too many people around, you can do all of these during the Chuseok holiday.

However if you are planning to go to places outside the major cities, make sure not to travel during Chuseok, for roads during this time are extremely crowded. So make sure to arrange your travel way in advance to avoid any inconveniences.

10 Must Try Korean Snacks

Before I went to attend to some work-related travels two weeks ago (main reason why my blog was not updated from July 4 – 14, and again I’m currently out for another week and a half, but at least I have more spare time, I hope) I had dinner with my friends, and while waiting for our meal to be served, we were talking about exotic delicacies, street food we’ve each tried in our travels whether domestic or international. It crossed my mind that this would be an interesting topic for my blog but just have to give it some Korean color. Luckily, someone from the group mentioned some Korean street foods he had tried while visiting Korea sometime ago. So I just have to do some research about those he mentioned so I can put some meat into my blog and add a few more to make my list of 10 Must Try Korean Snacks.

As always, street food is not one for the faint-of-heart but it is for someone who is more of the adventurous type, one who is not scared to try something new. Why? because more often than not, street food offers exotic delicacies enjoyed by the locals in any area. Exotic in the sense that, things that you can’t ever imagine eating like worms, bugs, insects, and the like, actually finds its way in the menu of street vendors, and these are eaten with gusto.

In Korea, they call a street food vendor pojangmacha, which literally means “covered wagon”. Among the most popular Korean street food are:



Hobbang – a hot snack made of pre-cooked ball of rice flour filled with red bean paste, steamed in a warmer and sold in small shops and small convenient stores.

Hotteok – Korean filled pancakes usually eaten during the winter months. Handful-sized ball of stiff dough made from wheat, flour, water, milk, sugar and yeast which is allowed to rise for several hours, is stuffed with a mix of brown sugar, honey, chopped peanuts, and cinnamon, placed on a greased griddle, then pressed into a flat circle with a special tool with a stainless steel circle and wooden handle as it cooks. For those who don’t have the time to make the recipe at home or don’t have the time to buy them at their nearby pojangmacha, ready-to-cook hotteok is readily available in Korean supermarkets, together with its filling.

Beondegi – literally meaning chrysalis or pupa, are steamed or boiled silkworm pupae which are seasoned and eaten as a snack. Served not only by pojangmacha, this snack is also served in restaurants, drinking establishments, as well as in grocery stores.

Eomuk – boiled fish paste that commonly accompanies soju or other beverages. The eomuk is skewered before boiling in a broth and dipped first in soy sauce before eating. A soft snack with a fishy smell to it, the broth is sometimes given to the customer for dipping and drinking. During the colder months or in winter, it is actually sold as “Hotbar”, this is eomuk which is deep fried instead of boiled.


Twibap – literally means “popped rice” is a puffy cookie made from rice or corn.




Tteokbokki – made by broiling meat, vegetables, eggs, and seasonings in water, then topped with gingko nuts and walnuts before serving.

Bungeoppang are fish-shaped pastry normally filled with sweet red bean paste. The snack is made by pouring batter into a special appliance similar to a waffle-maker, that are shaped like fish, then adding the sweet the red bean paste and closed off with more batter. Another version of this snack is called Gukwappang which is floral in shape. A healthy and delicious snack or dessert, this comes in different fillings such as custard cream or ice cream but the traditional filling is the sweet red bean paste.

Gimbap – steamed white rice with meat and vegetables rolled in sheets of dried seaweed served in bite size portions and is usually served cold.

Oksusu cha which literally means corn tea, is a drink made from boiled roasted corn kernels and does not contain any tea leaves. It is prepared by thoroughly drying corn kernels and then roasted until it turns golden brown. The roasted corn is then brewed with boiling water until it turns pale yellow. The tea is then drained and the boiled corn discarded. This drink is also available in prepared tea bags.

Gyeongju bread – also known as Hwangnam bread, is pancake stuffed with sweet red bean paste, and is a local specialty of Gyeongju City.

Trying these snacks would seem to be a fun thing to do while in Korea.

Kimchi

Talk of Korean food and I’m pretty sure that the first thing that will come to your mind is kimchi. Kimchi is the most popular food associated with Korea. Kimchi is a fermented vegetable dish which comes in different varieties, more than 160 varieties to be exact, and is prepared differently depending on the ingredients used, the time of year it was made, and, what region it came from. It is a regular mainstay in every Korean meal and is the most common pancham or side dish. However, kimchi is more than a side dish as it is combined with other ingredients to make other popular Korean dishes, such as kimchi jjigae, kimchi pancakes and kimchi fried rice.

Accordingly, the name kimchi is believed to have evolved from the word ji, which then became chimchae, literally meaning soaked vegetables, then dimchae, timchae, jimchi, and finally kimchi.

During the ancient times, kimchi was made of only cabbage and beef stock, a far cry from what it has evolved into these days, it was only during the 12th century that people begun adding several spices and seasoning. And in the 18th century, the red chili pepper finally became a major ingredient in kimchi.

A lot of vegetable can be made into kimchi, but the most popular variety is that made of cabbage or what they call baechu. Standard seasoning for kimchi include brine, scallions and seasonings. Other seasonings such as ginger, onions, fish sauce and fresh seafood are the most commonly used.

Although kimchi can be found in the entire Korean peninsula, its taste and appearance differs from region to region. Kimchi from the northern part tends to have less salt, less red chilli and usually no brined seafood for seasoning, and its consistency is more watery as compared to that of the other regions. While kimchi from the southern part is usually the opposite of how they prepare it in the north, it uses more salt, chili peppers and brined seafood (it may be brined anchovy or brined shrimp which is allowed to ferment).

Chungcheong is said to have the greatest varieties of kimchi while the saltiest and spiciest kimchi comes from Gyeongsan.

During the early parts of winter, Koreans celebrate what they call Gimjang, an age-old tradition of making kimchi for the coldest winter months. Usually done during the latter part of October or early November, it is considered a big event that close relatives, several neighbor housewives, and men help in this activity.

A Kimchi Festival is also held annually in Gwangju. Started in 1994, the festival highlights Korea’s kimchi culture and is usually conducted every October or November. During the festival, which lasts for several days, visitors are given the opportunity to make, taste, and buy kimchi products. Cultural presentations are also part of this festival.

Due to its health benefits, the popularity of kimchi has been steadily growing worldwide. Since it is made of various vegetables, kimchi is low in calorie yet rich in dietary fiber. It is also rich in Vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), C, calcium and iron, and also contains lactic acid.

Kimchi, definitely a Korean dish.