Spicy! Kimchi Fried Rice... FULLY LOADED!

OMG... My deepest apologies. I've been absent for almost 3 months. How embarrassing! *run away to hide* 三(  ´Д` ) To make it up... I know I have been saying to some of my friends that I will put up the recipe for Kimchi (aka "Kimuchee"... I think I heard it from my friend KC as she was venting about how some people can't say it right? IDK) Fried Rice. Now, I don't really eat rice, but this was the very first recipe I learned about to make in my cooking journey... and I tried my best to make it better every time I do make it. It has literally been a long time since I last looked for the recipe, I wish I can credit someone for this, but it has literally been a while since I last searched and I don't remember. But in all, I credit all the wonderful people who took the time to put up their recipe for us to search.


"Fully Loaded"... why? Because I put hella stuff in it. Meat, loads of veggies, egg... it has been my go-to dish when my family "orders" it. I must say I changed the dish just a bit... not by a lot. Traditionally, the dish is TOPPED with a fried egg. Mine has scrambled egg mixed in. Traditional... I don't know if they have cucumber and carrots in it, but mine do! XD Omit and add to your taste... it is fried rice after all. Its kind of like a sandwich, you put what you like in it... that's what I think. XD


hello.mimi's TIP: When making this... it is best to use overnight rice! Yes... overnight rice, as in the leftover rice from a night before or so. Fresh rice is good, but after cooking it tends to be mushy. Overnight rice is best, because you have let the cooked rice to sit and cool, letting it soak up the water and moisture. Therefore, it is cooked and still soft but with a little bite. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE OVERNIGHT RICE, TRY THIS -> cook your rice ahead of time, BUT LET COOL FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS PRIOR TO MAKING FRIED RICE!!!! Trust me, it works... or at least trust my Grandma.


My recipe makes for one big wok. Note about the kimchi and kimchi juice... the ones I get are from the Korean market's deli section, so they come in a box. I find it hard to put into measurement as to how much kimchi juice I would use. Basically, the kimchi juice is for added spiciness. And how I measured my use of kimchi juice is by the box... I basically used about 1 - 1.5 box of kimchi juice, take to account that the market does not fill the box entirely... so eye-balling it if the box does not have kimchi in it, I would say I used about 1 cup of the juice... but adjust to your taste.

*drool*

Ingredients:

4 - 5 cups cooked rice

1 - 1½ cup kimchi (sliced with kimchi juice, reserve the kimchi juice on the side about ½-1 cup if you can)

1 - 2 tbsp Korean hot pepper paste (I used Haioreum brand gochujang)

1 - 2 big cloves garlic (minced)

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ a large onion (diced)

1 tbsp sesame oil

½ pound ground beef (quick marinade with a little bit of soy sauce, sugar, and salt... or cheat and use pre-marinaded bulgogi at the Korean market)

3 - 4 eggs (scrambled... omit if topping with a fried egg)

1 cucumber (diced)

1 carrot (diced)

How-To:

- In small pan with a touch of oil, beat and scramble the eggs. Remove and set aside.

- Heat wok with sesame oil, add garlic and let brown. (Omit this step if using pre-marinaded bulgogi.)

- Add ground beef to wok and brown throughly.

- Add rice to wok, stir to incorporate beef. Let stand for a little bit to let rice brown if want crunchy bits of rice.

- Add kimchi, about 1/2 cup kimchi juice first, gochujang, soy sauce, onion, scrambled eggs, cucumber, and carrot into wok.

- Stir to incorporate everything. TASTE (it is very important)! Adjust with reserved kimchi juice to desired level of kimchi flavor. Salt or a tad bit more of the gochujang (this is what is providing the salt in the dish) is needs more salt.

- If want, let fried rice a stand a little to achieve a little bit of crispy burnt rice with occasional stir... but after mixing to incorporate everything, it is ready to be served.

Phew~ that was a lot right? But it is delicious. I hope you all try the recipe. Good luck! (^-^)b

Slurping goodness: Spaghetti Napolitan!!!!

Sorry for the absence since my last post. I just started my new semester at CCSF, and I've been (and still am) battling a lingering stomach flu. But I tried my hands at a new dish last month, and I love it! Then again... I love anything spaghetti/pasta/noodle. Hands down, it is my main downfall to all my dieting efforts.

I don't think I've come across any restaurant that serves Spaghetti Napolitan. This dish always seems like comfort food to me. I know little kids seems to like because it is sweet, yet appeals to adults too because it is savory as well. I don't know... bottomline: It is good~. Haha! XD I think this is a good college dorm dish... no?

Giving into temptation, of course I was not going to pass on a spaghetti recipe I saw on Just Hungry for Spaghetti Napolitan! I just had to try it. I didn't alter the original recipe other than using a different type of ketchup by Heinz, and omitted the butter when cooking.

(If you want to know what "yoshoku" means, please read about it in Just Hungry. Very informative.)

Plate full o' food!

Ingredients:

1 - 1.5 bunch dried spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)

1 small/medium bell pepper (any color of your choice, I used green)

1/2 - 1 medium onion

1 box button mushrooms (white buttons or baby portabellos)

2 - 3 links of frankfurters (I used beef. Regular hot dogs or sausages work too.)

1/2 cup ketchup (I used a sugar-free ketchup by Heinz, and it tasted just fine.)

2 tbsp tonkatsu sauce (I used Bulldog brand.)

2 tbsp heavy cream

oil

salt and pepper to taste

How-To:

- Cook pasta according to package, and let drain.

- Slice onions to strips.

- Slices bell peppers to strips.

- Slice mushrooms. (Tip!: Have an egg slicer? Slice mushrooms faster with it!)

- Slice frankfurter/hot dog into diagonal slices.

- In a heated pan, lightly grease with a touch of oil (or butter) and cook the onion until lightly translucent.

- Add the peppers and mushrooms, and cook until lightly tender/limp.

- Add and cook the frankfurter slices. (Brown lightly for a touch of crisp.)

- In a bowl, combine ketchup, tonkatsu sauce and cream.

- Add drained pasta into the pan of veggies.

- Add the sauce mixture into the pan, and toss to coat each strand of spaghetti with yumminess.

- Salt and pepper to taste.

- Plate and enjoy!

Like many pasta dish, top with a dash of grated cheese. Like it spicy? Add a touch of crushed pepper flakes. Hope you all will try this dish! (^-^)

A quick tropical vacation: Lomi Lomi Salmon

Hey everyone! Long time no post... Been busy and lazy all the same time. But I'm back! With a new recipe to share!

Its been hot in the Bay Area lately! What sup with that? But no matter... Because I have a recipe that is pretty good for the hot weather. Since my Summer Break is all devoted to work, I can only dream for a vacation. So what good way to go on a vacation without having to pack my bags? Food! =D

I've been wanting to go somewhere tropical... and I suddenly thought, "Why not Hawaii?" Food Network and Travel Channel has been showing non-stop programs about Hawaii. So why not?

I super thank my friend Phil for introducing me to the Hawaiian dish, Lomi Lomi. I loved it the first time I tried it. (^-^) I didn't get the recipe from my friend, but from Hawaii for Visitors. I think my friend used smoked salmon, which works just fine and is just as delicious! But knowing me... I went the extra mile and made my OWN salted salmon. I warn though... Be careful about your salting if you plan to salt your own salmon. I used Palm Island: White Silver Sea Salt . I used one whole pack on a small fillet, about 1 pound and 1 inch thick more or less, salted for about 24 hours, and it got quite salty. But I'll write my process in the How-To section.

When selecting your salmon, make sure it does not have that stinky fishy smell. Fresh fish should not have that fishy smell.

There isn't much to say... other than... if you want a quick get-away to the tropics, try this recipe.

What is left of my Lomi Lomi after my family had it for dinner.

Ingredients:

1 - 1.5 pounds Salmon fillet (All works fine: Sockeye, Copper River, Wild caught, or Farmed)

1 small onion (a sweet white onion, red onion... and if you are lucky, Maui onion)
2 - 4 ripe tomatoes
1 - 2 stalk green onion
salt (kosher or sea salt)

How-To:

DIY salting salmon:
- Skin the salmon fillet, and wash throughly.
- Gently run finger over fillet to feel for bones. Pluck it out with tweezers or a pair of pliers.
- Pat dry fillet throughly with paper towel.
- In a glass casserole dish, line with plastic wrap.
- Place fillet in dish, and pour enough salt on it.
- Message salt into fillet on both sides. Make sure all sides of fish is covered in salt.
- Take the plastic wrap and fold all the sides over the fillet.
- Using a heavier pan, weigh it on the fillet, and place into refrigerator.
- Refrigerate for 8 - 24 hours (depending on desired salt level and fillet's thickness), changing the water every hour or so.
- After a 8 - 24 hours, rinse fillet throughly.
* If salmon is too salty, soak fillet in cold water for 3 - 4 hours.

Lomi Lomi:
- Chop onion into tiny pieces.
- Seed and chop tomatoes into tiny pieces.
- Chop green onion, white and green parts!
- Chop salted salmon into tiny bite size pieces.
- In a large bowl, dump everything in and MIX!!!
- Best served chilled.

Aside from the salting process, the actual putting-together process of the dish is SUPER EASY. It taste good chilled. But if you pre-make the dish and let it sit in the fridge overnight, the salted salmon and onion will mellow out by marrying their taste together. That's what I think though. I really hope you guys will try it. Please enjoy! (^-^)

Dynamite!... Part 1: Spicy Baked Mussels

This is a recipe I love to make. Its simple, but... it isn't something I would recommend eating all the time. But it goes great with rice, or just as a simple "happi"tizer. =P

I have another recipe for "Dynamite," but that's for next time. But today, I have Dynamite: Baked Mussels. I want to thank my friend, THARY!!! for this recipe. It was yummy, and thanks for teaching me how to make it. Sankyu, Supermodel! (^.^)o ~♥ You are love.

So what is Dynamite? Well... Explosion? Lol! But seriously, I think the name comes from the spiciness the dish has. I'm not sure the origin of the dish, but most likely a Japanese/Asian American recipe. Srirachi (the most recognized Asian "tabasco" brand) and mayonnaise... but no, not just any mayonnaise will do. No sir~ you need Kewpie Mayo. What? That's right! Kewpie Mayo <- click the link if you have never seen it before. What's the difference between this mayo and regular mayo? Kewpie has a sweeter taste, as to regular mayo like Best Foods or Miracle Whip has a tangy taste. Only difference. But you can find the hot sauce at any Asian supermarket (and I think mainstream supermarkets like Safeway carries it now). Kewpie mayo can be a little difficult, I tried my local Chinese/Vietnamese-based supermarket and they didn't have it. But then I went to my local Japanese-based and Korean-based supermarkets, and they have it. So don't despair if you can't find it in one place, try another. If you really can't find it... buy online? Or just try using regular mayo (I never tried it though, because I only have Kewpie in my fridge).

I changed the recipe ever so slightly by adding small bay scallops (click for little picture and description from Pike Place Fish Market), and lots of Tobiko (way smaller than ikura, way bigger than masago. Read this quick wiki for more detail and images). You can have both Tobiko and Masago in the recipe, it just adds different depth of crunch that tiny fish eggs gives when you munch into them.

*My color chart of Sriracha to Mayo mix Spicy level:

Light peach = more mayo than Sriracha -> Not spicy

Peach = little more Sriracha than mayo -> not spicy but has a light Sriracha taste 

Peachy-salmon = bit more Sriracha than mayo -> a good kick of heat

Orangy-pink/beyond = More Sriracha than mayo -> Spicy!

Don't that just look awesomely delicious? "Happ"itizer!

Ingredients:

2 dozen mussels on a half-shell (New Zeland green lips are the best)

1/2 - 1 cup bay scallops (optional)

1 tbsp milk (my friend used milk, some recipes says half and half, but I used heavy cream. All works same.)

1 pinch hon dashi (Dashi "MSG" pellets (my opinion of course)! Curious? Read at Kobi's Kitchen.)

3/4 cup Kewpie mayo

1/4 cup Tobiko (remember to reserve some to garnish)

Sriracha (add enough to your own taste)

How-To:

- Clean mussles, and wash bay scallops. Drain to dry. Cut scallops in half or quarter.

- In a bowl, add milk/cream and hon dashi. Mix to dissolve the pellets.

- Add mayo. Mix to incorporate into the milk/hon dashi mix.

- Add as much Sriracha as you like. *(See my color chart of spicy above) Mix. 

- Add some Tobiko, and add some scallops (if using). Mix.

- Pre-heat oven to 350˚F.

- Line a pan with aluminum foil, top each clean mussel with some mayo-scallop mix, and sprinkle some more tobiko.

- Place mussel-filled pan into the oven, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes depending on oven (or until scallops are cooked... if using scallops of course).

- Make sure you rotate the pan of mussels every 5 minutes for even cooking.

- After 15 - 20 minutes are up, take out of oven and enjoy!

Hella good, I say. This is a must try, because there is so little ingredients needed and so simple to put together. Please enjoy guys! d(^_^)b

Lazy day? Shepherd/Cottage Pie!

Hello! To make up for the many absent posts, here is a new one!

First time I had Shepherd/Cottage pie was Freshmen year of college in SFSU. The special every Friday, and it was worth the amusement park line wait. Then the next time I had it was when my friend made, as he calls it "Cowboy Pie" because he used beef. Since then, I always wanted to make it... and became curious about what Shepherd Pie was. I tried the recipe from Simple Recipes. It really is easy. And if you are cut for time, semi-home make it. Here, I cut the work by buying the mash potato. It still works, but if you are really all for making it from scratch, follow the recipe from Simple Recipes (as linked in the pervious sentences). I think I've made this dish a good 5 to 6 times now, and each time my family requests for more veggies. I use frozen veggies like peas, carrots, and corn. You can simply find this mix in the freezer section of your supermarket. It came to point where I ended up using a bag and a half of frozen veggies in the dish. Interesting thing is that all that veggies made the dish little moister and had that veggie sweetness. I added some tomato paste for that little hint of tomato acidy. The recipe didn't call for it, but what to do with some leftover tomato paste from Mom's spaghetti sauce?

Little tid-bit: Shepherd Pie uses ground lamb. Cottage Pie (aka: Cowboy Pie) uses ground beef. But both are topped and broiled with mashed potato.

I know it is Summer right now, but it is such a good dish to keep in mind when Autumn and Winter rolls around. My family likes it since I first made it, and it is so filling. Seriously, it is really filling because of the potato. Haha!

Potato and meat... so simple, so good~

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (I used 97/3 for a leaner, healthier option)

1 - 2 tub pre-made mashed potato (I've used Country Crocker)

1/2 - 1 bag frozen vegetable mix

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 onion (chopped)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup beef broth (Optional: I used it first, but ended up nixing it)

1 - 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

1/2 - 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

salt (optional / to taste)

How-To:

- Heat mashed potato as directed on package.

- In a large pan, heat with some oil. Brown garlic. Cook onion until translucent.

- Add beef, and cook throughly. Break the ground beef into chunks with your spatula.

- Add frozen veggie mix of your choice.

- Give the pan a good mix.

- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Mix well to get the tomato paste dissolved.

- Add some cracked pepper.

- If the meat looks a little dry, add a little more beef broth.

- Sprinkle with salt to taste.

- In a casserole pan, spread the beef-veggie mix into a nice layer. Top with the pre-made mash potato into an fairly even layer. Make little spikes on the potato so when browning in the broiler it looks pretty.

- Turn on the broiler, and place the casserole pan in.

- Make sure you're watching the browning, because some broilers are shallow and can brown foods faster. So watch out. Not all broilers are made the same. I've learned.

That's it! Easy yeah? Hope you guys like it! Good luck and enjoy!!!!!!!!! (^0^)/

Long Overdue: Soon Doobu! (without the hot stone pot)

Hey everyone! I'm sooooooo~ sorry! I've been 1) lazy, 2) lost internet around at home, 3) micro SD reader died, and 4) just got a new one and is bumming internet connection at my uncle's house. Loving my new USB reader... cuz 1) its pink, and 2) IT ACTUALLY  WORKS!... Not bad for $2 from Ichiban Kan. XD 

Anyways... ON TO THE FOOD!!!!! (o > Д<)⊃

So as I had promised, Soon Doobu (Spicy Tofu Stew/Soup)! Story? Ummm... Okay~? *Thinks*... My mom and I are the only ones who eat it when we get a stone pot of it at Korean BBQ places. The only time we eat spicy tofu soup is when we go to K-BBQ... and it was only a treat. And how often do we eat K-BBQ? Once or twice a year for special occasions, and sometimes never! So! I was like "Mom! I'm going to learn how to make Korean tofu soup... you know, the spicy one from the BBQ places." My mom was so happy... then again, she's happy whenever I say I'm going to make food. 

I make this often when I first learned it... now... not so much. I don't want to get bored of it, ya know? I love spicy tofu stew/soup. I know its summer right now, and who in their right mind would be eating hot soup now? Well, Winter is only around the corner, and being that it is San Francisco... anytime is a good time for a bowl of hot/warm soup. But definitely great for Winter... especially a rainy Winter. A big hot bowl of spicy red broth, little bits of broken up tofu, chunks of veggies, a nibble of meat and seafood.... oh yum~! I learned the recipe from Maangchi, but altered the veggies to match the ones I eat from the BBQ places. Little more steps, a little longer to make, but it is well worth it if you love this soup/stew as much as my family and I do. Bit of caution though... do a little research before making. According to Maangchi (and I highly suggest reading her blog on hot pepper flakes), there is 2 types of hot pepper flakes: Maewoon Gochu Gaaroo (very hot) and Deol Maewoon Gochu Gaaroo (less spicy). Personally, I used the brand Wang in Maewoon. And according to Maangchi, there is a ranking of spiciness in tablespoon-form (keep this in mind for later)... it goes like this:

Pepper Flake Table of Spiciness

2 tbsp = mild

3 tbsp = medium

4 tbsp = hot

5 tbsp = SUICIDE!  Σ(;>Д<;;)o

Personally, I go beyond 5 tbsp, about 7 tbsp... and it isn't so suicidal at all. Then again, my family likes spicy food. So experiment how hot your tongue can take, just don't start off with 5 tbsp right off the bat when making this. ALSO, I don't use the screaming hot stone pot what this dish is normally cooked in. I just use regular everyday pots. But use a pretty big pot for Pot #2: Everything Else. My recipe has lots of stuff in it and can overflow easily. But just be careful. (^-^)

Really wish I made the shot look better, but this was the best I could get while holding my family (whom were getting snappy) back from devouring it as soon as the pot got to the table.

Ingredients:

stock:

12 dried anchovies, "gutted" (check Maangchi for how anchovies look like and to "gut" is to remove the belly and dark nub in the cavity)

1/3 cup dried kelp (soak off excess salt in warm water)

1/2 onion

5 cloves garlic

3 caps large dried shitake or 6-7 caps small dried shitake (partially rehydrated)

everything else:

2-3 large zucchinis, washed, peeled (optional), and cubed

1 stalk large leek, washed (to get out the sand) and chopped

1/2-1 medium onion, diced (optional, but I added it for more stuff to eat)

1-2 jars medium oysters (optional, or you can use other types of seafood)

1/4 pounds (or less) beef, cut into bite size strips or pieces (I use flank steak, cut on a bias)

2-4 tubes tofu (Unfamiliar with tofu in a tube? Click the link from My Korean Kitchen for image, or substitute with regular silken tofu)

2-5 tbsp Korean hot pepper flakes (I used the brand Wang: Maewoon Gochu Gaaroo)

2 tbsp fish sauce

salt (to taste/optional)

egg (optional to crack into your soup)

How-To:

Pot #1: stock

- In a cheese cloth bag, add gutted anchovies and kelp.

- In a medium pot filled with water (about 5-6 cups worth), add cheese cloth bag, onion, garlic, and dried shitakes.

- Boil on high heat for 10 minutes.

- After 10 minutes, lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes. (Tip: half-cover pot with lid to prevent boiling over)

- After 20 minutes, fish out shitake to let cool for handling and chop into pieces, and set aside pot of stock.

Pot #2: everything else

- In a large pot (and I mean LARGE), add a touch of oil (or sesame oil for a punch of flavor), and cook beef.

- Add shitake, leek, zucchini, and onion. Stir ingredients to brown a little.

- Add hot pepper flakes. Stir to coat everything... it should look like a bit mass of red blobs.

- Ladle in 2-3 scoops of stock. CAUTION FOR SIZZLING! Once sizzling dies down, ladle in the rest of the stock into the pot or as much that the pot can take (REMEMBER TO LEAVE ROOM FOR MORE INGREDIENTS AND TOFU!). Stir so everything is bathing in the brothy goodness.

- Add the oysters or seafood.

- Add fish sauce.

- Give a little stir. (Be gentle if using oysters, don't want to break them.)

- Add tubes of tofu into pot. Gently break tofu with ladle or spatula (whatever you're using to stir the pot). It okay if some tofu pieces are bigger and some smaller.

- Let boil a bit, so the flavors can marry and be yummy.

- Give it a taste, and add a touch of salt if needed.

- Serve in a bowl with raw egg, or eat as it plain!

Whoo~ that's a lot right? But its so good. If you want more heat in your food and the hot pepper flakes just isn't cutting it, add a few slices of fresh jalapẽnos before or after adding tofu. I hope you all will try this recipe! Please enjoy! o(^-^)o

Its been a while... Time to spicy things up!

I'm so sorry for not being active for the ENTIRE month of April. I've really been swamped with projects and school papers. But! I do have a recipe that's actually quite good... in fact, it kind of got me through most of the month.

Between studying, work and school... I only have time for sleep and zombifying in front of the TV... which means more sleeping. But if you can make a BIG pot of this and eat it over the week. Yeah, I'm kind of sick of it... but you can really change up this recipe so you won't die of repetitive taste.  I personally added olive slices into it to give it more color and... I like olives. I got the recipe from The Perfect Pantry.

Spicy, meaty, and overall yum. It is spaghetti with a slight Asiany twist to it because the recipe calls for "Chicken" Brand spicy garlic chili sauce... the same makers of Sriracha... instead of the usual tomato-based  sauce. Originally, this dish looks kind of bland... the color of cooked meat with a tinge of red from the garlic sauce. So! I changed it up by adding a can of pre-sliced black olives, and changing the pasta shape to a mini (piccolini) faralle shaped pasta. It is cuter I think. I've been meaning to add a small can of chopped or diced tomato... fresh is nice, but sometimes you just don't have the time to dice tomatoes. Semi-homemade guys... it is your friend when time is too tight for cooking.

Eww... my phone's camera failed this time... please excuse it's failedness.

Ingredients:

1/2 - 1 box of piccolini farfalle or any type of pasta you like

1 pound lean ground beef (I used 93/7 for an extra healthier option)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 - 1 onion, diced

1 pack white button mushrooms, sliced.

6 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp garlic chili sauce

salt (optional)

green onion, sliced for garnish (optional)

How-To:

- Boil pasta as directed on the box in a big pot of water. Remember to salt the water!

- In a pan or wok, add a touch of oil and brown garlic to make the oil fragrant, and cook onion until translucent. 

- Add ground beef, and cook throughly!

- Add mushroom.

- Cook until everything is throughly cooked through, the pan will be filled with a bit of water from the mushrooms and onion releasing their liquids, so don't freak out! Its good and tasty water. XD

- Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and garlic chili sauce into pan. Stir to mix. Add as much or little garlic chili sauce to your own liking. Don't be afraid to adjust to your own taste.

- If using canned sliced olives, open can and drain olives before cooking beef. Add it to the pan after sauce, and mix to incorporate. (Same for if you plan to use canned diced tomatoes.)

- Remember to taste your food! Add salt if it is not savory enough.

- Plate, top with green onions and enjoy!

Like the website is called, this dish really can be made and found in your pantry... all ingredients minus the beef, I mean. Haha! If pre-made at the beginning of the week and in a big batch, it's great for nights you don't want to cook or have no time to cook.

Good luck to you!

Spring break calls for a Kimbap break

OMG~ (=A=) I have no Spring Break. Between work and class papers + projects... I'm exhausted. But that doesn't mean that I forgot about this blog (although I think I might have for a little bit). *guilty*

Anyways... being busy with school and work doesn't mean that I haven't made time to do some cooking. There is this love I have for maki (rolled sushi), and I have this love for Korean food. And I have this love to shop at Kukje Market. I can always find something there, and one item I always buy there is Kimbap.

I got a little tired of buying kimbap, so I thought... "Why not make my own?" My only problem is that... my family prefers the bulgogi kimbap over the fishcake kimbap. So the only one I make is the bulgogi kind, but please... sub the meat for fishcake. I want to suggest as a vegetarian substitution would be firm tofu maybe grilled and lightly brushed with teriyaki sauce? I don't know... one and one type of kimpbap makes it to my table at home... sadly. XD But when I first made kimbap, I got the recipe from About.com and adjust as I go along over time.

A quick way to cut corners in making kimbap is the deli section of the Korean market and pre-cut items. Those are your friends. Especially when you can't think of what to make, and your family throws a "Hey, are you going to make korean sushi tonight?" just out of the blue. I get this all the time. I usually like to buy the spinaches from the deli to cut corners, but I'll post the instructions for the spinach part if you prefer to make kimbap out of scratch. I tend to buy the pre-cut pickled daikon (aka: Takuan), because I really don't want to still be chopping and cutting my veggies, while my family is waiting for me to finish making dinner.


Quick tip: If you don't have a bamboo roll mat. Rolling by hand is just as good, but a little messy. But you can also try: lay a clean dish towel on a flat surface, on top lay a sheet of plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil. Now tuck and roll! The towel acts as the mold and compressor. The plastic sheet is keeping its shape and keeping the kitchen surface clean. It won't be as tight as using a bamboo sheet, but it gets the job done. 

Really, my phone should be my camera... period. But that's a whole lotta kimbap! 0_0

My recipe makes a whole lot of kimbap. It seems every time I make kimbap, I end up with 4 - 5 fat rolls (kind of looks like Futomaki doesn't it?). Great for parties.... or 5 days of whole uncut kimbap rolls. XD

Ingredients:

5 - 6 nori sheets
3 - 4 cups cooked sushi rice
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp salt
1 carrot, julienned
1 cucumber, julienned
1 pickled daikon/takuan, cut into strips (or buy 1 pack pre-cut pickled daikons)
2 - 4 eggs (Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelet style)
1/2 - 1 lb. spinach, parboil (or buy 1 pack pre-seasoned spinach from the deli)
1/2 - 1 pound bulgogi (marinaded beef)
1 sheet fishcake (optional)


How-To:
- Wash and cook rice in rice cooker.
- Once cooked, let rice cool enough to handle.
- In a little bowl, mix sesame oil and salt. Then mix into cooled rice.
- Julienne all the carrots, cucumbers, and cut the daikon into strips (if not using the pre-cut). Set aside.
- In a bowl, crack and scramble the eggs.
- In a pan, heat, lightly grease, and pour 1/3 of the eggs mixture. Quickly fold the egg onto one side of the pan. Pour another 1/3 of the egg mix into the pan, make sure that the first 1/3 is touching the new pour, and fold the egg to the other side of the pan. Pour last 1/3 of the egg mix into the pan, and fold the egg to the other end of the pan. Brown a little for color. Take out of pan, set aside to cool. Once cooled, cut into strips. (Here is a video that gives you an idea of how to make it if words aren't helping -> How to Tamagoyaki)
- Same pan, add a little sesame oil and cook carrots. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper, stir, and quickly take out of pan. (You only want to quickly cook it for no more than a minute. You still want the crunch of the carrot.)
- Same pan, add a touch of sesame oil and cook cucumbers. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, stir, and quickly take out of pan. (Like the carrots, we want to keep the crunch.)
- For those wanting to cook the spinach instead of buying it.

   - Chop spinach in half so you have leafy ends and stalky ends.

   - In a pot with boiling water, add spinach in and cook for a few minutes until wilted but still vibrant green. Just want to blanch it. Transfer into a colander.

   - Stop cooking by running spinach under cold water, squeeze out water from spinach.

   - In a bowl, pour a little (~ 1/2 - 1 tbsp) sesame oil, and little (~ 1/2 - 1 tbsp) soy sauce), and mix. 

- Same pan (or use a grill), cook the marinaded beef slices.
- Now make an assembly line.
   - Sheet of nori, shiny side down.
   - Add 1 - 2 scoops of rice and spread evenly over the nori sheet.
   - One side of the rice covered nori, add a little bit of carrot, cucumber, beef, spinach, and a strip of daikon.
   - Gently lift the loaded side, using your fingers, tuck the ingredients in as you roll the sushi. (If  the ingredients starts to smoosh out the sides, just gently push them back in. XD)
- Cut into bite size pieces (if desired. Haha. XD).


Practice makes perfect! Phew! Looks like a lot, but it really isn't. Please do try making this. Hope you guys like it! (^-^)b

Recreating a taste of Taiwan: grilled meat rolls with scallions

Long time no update?

Anyways, I don't know why, but I just wanted to recreate this one little street food I had during my trip to Taiwan last summer. I just remember that it was a wad of meat with scallion wrapped in them and grilled with some sort of sticky sauce. I don't remember much about the dish, aside that it was just good. I wish I could have savored the wad of meat to get the full flavor, but because it was given to me on a tiny stick, freshly taken off and piping hot from the grill, all I could remember was it being scorching hot and sticky from the sauce and juice from the meat. I think I had 2nd degree burns on my tongue, heck... I had 2nd degree burns in my entire mouth. But it was good. Haha.

So now back in the States and about 6 months since returning from Taiwan, I just kind of remembered about it now. So, I decided to recreate the dish. I spent a good 2 tests on this dish. First attempt, I used pork and beef slices, and veggies of choice were enoki mushrooms and scallions. Then I made a sacha-based sauce. The scallions wrapped with pork, enoki wrapped with beef, smeared with the sauce, and griddle seared. My family wasn't so fond of the sauce, the beef dried out too easily due to cooking it too long, so it didn't pass. The pork on the other hand made the grades, but the sauce held it back a little.

Second attempt, I decided to keep the pork slices and the scallions, but used lamb instead of beef, and skipped the enokis. Then, I reattempt at a new sauce. This time, I used a hoisen-based sauce. I used both Hoisen and TianMien Sauce. What's the difference? Hoisen is sweet but has a more fruity note, and TianMien is also sweet but has a more salty note. I can't stress it enough after failing to make the sauce twice in one experiment setting. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN BRAND, especially when it comes to hoisen. I do not recommend to use Lee Kim Kee for this sauce. Don't get me wrong, I use this brand of hoisen too, but for my rice crepe rolls/noodles only. Lee Kim Kee's hoisen is sweet, but it has this tangy, salty taste to it. The brand I used (and my mother swears by it) is this brand call "Koon Chun". My family has been using it for years, and is considered very good because you can taste the plum/fruit in the sauce, which gives it that fruity and natural sweetiness. Anyways, this time, my mom had to take part in this, because even she was stumped at how to make the sauce good. I give her props for making the sauce without even knowing how the original sauce is like. Heck, I don't even remember the original sauce too well either. XD But after rolling each slice of pork with scallions, every slice of lamb with scallions, basting and cooking them, my family was a little more pleased this time. The pork rolls were good, but the lamb was the biggest crowd pleaser.

I personally think that this dish can use some more experimenting, some more tweaking, but for now my family is pretty pleased with it. I admit, the taste may not be authentically like how it should be in Taiwan, but it sure does look almost like it. Overall, it is simple and delicious. So, here I share it with you guys.

This is yet another phone pic, and this is the pork with scallion rolls from the first experiment. The second didn't make it for its close up.

Ingredients:

1 - 2 pkg thin sliced or sukiyaki pork, lamb or beef

2 - 3 (or more) bunch scallions, chopped into about 3 inch sections.

Sauce:

½ - 1 tsp of sacha paste （沙茶醬）

1 tbsp Taiwanese hoisen sauce “tian mien jang” （甜麵醬）

2 tsp Chinese hoisen sauce （海鮮醬）

2/5 cup water

How-To:

- If meat slices are frozen, do thaw it out completely.

- Wash, chop off the root of the scallions, and chop the scallions into 3 inch pieces.

- In a bowl, add the sacha paste, TianMien paste, and hoisen paste. Mix. Then add enough water to thin out the sauce. Set aside.

- Once meat is thawed out, take a slice of meat, a few sprigs of scallions, and roll. Repeat this until you've finished rolling all the ingredients. (Point!: Don't make the roll too thick, or cooking will take longer. You may skewer each roll onto a bamboo skewer for BBQing, or use a regular toothpicks to skewer to hold the rolls together when cooking. It keeps the rolls from coming unrolled when cooking.)

- Heat up a griddle (or a large pan or small wired grill), lightly oil the surface, place each meat rolls on the heated surface to cook.

- Cook one side of the roll lightly, baste each roll with the hoisen-based sauce, flip and baste again. Cook until golden brown. (Point!: If using pork slices, make sure to cook throughly!)

- Once golden brown, remove from heat, plate it, and serve.

I really do find this recipe easy. 2 main ingredients (meat and scallions), and a simple sauce. Like my first experiment, you can try using enoki mushrooms, or you can try using chives, thinly sliced bell peppers, etc. But so far, my family highly recommends the scallion lamb rolls. Something about lamb and scallions is just a really good pairing. As for the sauce, if you like it to be spicy, by all means, add your favorite spicy chili paste into it. If you're too lazy, pre-made teriyaki sauce is good too. Warning, thawing the "meat-icles" will cause bloody water to appear, but thawing the meat will make it easier to roll. Bottom-line: Just keep clean, and wash your hands with soap and water after making your meat rolls. 

Hope you guys enjoy this one! (^-^)

Lazy Friday Afternoon: Chicken Karaage... take 1

No back story behind why this recipe came to be. Just me, at home after a long day of CPR practical in the morning, a thing of chicken thighs in the fridge, and nothing to do. Well okay... you want a story? I love crispy chicken at TeaWay or Quickly... so I want to learn how to do it myself. There... hm. Not much of a story is that? XD

Anyways, I was checking out Just Hungry's recipe for this fried chicken dish. Only thing I did different is that I added fresh rough-chopped garlic. Garlic is good. Me like garlic. XD Next time I attempt this dish again, I'd probably would want to grate the garlic. Do be carful with the grater if you are using it, I almost grated my finger when I got my ginger down to a nub. May be next time, I'd add some fresh cracked black pepper to give a little heat. Not too much. I think after frying, the chicken pieces' juice started to "decrispify". One thing I would do different next time I try this recipe again would be to just DREDGE the chicken pieces in the cornstarch. It gives a crispier crunch. What I did wrong was mix a pile of chicken into my cornstarch mound. That was a fail for me, because the marinade on the chicken totally just "gravified" the cornstarch.

My family gave me the yum-approve stamp... but only complaint is that it could have been saltier. Well... I only marinaded it for shy of an hour, because Just Hungry's site said not to marinade for no more than an hour because it may get too salty. But know... you can sprinkle a little salt after frying, or make a little dipping sauce for it.

But overall, a very easy and simple recipe. Hardest part is frying. There is another option for those who doesn't want to deal with a pan of frying oil, try baking it. Uhh... If I have the time, I will probably try baking this, but find a way to keep the crispy crunch.

Another pic from my cell's camera... but this turned out better! =D

Ingredients:

2 piece chicken thigh, boneless and cut into bite size pieces

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sake

1 piece fresh ginger, grated

1-2 clove garlic, grated or minced

2-4 cups oil (I used vegetable oil, but I recommend using peanut oil for frying)

cornstarch

How-To:

- Trim chicken meat of fat and skin for healthier option. Leaving skin on can provide more crunch when fried.

- Chop chicken thigh meat into bite size pieces.

- In a zip top bag (ziplock gallon bag is good), add the ginger, garlic, sake, soy sauce, and chicken pieces. Close bag, and give a little mix to get all the pieces nicely coated.

- Let chicken marinade for 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. 

- After chicken marinade, heat a pan with 2-4 cups of oil.

- In the meantime, on a plate, add a mound of cornstarch, and dredge each chicken piece. Give an even coating, shake off excess.

- Once oil is hot... (Do the wooden chopstick method: take one wooden chopstick and dip it into the oil. If you see lots of little bubbles surrounding it, the oil is ready), add a few pieces of chicken at a time. Fry until golden brown.

- Once golden brown, take chicken pieces out of oil, and place on a plate lined with some paper towels to drain excess oil.

- Once cooled, transfer chicken onto a serving plate, and serve with a wedge of lemon and/or some dipping sauce.

Recipe is as follows in Just Hungry's... I just added garlic.... ahhh! I knew I forgot something! The Korean red pepper powder! I still have a big bag of it, and was planning on what to do with it! *Fail slap on the forehead* Next time... next time. (=_=) *goes to take off apron*

Jajang Myun/Mein

Tada! First recipe: JaJang Myun/Mien (black bean paste noodle)!

I remember eating this dish all the time when I was younger. It was my brother and I's must-order dish at any restaurant that offers it, and it gets a harsh critique from us. There use to be this place near my house that made Jajang Myun/Mien. Man~ It was THE best. The sauce was such a dark brown that it looked black. It wasn't oily. It wasn't deathly salty. Nor was it sugary. The noodles were had that perfect bite to it. It was an indescribable perfect... dish. Haha. But sadly, the restaurant closed. Since then, my brother and I scour the Bay Area for any place that can match up to our childhood memory... only to come out empty and unsatisfied.

It wasn't until more or less recently, my friend recommended for me to check out the site Maangchi, a little Korean recipe blog that exploded in popularity. There, I found the recipe for Jajang Myun, but its the Korean version. Still, I was excited!  But for me, I grew up eating the Chinese version of Janjang myun/mien. (Still excited!) So, I took up the challenge. I told myself that I will recreate that Jajang Myun/mien that I knew when I was little. So the first time I made it, it was for my brother's birthday... and he loved it (but said it still needed some adjustments). XD So after about... 3 - 4 more times of making JaJang Mein... I'm getting there, but I've earned my family's seal of yum-approved to share with everyone.

Don't get me wrong, both versions are great. I only used Maagchi's recipe as the foundation of MY noodle dish. I think it you can really alter the ingredients to your liking, but do try both if you have the time. I find it fairly easy, just many individual steps to conquer, but its worth it. XD

Sorry for the bad quality, it was taken on my cell phone. XD

Ingredients

Sauce:

2-3 zucchinis, cubed

1 onion, cubed

1-2 blocks tofu cutlets, cubed

1/2-1 lb. ground pork

7-8 tbsp black bean paste (I use the brand Haechandeul)

2-3 tbsp oil (I just used olive oil)

2-3 cups of water

1-2 tbsp cornstarch

1 large clove garlice, minced (reserve 1/2 for cooking pork, 1/2 for cooking veggies)

salt (optional)

Everything else:

2-3 bunch thick noodles

1/2 seedless cucumber, julienned for garnish

How-To

- In a large pan, on high heat, add a touch of oil to lightly coat, brown garlic, and cook the ground pork. (Be sure to cook throughly!)

- Place cooked pork into a bowl and set aside.

- Same pan, add 2-3 tbsp of oil, and add black bean sauce. Cook for 1 minute, just to soften the paste. Scoop out into a bowl and set aside.

- In another pot, boil noodles for about 5-7 minutes or as instructed on the package.

- Wash out pan to reuse, on high heat, add a touch of oil to brown the rest of the reserved garlic. Cook onions until tender. Add zucchinis and tofu, and cook for a few minutes. Add cooked pork. Remember to give it a stir. Add 2-3 cups of water into the veggie mix, cover, and let cook for 15-20 minutes.

- In a small bowl, add 1-2 tbsp cornstarch and 2-3 tbsp water, mix and set aside.

- Strain out noodles after cooking and run under cool water to stop cooking.

- Back to vegetable mix, after 15-20 minutes, add black bean paste, and mix to dissolve.

- Slowly stream in cornstarch mix into the big pan, stir constantly... DO NOT STOP! (or it will chunkify!) Remember to taste, and add salt to your liking.

- Grab a bunch of noodles, scoop yourself a heap of the black bean sauce, top with julienned cucumbers, and enjoy!

Wah~ so long. (=A=) But it is so tasty. Other serving suggestions is add a fried egg, sunny-side egg, chili paste... sky's the limit. XD ENJOY!

Welcome!

I'm so nervous. This is literally my first post. (>.<)

Well, let's make this an intro post. (^.^)/

I do have a recipe ready to make it's debut, but I really just want to say...

Hello!
...

Nothing much to talk about, eh? ( ._.) Lol.

Umm, the site will be under construction. So please bare with me. I'll try to make it pretty.

I'll include the sites and possibly books of where I got each recipe. If the recipe requires some out of the general supermarket type ingredients, I'll post the brands I may use or where to find it.

Please, if you have a recipe you think is interesting and would like to share (or have me try tackling), let me know! o(^ω^)o