Seafood Jjigae

I love korean food. I took a liking to Kimchi Jjigae ever since my bestie Jo introduced me to Korean cuisine eight years ago.  When your kids grew up, roles are revised, she became my  mentor and I became her student and bestie *wink.   After my first taste of Kimchi Jjigae, there was no stopping me from making my own kimchi and many other Korean dishes using kimchi .  Kimchi is not only a condiment and pickle, it is also used as an ingredient in many cooked dishes. And Kimchi Jjigae is one of them. The kimchi provides a deep favour to the broth. You can also add beef to your Jjigae  but for today , I used the leftovers seafood from the steamboat we had two days ago. Dinner was just this bowl of seafood jjigae cooked straight in my favourite stoneware bowl , from the stove to the table :)

homemade kimchi and I always have a tub ready

as I always serve kimchi as a side dish

fish and baby octopus, tofu and enoki were leftovers

from the steamboat we had two days ago

love the taste of kimchi jjigae

or kimchi soup 

Seafood Jjigae
2 persons serving

ingredients

5 baby octopus -clean, wash and drain
1 small sized Ikan Senangin ( silver threadfin )- clean and cut into 2 pieces
1 soft silken tofu, cut into 1"cubes
1 pkt of enoki
1/2 carrot - sliced
half a cup of kimchi plus gravy
3 to 4 cups of chicken broth
1 stalk of spring onions - sliced for garnishing

Method:

Pour broth and half cup of kimchi into stoneware bowl or pot.  When it boils, add in the fish, enoki, carrots, and octopus. Once the seafood are cooked, add in the tofu last. Off heat once the soup boils , garnish with spring onion and it is ready for serving.

Enjoy!

Baek-kimchi 백김치

This is my first time making Baek-kimchi , literally translated as white kimchi in English . It is not made with hot pepper flakes and gochujang paste, which is why it called white kimchi . And it is a Non spicy kimchi.  It is made with ingredients like chestnuts,jujubes, pine nuts and a whole range of vegetables. I omitted using salted fermented shrimp , so you can call this kimchi a vegetarian Kimchi. It has a lot of fresh flavors , and is incredibly refreshing and colorful too.  A great side dish to serve your family. I have two friends who shared my love for kimchi . After making this white kimchi, I gave them each a tub to try out and I am sure they will love this white kimchi .  Healthy side dish and easy to make too. 

* I did not follow Maangchi style of stuffing the vegetable fillings, I cut the napa cabbage into bite size pieces and arrange them alternately one layer of napa cabbage and one layer of vegetable fillings in a pyrex dish until all the vegetables are used up.

I am a great fan of Maangchi and I love all her recipes , I want to try out each and every one of her korean dishes that she shared on her official website . She always make me drool before sleeps take over :)

the vegetables used are carrots, radish, leeks, spring onions, red chilli and jujube

to ferment the kimchi - blend together korean pear, garlic, onions and ginger 

add the blended seasoning into prepared brine water. Let it sit for 30 mins

 sieve the blended seasoning and brine mixture before adding to the layers of napa cabbage and vegetable fillings

arrange them alternately ,one layer of napa cabbage and one layer of vegetable fillings

once all the vegetables are used up, pour brine 

onto the kimchi till it is all submerged

make sure all the vegetables are submerged in the the brine 

Cover and let it sit at room temperature until it starts fermenting, which should

be 1 1/2 days to 3 days depending on how warm your room is.

Keep an eye on the kimchi  and taste it now and then,

once the brine turns sour, it is fermenting

Keep in fridge and it will slow down the fermenting process.

It can keep for about 1 month. 

Baek-kimchi - Maangchi 's recipe

Ingredients:

1 large napa cabbage
1/3 cup, 1 tbsp plus 2 tsps salt

1/2 pound korean radish ( daikon) cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks
3/4 cup buchu ( Asian chives) cut into 1 inch  * I replaced with leeks and spring onions
3 jujubes, seeded, cut into strips
2 fresh chestnuts, peeled and cut inot thin strips * I ommited
2 tbsp pine nuts * I ommited
1/2 of red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips * I replaced with red chilli

1 medium Korean pear, peeled and cored
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup onion
1 tsp ginger

Method:

Salt the cabbage
1. Cut the cabbage in half, then cut a slit through the core 2 inches above the stem, so the leaves are loosened but still attached.

2. Rinse the halves under running water, or soak them in a basin for a few seconds until all the leaves are wet.

3. Put the halves in a large basin and sprinkle 1/3 cup of salt evenly between the leaves. Let them sit for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning them over every 20 mins.

4. Rinse the cabbage under cold running water a couple of times to get rid of any dirt or salt. Split each half under the running water, to divide the cabbage into quarters.  Cut out the remainder of the core. Drain and set aside.

Make the vegetable fillings:
1. Combine radish, carrot, jujubes, chives, chestnuts and red bell pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

Make seasoning mix for brine
1. Blend pear, garlic, onion and ginger in a food processor until creamy. Set aside.

Make brine:

1. Mix 4 cups of water and 2 tbsp of salt in abowl with a wooden spoon. Stir it well until the salt is thoroughly dissolved.

2. Put the blended seasoning mix into a cotton pouch, or wrap it a couple times in cheesecloth and put it into the bowl of brine. Press it down with a spoon so the delicious blended flavors seep through. Squeeze it a bit and stir the brine for a while. Remove the pouch.

Make the kimchi
1. Spread the vegetable fillings between each leaf of the cabbage. Fold the stuffed cabbage quarters over and put them into a container, glass jar or korean earthenware pot.

2. Pour the brine over the kimchi so its submerged.

3. Cover and let sit at room temperature unti it starts fermenting, which should be between 1 1/2 to 3 days depending on how warm your room is. A warmer room will ferment faster. Just keep an eye o the kimchi and taste it now and then. When the brine turns sour, it is fermenting.

4. Move it to the fridge, which will slow down the fermentation process. It will keep for about 1 month. Serve cold.

Enjoy!

Japchae 잡채

I have been wanting to cook this for a long time now. Japchae is sweet potato starch noodles stir fried with vegetables and meat and is one of Korea's best loved dish. Of course, it is often featured in Korean dramas and that's how I first got to know of this dish.  Seriously, my passion for korean food started when I was first introduced to korean dramas.  Finally, I get to taste my first Japchae , homecooked by your truly , of course  :)  

It is hard not to like the chewy ,sweet and slightly slippery noodles with colorful vegetables and mushrooms,  tender juicy  beef (grain fed ) , its irresistible sesame flavor , healthy amount of garlic , light and refreshing taste.  Awesome ! 

Each ingredient have to be cook separately because each requires different cooking time and care.  It may seems a lot of labor but the end result is a delicious Japchae that I will want to make again and again.  You can get the sweet potato starch noodles from Jusco .  

these ingredients has to be cooked separately

and seasoned

love the colorful veggies

tender and juicy beef  (grain fed type )

you can get them from Jaya Grocer

sweet potato starch noodles

love the beef and mushrooms :)

all you have to do lastly is to mix all the cooked ingredients together

yummy !

this is how it looks after mixing all together

a healthy dish

Japchae 잡채 - adapted from Maangchi

Ingredients:-

4 ounces beef, filet mignon (or pork shoulder), cut into ¼ inch wide and 2½ inch long strips

2 large dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 2 to 3 hours, cut into thin strips

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 large egg

4 ounces spinach, washed and drained

4 ounces of dangmyeon (sweet potato starch noodles)

2 to 3 green onions, cut crosswise into 2 inch long pieces

1 medium onion (1 cup), sliced thinly

4 to 5 white mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 medium carrot (¾ cup), cut into matchsticks

½ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (optional)

ground black pepper

salt

vegetable oil

Preparation:

Marinate the beef and mushrooms

Put the beef and shiitake mushrooms into a bowl and mix with 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil with a wooden spoon or by hand. Cover and keep it in the fridge

Make the egg garnish (jidan):

1. Crack the egg and separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Remove the white stringy stuff (chalaza) from the yolk. Beat in a pinch of salt with a fork.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to a heated nonstick pan. Swirl the oil around so it covers the pan, and then wipe off the excess heated oil with a kitchen towel so only a thin layer remains on the pan.

3. To keep the jidan as yellow as possible, turn off the heat and pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan. Tilt it around so the mixture spreads thinly. Let it cook using the remaining heat in the pan for about 1 minute. Flip it over and let it sit on the pan for 1 more minute.

4. Let it cool and slice into thin strips

Prepare the noodles and vegetables:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then take it out with a slotted spoon or strainer. Let the water keep boiling to cook the noodles.

2. Rinse the spinach in cold water to stop it from cooking. Squeeze it with your hands to remove any excess water. Cut it a few times and put it into a bowl. Mix with 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Put it into a large mixing bowl.

3. Put the noodles into the boiling water, cover and cook for 1 minute. Stir them with a wooden spoon so they don’t stick together. Cover and keep cooking for another 7 minutes until the noodles are soft and chewy.

4. Strain and cut them a few times with kitchen scissors. Put the noodles into the large bowl next to the spinach. Add 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix well by hand or a wooden spoon. This process will season the noodles and also keep the noodles from sticking to each other.

5. Heat up a skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil with the onion, the green onion, and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry about 2 minutes until the onion looks a little translucent. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

6. Heat up the skillet again and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add the white mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until softened and a little juicy. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

7. Heat up the skillet and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Add the carrot and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the red bell pepper strips and stir-fry another 20 seconds. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

8. Heat up the skillet and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add the beef and mushroom mixture and stir fry for a few minutes until the beef is no longer pink and the mushrooms are softened and shiny. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

Mix and serve:

1. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to the mixing bowl full of ingredients. Mix all together by hand.
2. Add the egg garnish and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Mix it and transfer it to a large plate and serve.

Jokbal - Chicken House @ Solaris, Mont Kiara

During my week stint in Semenyih, my partner-in-crimes took me to this Korean restaurant Chicken House @Solaris, Mont Kiara, for they know that I love Korean food :) The moment they say Korean food for dinner...the first thing that flashed across my mind is JOKBAL !

I watched Nation's Big Three on Astro, whereby in one of their series, they featured Jokbal . Jokbal is a Korean dish consisting of pig's trotters cooked with soy sauce and spices. It is usually braised in a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine. . WB and I can only drool while watching the that series . I was so happy when my partner JO told me that Chicken House do serve Jokbal. Hehehe , now I get to eat the real one.  I must say it is really delicious.  Flavorful and the trotters so tender and succulent.  Maybe one day, I should try to replicate and bring for our cell group pot luck dinner :) We ordered one Jokbal and one Spicy fried chicken...and a jug of Mango rice wine (korean rice wine) Makgeolli ).  By the time we finished the Jokbal and the spicy fried chicken , we can't walk properly.....hahahaha it was either the rice wine or we had too much meat that filled our small stomach *wink... it was the best dinner I had thus far.  Love the Jokbal !

one whole trotter for 3 person *wink wink

 tender and juicy...you can either eat it stand alone or

wrap in lettuce which comes bottomless.  They will replenish

for you when you have emptied the plate

the jokbal comes deboned and cut into thin slices

the Jokbal order comes with a set of banchan - 

a plate of kimchi, pickle cucumber,

spicy garlic scapes and stir fry sausages

and not to miss this...spicy fried chicken...crispy and

garnishes with ground peanuts and crispy garlic

and sesame seed

finger licking good....

Korean  (Makgeolli )  is so good that I know I will

order this again the next time I come here for Jokbal..

every sip is intoxicating

mango rice wine is a great accompaniment for Jokbal

one way to eat jokbal is wrap in lettuce, add garlic and kimchi

and sliced jalapeno ...and go nom nom

a toast to many more jokbal meals together :)

wow, these two partners-in-crime of mine...

posing for me...hehehe testing out my skill :)

in using my Nikon 

Chicken House 치킨하우스
Jalan Solaris 4,
Solaris Mont Kiara,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03 – 6211 5928

Apple Infused Korean Pork Wraps ( Bossam ) - Non Halal

Time flies...it has been almost a year since I retired and I am pleased that I have made good use of the free time God has given unto me. I have drawn closer to God and has more time to study the word of God and most important God has healed me of my pain. Praise to God for making me whole again :) God is my mentor and my BFF besides giving me Wild Boar and my 4 kids.  A wonderful family God has given unto me which I truly thank God for.  Having a healthy appetite is a blessing indeed and starting 2016 I will improve on my cooking skill and photography skill. Now, with the Nikon DSLR D3200 and with the AF-SDX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G, I should be able to have better food photos to make my readers drool but for the time being , until I know how to use my DSLR camera well, please bear with the not so pro photos :p  

To kick start the new year, this was what I whipped up for our simple dinner...a korean dish...okay you know I love korean food so I will start the new year with sharing this dish.  Wild Boar loves meat so he is okay with this dish...hehehe more Korean food for him in 2016 :p  

Bossam is a pork dish in Korean cuisine with the centerpiece of pork belly, boiled in spices and thinly sliced. The meat is served with side dishes including garlic, onion, ssamjang sauce, saeujeot (pickled, fermented shrimp) locally known as 'cincalok '  and not to forget newly made kimchi. The meat and sides are often wrapped in vegetable leaves such as batavia lettuce, red lettuce , sesame or napa cabbage,  thus the literal meanng of bossam ( wrapped or packaged ) And Bossam is a popular dish in Korea, often served as anju - a dish that accompany alcohol like Soju .  For us, we had beer to go with it :)  

I pressured cooked the pork belly with my PPC

with ingredients like red apple, spring onions, garlic,

red onion, ginger and glutinous rice wine , korean fermented beanpaste,

peppercorns , soy sauce and water

blanch the pork belly with boiling water

before putting into the PPC

keep the flavorful broth  in the freezer for future use as

 soup or as stock for other dishes

sliced them into 1/8 thick slices 

a plate of well pressured and flavorful slices of goodness

Batavia Lettuce is suitable for Bossam and Sambap

Apple Infused Korean Pork Wraps ( Bossam )  adapted from  My Korean Kitchen

For Pork - Put into pot ( if not using pressure cooker )

1 kg of pork belly -  blanched in hot boiling water for 8 mins
1 red apple - with skin on , cut into quarters
1 onion - skin peeled cut into quarters
2 stalks of spring onions - use the white part
25 g of fresh ginger - sliced
5 cloves of garlic
1 tsp black peppercorn
2 tbsp of Korean soy bean paste  ( Doenjang )
2 tbsp of soy sauce
4 tbsp of rice wine
8 cups of water

1 Batavia Lettuce  - as wraps - cleaned and stem removed

Sides

Kimchi salad
ssamjang sauce as dip

ingredients for ssamjang dip

1/4 cup doenjang ( fermented soy bean paste )
1 tbsp of gochujang ( hot pepper paste )
1 stalk of minced green onion
1 clove of minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 tsp of honey
2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp of sesame oil

Use a spoon to mix all the above ingredients together . Transfer to a sauce bowl and serve with the pork wraps


Preparation for the pork

Boil the pot with  pork and the ingredients with the lid on medium heat until pork is cooked - about 1 hour .

While the pork is cooking in the pot, prepare the sides -  make the ssamjang sauce.  When the meat is cooked, take out and cool for 5 to 10 mins.  Thinly slice meat into 1 cm thick with a knife. Wrap meat with the bavatia lettuce with the sides and ssamjang sauce.

Note: I used Philip Pressure Cooker....it took 15 mins to pressured cook the meat.

Happy 2016  to all :)