Jaepchae in a rice cooker

Japchae is very well known among Korean foods. All most everybody loves it. However the preparation of cutting vegetables and stir-frying every ingredient is too much work for most people. Here I tell you the recipe for a quick and easy way to prepare Japchae. You have to have a rice cooker.

Jaepchae in a rice cooker

(Serves 2~4)

200g Dangmyeon (potato starch noodle), 2~4 blocks of frozen spinach en branche, 100g of shredded carrots, 4~5 each Judas ear mushroom, one~two onions

Seasoning: 100ml water, 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil 4 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 2 Tbsp sesame oil, sesame grains, pepper (optional)

Preparation:

1. Soak the dried Damgmyeon and the dried mushroom in a container filled with water. Make sure everything is well in the water. Keep them in 20 minutes. Drain them.

2. Cut the onions in julienne.

Cooking:

1. In a rice cooker, layer first the mushrooms, second the noodles cut in half length wise second, third the frozen spinach, fourth the onions and last the carrots.

2. Pour the seasoning into the rice cooker over the ingredients.

3. Turn on the rice cooker in “cooking mode” for 20 minutes

4. Turn off the “cooking mode” and turn on “keep warm mode” for 10 minutes.

5. Turn off the machine. Take the inner pot out. Mix well with hands in plastic cloves, fork or long chipsticks.

6. Season with additional soy sauce and sesame sauce according to your taste.

7. Set 5~10 minutes before serving.

Tips:

Keep the soaking time and cooking time strictly.

Just after cooking, the noodles are stick together. You separate them well and mix with other vegetable ingredients.

This recipe is not recommendable for a big portion.

Sujeonggwa, cinnamon and ginger punch

Sujeonggwa is a sweet drink. Dessert is not a strong point of Korean cuisine. Koreans finish their meal often with dessert drink, such as Sujeonggwa. Sujeonggwa is made of cinnamon and ginger which help digestion and warm the body.

Gyeongdan, rice ball

Gyeongdan is a rice cake, tteok. Unlike western cakes, tteok is made without dairy products such as butter, cream and milk. Gyeongdan is maybe the easiest tteok to prepare. It has a form of small dumpling, cooked in the water and coated with delicious powders of different ingredients.

 

Hobak- seon, stuffed zucchini

‘Seon’ refers stuffed vegetable dishes in Korean cuisine. Zucchini, cucumber, cabbage, chilli pepper or egg plant is often used for this cooking technique. Vegetables are cut in pieces and slits within the piece for stuffing. The pieced are stuffed with meat and mushrooms then cooked. Final touch is made with colourful garnish.

Mandutguk, dumpling soupe

Mandu is the Korean term for stuffed dumpling. This dish is believed to originate in China. However such a dish exists in many cultures. Korean Mandutkuk is a clear soup with dumplings stuffed with Kimchi, Tofu and meat. In Korea, Mandu and Mandutguk used to be a dish more often enjoyed in the region north of Seoul. Nowadays this dish can be found all over Korea. Some Koreans may remember preparing Mandu together with their family on a cold winter day.

 

Pat juk, Red bean porridge

Winter solstice is the day of a year when the day is the shortest and the night is the longest. In Korea people prepare Pat juk, red bean porridge, to eat together with family because the red colour of Pat juk is believed to chase the bad sprits away. Sometimes people even splash Pat juk in the house. Such superstition is no more a common practice but people still enjoy the food. Prepared red bean is added to rice porridge then small rice balls are often added.

 

Doenjang Vegetable mix with barley

Doenjang is a fermented paste regularly used in Korean cuisine. It is made from soy beans which undergo a long process of fermentation. The most common use of Doenjang is to make Jjigae (stew). Instead of a soupy dish, I make a mix with doenjang and vegetables to serve on barley. This dish reduces the salt intake and increase the nutritional value thanks to more vegetables.

 

Goji-jjim, Galbi-jjim without galbi, Korean meat stew

Jjim is the equivalent dish of a stew in Western cuisine. Meat and vegetables are simmered for a long time at low temperature to bring out a tender and savory taste. Galbi-jjim is probably the most popular Korean Jjim dish. Galbi is a short rib part with meat. Goji-jjim is inspired from Galbi-jjim. Instead of Galbi, stew meat is used for this recipe.

Visit to Shilla shop in Auderghem this Saturday 29th

Shilla is the only Korean grocery shop in Brussels. I personally do not go there very often. I try to cook Korean food with local ingredients as much as possible. However there are some basic ingredients you cannot get in the store around the corner.

I plan to go to Shilla at 11 am this Saturday 29^th of November. If any of you want to join me, you are more than welcome. I have no connection with Shilla. I am just one of the customers as you are.

Chaussée de Wavre 1676, 1160 Auderghem
http://www.shillamarket.com/#!bruxelles/c1yaj

Golbaengi-muchim with Somyeon

Golbaengi is a sea snail. This sea snail started to be produced as canned food and exported in 1960s; soon it became a popular side dish accompanying alcoholic beverages in downtown Seoul in 1970s. This very simple dish now can be found in every corner of Korea. The recipe has changed over time and it is often served with thin noodles.

Saeseon-Jjigae a.k.a. Maeuntang

Saengseon-jjigae, also called Maeuntang, is spicy fish soup or stew. It is usually made with white- fleshed fish, and vegetables, seasoned with red pepper powder.

Saengseon-jjigae is usually prepared with whole fish cut in pieces but here in the recipe I use fish filets and add some prawns. I could call this version Korean “bouillabaisse".

Yaksik or Yakbap

Yaksik ou Yakbap is a rice cake.  The word Yak means «medicine», meaning that it is good for the health. Bap means cooked rice so Yaksik Yakbap is a sweet rice good for the health. It is similar to spice bread.  Don’t you think?

The original way of preparation is to cook twice in a steamer. I show you how to make Yaksik in the oven and with rice cooker.

Jaepchae with bell peppers

Japchae is prepared with sweet potato noodles and stir-fried vegetables. Japchae is a beloved dish almost always present for holidays, birthday parties and traditional ceremonies. This time I prepare Japchae with colourful bell peppers, which is a popular recipe in Korea these days.

Visit to Shilla shop in Auderghem this Saturday 24th

Shilla is the only Korean grocery shop in Brussels. I personally do not go there very often. I try to cook Korean food with local ingredients as much as possible. However there are some basic ingredients you cannot get in the store around the corner.

I plan to go to Shilla at 11 am this Saturday 24^th of October. If any of you want to join me, you are more than welcome. I have no connection with Shilla. I am just one of the customers as you are.

Chaussée de Wavre 1676, 1160 Auderghem
http://www.shillamarket.com/#!bruxelles/c1yaj

Bossam, some like it wrapped

When winter is approaching, Koreans prepare big portion of Kimchi, called Kimjang.

After the long day of hard work, the dinner is usually served with boiled pork to be served with cured cabbage and the stuffing of Kimchi. I don’t think it is tradition of all Korean families but it was at least for my family.

Therefore after the Kimchi preparation I thought of this dish, Bossam.

Ssam is a noun derived from a verb “to wrap”. Koreans like to wrap meat or fish with leafy vegetables. Pork meat is usually served with shrimp sauce and often wrapped with Kimchi.
 

Baek-Kimchi, white Kimchi not spicy.

Baek Kimchi is my favourite Kimchi. I like the pure taste of this Kimchi. It doesn’t contain fish sauce(Jeotgal 젓갈) nor chilli powder which are very important ingredients of most kinds of Kimchi. Just cabbage, salt, some garlic and ginger and the time make the great savour. “Where is it from? What makes this savour?” wonder I.

 

 

Kimchi

Kimchi is indispensable on Korean table. Kimch is an accompaniment, or side dish. Some people dislike Kimchi because of its pungent taste and the strong smell. However some are addicted to it. You can buy it in most of Asian grocery shops. Be careful, there are some copycats.

I like Kimchi when it is fresh and crunchy more than when it is mature and sour. I tried so many times to reduce the amount of salt and chilli pepper. So you may find it is not like the Kimchi you used to, meaning Kimchi from the shop or Kimchi from the south of Korea.
 

Bulgogi. Meaty? YES!

Bulgogi, also known as Korean barbecue, is the most famous traditional dish in Korea. The word “Bulgogi” literally means “meat (gogi) cooked directly on fire (bul)”. It is probably the easiest to prepare among any Korean dishes.

 

 

Gyeran-mari, roll it! roll!

Gyeran means egg and mari means roulade (same as Japanese word maki). Gyeran-mari must be most frequently seen in lunch box(Dosirak 도시락) menu. It is nothing but an omelet but you can make it little prettier and you can always make it with any left-over vegetables in the fridge.

 

Kimchi-jjigae? Challenge yourself!

Kimchi is the most important side dish on a Korean table. This cured and fermented vegetable (most commonly napa cabbage and white radish) is used in the preparation of other dishes. Kimchi-jjigae is a hot-pot dish made of Kimchi, pork meat and Tofu. Experience this hearty spicy meal.