Kimchi jjigae

I typically always do a vegetarian kimchi jjigae, but you can make it with pork, or fish and seafood. Here is my simple and basic recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of kimchi (and its juices)

2-3 tablespoons of gojijjang (red pepper paste)

1/2 teaspoon of gojujadu {red pepper flakes)

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 green onion

1 package of Tofu

1 package of Enoki Mushrooms

Instructions: Put the minched garlic, chopped kimchi and its juices into a pot, and add 2 cups of water. When boiling, add the gojijjang, and simmer/boil for 25 minutes. In the meanwhile, cut the tofu into squares, and cut and clean the enoki mushrooms. Add them to the stew and stir, sprinkling the gojujadu over the tofu. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, and at last adding a cut green onion on top. Serve piping hot with rice!

Organic Baby Spinach Salad

I love salads and this is a simple side salad.

ingredients:
1) organic baby spinach
2) mixed greens- sugar snap peas
3) sliced radishes
4) cherry tomatoes
5) freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
6) balsamic vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil.
7) salt & black pepper

mix the ingredients together, and drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil for the dressing. add salt and black pepper to taste.

Duk bok ki (Spicy Rice Cake)

[I added ramen noodles to the mix to make it a more filling meal.. but that doesn't make it very healthy..!:{ BUT I wanted to add the tasty dish anyway :]

2 lbs. rice cake (can be found at the Korean market)
1 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp. red hot chili paste (gojijjang)

2 Tbsp korean red pepper flakes (gojugadu)
1 tsp minced garlic
Half 1 onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
2 boiled eggs (always use free-range, organic, hormone/steroid free if you can!)

Put the rice cake in cold water for about 15 minutes to soften. Hard-boil the eggs, de-shell them and put to the side. Put 1 cup water in a large saucepan. Add sugar, red chili pepper paste, and garlic. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Put the rice cake and onion in the pan and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Add chopped scallions and continue to biol for 2-3 minutes. Add the cut egg on top. Serves 5.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

The ingredients may change and there are various different things you can put inside spring rolls, but last night for dinner I made this combination of fresh vegetables to make these delicious spring rolls, with the perfect spicy, tangy sauce to match!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces rice vermicelli
• Rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
• Chopped fresh mint leaves
• Baby romaine lettuce
• Carrots, sliced
  
• 1 Avocado
• 2-3 Green onion, sliced
• Bean sprouts
  
• 1 Egg
• Cucumber, sliced
• Jalapeno
• Fish sauce
  
• 3 Limes
• 1/2 a can of Sprite
  

Instructions:

1. Cut the cucumber, carrots, and avocado into long strips and arrange them on a plate.
2. Boil water and cook the rice vermicelli noodles for 3-4 minutes. Immediately rinse in cold water and drain.
3. Scramble an egg, mixing salt and pepper to taste. Put a skillet on low heat, and make a thin egg omelet. Cut into strips and add it to the plate
4. Put the rice paper in hot water until it is soft and place it on a plate. Put a bit of all of the ingredients including some vermicelli noodles, mint leaves, bean sprouts, baby romaine lettuce, carrots, avocado, carrots, and cucumber in the middle of the circled rice paper and wrap it tightly, as if it was a soft taco.

FOR THE SPICY, TANGY DIPPING SAUCE!

1. Squeeze the 3 limes into a bowl.
2. Cut the large jalapeno into small pieces and add to the lime juice.
3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of fish sauce
4. Add 1/2 a can of Sprite and mix together.


Add the sauce while eating the spring roll. Enjoy!

Caprese Salad w/ Sourdough Bread

I also made my favorite Caprese salad.. So simple yet so flavorful and delicious ^_^

Ingredients

• 2 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
• fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
• fresh basil leaves
  
• Extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• salt and pepper
• sourdough bread loaf
  

Directions

Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper to taste. Cut pieces of the sourdough bread loaf and serve.

Crab & "Original" Stuffed Mushrooms

[Photo: "Original" Stuffed Mushroom on the left, and Crab Stuffed Mushroom on the right]

I made two different types of stuffed mushrooms tonight for dinner... Crab stuffed mushrooms, and I'll call the other style "the Original stuffed mushroom".

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms:

- Fresh oversized mushrooms
- 1/2 a cup of crabmeat
- 2 green onions / scallions
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (i used mayo made with olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, combine crabmeat, green onions, spice and pepper. Mix in mayonnaise and the grated Parmesan cheese until well combined. Refrigerate filling until ready for use.
3. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Remove stems (Save the stems, I used it for the next recipe) Fill the mushroom caps with rounded teaspoonfuls of filing, and place them in an ungreased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle tops with parmesan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, Remove from oven, and serve immediately.

"Original" Stuffed Mushrooms:

- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 red onion
- Oversized mushrooms
- 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Mint leaves
- Basil leaves
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used a loaf of sourdough bread and hand grated it)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease the pan with some olive oil
3. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red onion and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.
5. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in parmesan cheese, basil leaves, mint leaves, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

오이 냉국 "Oi naengguk" - Cold Cucumber Soup

Oi naengguk is another simple but popular Korean side dish, perfect for summer. The seasoning in this recipe could be changed a little according to your taste, more sugar if you like it sweeter, or more chili peppers if you like it spicier. (I went for more red hot chili pepper)

Ingredients: Cucumber, garlic, green chili pepper, red hot chili pepper, green onion , 1½ tbs vinegar, 1 ts salt, 1 ts fish sauce, 1 ts sugar, 1½ cup of cold water (purified or boiled and cooled down), and 3 ice cubes.

1. Get a bowl ready, one that can hold more than 2 cups.
   
2. Put about 1¼ cups of cucumber, cut into thin strips (julienne style), into the bowl.
3. Mince one clove of garlic, chop up half a green onion, and cut up 1 or 2 ts worth of green chili pepper (depending on how hot you like it). Add them to the cucumber strips in the bowl.
4. Add 1 ts of salt, 1 ts of fish sauce, 1 ½ tbs of vinegar, 1 ts of sugar to the bowl and mix it well with a spoon.
5. Pour 1½ cup of cold water (purified or boiled and cooled down) to the bowl and mix it.
6. Add 6 ice cubes.
7. Cut some red hot chili pepper to garnish and sprinkle on the top of the soup.
8. Serve it with rice.

Cucumber / Avocado Roll

Sorry for the picture quality, I took it with my iphone :P

This was surprisingly quick and easy because I already had rice made!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sushi rice
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 2 sheets of nori (dry seaweed)
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
• Ginger
• Wasabi
• Soy Sauce
  

1. Add the vinegar, salt and sugar to the warm sushi rice and make cutting motions in the rice to mix.
2. Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap to keep the rice from sticking. Place a sheet of seaweed over the plastic. Use your hands to spread the rice evenly onto the sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch of seaweed empty at the bottom. Arrange strips of cucumber and avocado across the center of the rice. Lift the mat and roll over the vegetables once and press down. Unroll, then roll again towards the exposed end of the seaweed sheet to make a long roll. You may moisten with a little water to help seal. Set aside and continue with remaining nori sheets, rice and fillings.
3. Use a sharp wet knife to slice the rolls into 5 or 6 slices. Serve cut side up with your favorite sushi condiments. (I used ginger and seaweed salad)

Panfried tofu with spicy sauce (Dubu buchim yangnyumjang)

A spicy Korean vegetarian dish that is yummy in the tummy.

Ingredients:

• Package of tofu (about 15oz) [I prefer soft tofu over firm so I went for the soft]
• soy sauce
• hot pepper flakes
• sugar
• green onion
• garlic
• sesame oil

1. Slice the tofu into bite size pieces (¼ inch thick rectangles). You should get 10 pieces. Towel off each piece with a paper towel.
2. Heat a pan with 1 to 2 tbs of vegetable oil. Add the tofu and lower the heat. Cook over low heat about 5-7 minutes.
3. When the bottom of the tofu looks golden brown, turn it over and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked tofu to a serving plate.
5. Make your sauce in a small bowl by mixing these ingredients:
   1 clove of minced garlic, 1 chopped green onion, 1 ts hot pepper flakes, 1 ts sugar (or honey), 2 tbs soy sauce, and 2 ts sesame oil
6. Spoon the sauce evenly over the tofu.
7. Serve with rice as a side dish