Ambitious Deliciousness – Dont Eat Lazy.

Bibim Gooksoo, which literally means “mixed noodles,” is the perfect summ dish! The noodles are served cold, mixed with fresh vegetables ! Take any kind vegetable you have on hand – lettuce, mixed greens, broccoli- along with whatever protein – chicken, fish, tofu- and treat yourself to a nutritious meal in under 10 minutes!

While this appears to be a regular bowl of bibimgooksoo, there is a secret ingredient that goes into the sauce. The sauce, made with Korean red pepper paste, is the perfect harmony of sweet and spicy flavors, with a hint of acid. Can you guess what the secret ingredient is?

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It’s that time of year again! A three-day weekend is rapidly approaching and my thoughts are full of summery things: going to the beach, going to the beach in flip flops, and sipping cold drinks at the beach (see a theme here?)

No Fourth of July weekend is complete without enjoying some delicious barbecue right before the fireworks start! I find most coleslaw to be too heavy, since I’m not a big fan of mayo.
But this sweet and spicy Korean style coleslaw is mayo free, and a crowd-pleaser! I actually paired mine with some fish tacos, though this coleslaw goes with pretty much anything you’re throwing on the grill!

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Happy Friday! New York is finally seeking a peek of that glorious sun we’ve been missing for a while. I have a feeling it won’t be long before I feel the need to stop using my oven altogether, so I’m going to enjoy this wonderful in-between-season.

Nakji Bokkeum is a stir fry using two Korean spices: red pepper flakes and red pepper paste, along with sugar, producing a sweet and spicy balance.

On  a Saturday night, while trying to figure out what to do for dinner, I remembered that I had some frozen octopus. This dish came together quickly, using the ingredients I had on hand. Sure, a Korean green pepper would have added a nice bit of heat to this recipe, but it was still pretty darn tasty for something created on the fly. I ran out of red pepper flakes so I added my secret ingredient: curry powder. Just little bit will add a new subtle layer of heat and depth.

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Bibimbap, a classic Korean dish consisting of sauteed vegetables over rice, has consistently been one of my favorite dishes growing up.  When the vegetables are mixed with gochujang, and sesame oil, the flavors complement each other wonderfully!

Dolsot, which means “stone pot,” allows the egg and the rice to cook, creating a nice crunch. It’s one of the greatest ways to enjoy bibimbap. When you go to restaurants, it usually costs an extra $2-$3 for the stone bowl.

But, I learned from Dan that his mom makes Dolsot bibimap at home! It’s such a great idea; I’m sad that I realize I could do this sooner! It turns out, the small pot that I already have for Korean stews can be used as a hot stone. It’s a win win situation!

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I have fond memories of my mom making this dish known as mackerel Jjorim for me when I was growing up. The word Jjorim means slow cooked in Korean. The radish pieces were my favorite because it sat on the bottom of the pan, soaking up all the flavors! The use of low heat seasons the fish perfectly without making it salty.

Just a tip: be sure to use chopsticks to pick out the skeletal bones and make sure you don’t swallow them by accident! If you end up swallowing, the trick is to swallow a spoonful of rice  so that the bone doesn’t get stuck in your throat. I realize the possibility of this happening isn’t gonna make you want to try this recipe, but what can I say – I’m a realist.

What’s your favorite way of cooking fish?

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Despite the abundance of Korean dishes that grace this blog, I, for the life of me, cannot make a good pot of classic, Asian rice.

Yes, even with a rice cooker.

For the longest time, I would end up with a soupy goo. Then I would over comepensate by not adding enough water and end up with nasty, brick like grains. It wasn’t until years later that my sister told me that I was using the wrong part of the hand to measure the rice:water.

So when you have a big pot of dry rice, you roll with it and make fried rice. Since I didn’t have any other ingredients on hand, I went with eggplant, which turned out to be a good combination.

What can I say, we can’t be good at everything.  Have any of you experienced a similar frustration in the kitchen?

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How is it Wednesday already? I’m embarrassed to say that this is only my first post for the week. But this is a very comprehensive post so I hope you will forgive me. Why don’t I just entice you with a photo?

Am I forgiven now?

Bibimbap literally means “mixed rice” in Korean. It is a delicious way to eat rice and vegetables. There are a traditional bunch of vegetables that go into this dish (root vegetables), but I’ve seen a lot of variety as well. It’s basically a bunch of side dishes rolled into one, with a spicy sauce.

When I was growing up, my mom made this a lot and I looooved it. I was completely happy with eating it for 3 days straight! I will always associate great memories with this dish. My mom used to add grilled onions which I skipped, because I just think it overpowers the other flavors, and cold onions are gross to me.

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