Korean Stories & Kitschen

  What a weird name! Tteok is a sort of rice-cake. We usually eat rice grains, but tteok is shape-up of steamed rice powder.  Bokki means fried stuff.  So, Tteokbokki means fried rice-cake. But actually we boil rice-cake with red hot pepper paste , instead of frying.  Tteokbokki is widely loved snack, especially loved by teenagers. It is a kind of routine to go to Tteokbkki shop after school.  Today, I'd like to introduce you how to make this most-be-loved Korean snack , Tteokbokki! <ingredients _ 2 servings> 2 cups of Tteokbokki tteok 1 sheet of fish cake (you can skip if you don't like fish flavor) 1/4 onions <sauce> 1 table spoon of red hot pepper paste ( Gochujang ) 1/2 table spoon of soy sauce 1 &1/2 table spoon of tomato ketchup (serving for kids) 1 & 1/2 packets of sweetener 1 tea spoon of Hon Dashi time: 20 min for thawing, 10 min for cooking difficulty: easy 😀😄 <Preparation> 1. Prepare 2 cups of Tteok. If you use frozen T...

Every Tuesday, my husband goes to his Dad's house to have a supper with him. Means every Tuesday, I can cook authentic Korean food for me and my son.  When I returned from work, I was so hungry. So I cooked Kimchi Fried Rice for me and my son. Many Moms in Korea cook Kimchi Fried Ric as in-between meals for their hungry kids who just return from their school because it is quick.     Kimchi is a signature food of Korea. In Korea, there are dozens of different types of Kimchi. However, most common and widely eaten one is napa cabbage Kimchi .  Kimchi is a fermented food which contains a lot of  lactobacillus . For making Kimchi Fried Rice, you'd better use fermented Kimchi, not freshly made Kimchi.  Because the fermented Kimchi liquid can rich its unique flavor of Kimchi Fried Rice.  cooking time: 20 min Difficulty: Medium 😝😝 Kimchi Fried Rice with water kimchi   <Ingredient : 2 servings> 1/4 white onion  1 small potato 1/...

  Miso Soup is Japanese version of Doenjang Soup ( Soy Bean Paste Soup ). Korean Doenjang has stronger flavor and rougher grains than Japanese Miso Doenjang Paste. Hence, Japanese Miso Doenjang is a good way to enter to the world of Doenjang. Miso is one of most commonly served soup in Japanese sushi restaurants . It has mild and savory flavor which goes well with almost any types of rice-based dish .  Like its look, the recipe is also simple.  Time: 10 min Difficulty: Easy <ingredients: 4 servings> 1 Table spoon of Miso paste 2 cups of rice washing water or plain water 1 tea spoon of Hon Dashi 2 Table spoon of chopped mushroom 2 Table spoon of chopped green onion 1. You can use just plain water, but for Doenjang soup, the rice washed water makes the broth more savory and tasty.  I noticed that my American husband doesn't wash rice for cooking. I was so shocked and scolded him. You need to wash rice because most of crops contain pesticide . I usually rub ...

Y esterday was my son's birthday. He loves meat, so I prepared pork rib BBQ for my son. But my husband is vegetarian.  So I prepared Tofu Steak for him.  cooking time: 30 min Difficulty: Easy 😁😁 Ta da~  I already started eating before taking a picture. You can see the holes in the tofu! This Tofu Steak can be a diet food if you eat it alone.  I used oriental dressing for Tofu Steak and balsamic sauce for the vegetables.  The visual of the dish is so great that you can serve this food for your dinner invitation, too! <ingredient: 1 - 2 servings> 1 tofu (extra firm) cooking oil 1 T spoon pinch of salt and pepper assorted vegetables: you can use any vegetables from your refrigerator.  I used mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini & red bell pepper. Balsamic sauce  <Oriental Dressing> 1 t spoon of ground garlic 1 T spoon of soy sauce 1 T spoon of olive oil 1 T spoon of lemon juice or vinegar (I use both) 1 T spoon of honey 1 packet of sweetener or...