.: evil jungle prince :.

I know that messing with the rules of Korean food is kind of a no-no because, well, it's the perfect cuisine already, but in this case I was just wanting to experiment a little and replicate two of my favorite food experiences through a type of hybridization. To my delight the recipe worked out so well that I thought I'd post it.

No, you're not looking at kkaktugi. This is in fact deep fried tofu in a spicy gochujang-based sauce with green onions. Here's how I made it.

1. Cut a portion of Extra Firm tofu into small pieces and coat them with flour and a little salt and pepper (mix the flour/salt/pepper before dusting the tofu). Set aside.

2. Heat a good amount of peanut oil in a wok. Cut a knob of ginger into small strips and fry them until the oil is flavored. Add tofu and gently fry the pieces until they are firm with a slightly crispy exterior. Place on paper towels and drain briefly.

3. Combine 2 tsp gochujang, 1 minced clove of garlic, 2 tsp Korean white vinegar, 1 tsp red pepper powder (or paprika - don't use flakes), 1 tsp red wine, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp sesame oil in a bowl. Once mixed, combine the sauce with the tofu and fresh green onions. (I'ts important the tofu is still pretty warm so that the green onions will be 'cooked,' so to speak, during this brief moment.)

This is great served with white rice (of course) and Korean style cucumber pickles.

I got this idea from two different sources. The first source was a visit to a Korean bar in San Francisco. Although their kimchi was terrible (who uses black pepper in kimchi?), one of the side dishes they served with cocktails was terrific -- deep fried tofu. There was something just perfect about the way the crispy exterior held within soft and warm tofu; and matched with a great dipping sauce, everyone at my table could not stop raving about it. The second source was a diner in Hawaii I once went to where edamame was served (hilariously!) covered in gochujang. I couldn't believe my eyes! I thought I'd throw these ideas together and came up with Sloppy Dubu. Enjoy.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Only in the kimchi world could "instant kimchi" mean kimchi that can be prepared and eaten in "only 30 hours." But of course kimchi is not like any other food in the world. This insant kimchi, or sokpakchi, is today's entry.

I'm always on the lookout for good kimchi preparation methods and am officially chalking this one up as excellent. Unlike more formal kimchis which require that the cabbage remain somewhat whole, sokpakchi is a type of kimchi that is chopped into pieces (together with radishes) before being fermented. This makes everything a little bit easier both in the preparation process and also when it's time to eat -- simply open up the container and take out as much as you like. No fancy cutting mechanisms necessary.

1. To prepare sokpackhi, take one briefly rinsed Napa cabbage and cut it 1/3 of the way from the stem into the heart. Pull apart with your hands to make two pieces. Salt it liberally with sea salt. Be sure to put plenty of salt inside the leaves. Allow the salt to remove the water -- this process will take about 5-6 hours. Rinse briefly and then squeeze out the water your hands. Squeeze tightly to remove as much water as possible, because excess water will lead to early mold.

2. Cut one Korean radish or Japanese daikon into flat, square pieces (about 1 inch across on each side). Also cut one bunch of green onions into 1 inch pieces, cut diagonally. If you have access to Korean water cress, trim one bunch and add to the cut green onions.

3. Next combine cloves from 1 bulb of garlic together with a large knob of ginger (about 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of the garlic), cut into small pieces. Place both into a food processor and combine. (If liquid is needed, use a little of Korean fish sauce.)

4. Combine the cut cabbage (cut into 1/2 pieces, removing the hard stem), radish pieces, and garlic-ginger mixture together with 2 tsp sugar and red chili flakes. (The red chili flakes amount should be equal to approximately the amount of garlic used, so, about two heaping tablespoons.) Secret: don't limit yourself to chili flakes alone because you'll be missing out on that gorgeous flaming red color one sees in restaurant kimchi. Add an additional teaspoon full of red chili powder (as in, the powder used for Korean chijae soups).

5. Now add fish sauce to this mixture until the chili seasoning looks "wet." (In other words, enough so that it stops being a dry mixture.) Combine with very clean hands. Add a sprinkling of sea salt and mix again.

6. The kimchi is now ready to be placed into an airtight container. Top with a little bit more sea salt and place the lid on top. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 30 hours. Do not open the container at any point. After exactly 30 hours, move the container into the refrigerator. This 30 hour period is an absolute requirement -- otherwise your kimchi won't have that outstanding, pungent taste so vital the kimchi experience. Enjoy!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

This frozen yogurt was inspired by the Korean traditional dessert, baesuk (배숙). (Traditional baesuk is peeled and sliced Korean pear cooked in water with black peppercorns, ginger and sugar, then garnished with ground pine nuts.) This frozen version of baesuk substitutes the creaminess of pine nuts with the smooth texture of yogurt. I hope you'll enjoy my creation.

1. First begin by peeling two Korean pears (aka Asian pears) and chopping into small pieces. Place the pear pieces together with a dash of lemon juice into a blender with just enough water as was necessary to grind them to a smooth mixture.

2. Combine 16 oz of Greek yogurt (rBGH free) together with the Korean pear mixture and 1/2 cup sugar in the ice cream maker.

3. While the mixture is churning in an ice cream maker, add 1-2 tsp ginger juice. Also add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

4. After 30 mins of churning, the frozen baesuk yogurt will be ready to freeze in a freezer. Place into a plastic container and allow to freeze for at least four hours before serving.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This dish is so easy and basic that seems almost silly to give it a formal recipe, but what it lacks in sophistication and complexity it makes up for in taste power. Korean chigaes are one of my all-time favorite meals.

You can make a Korean stew out of basically anything -- just use what you crave and what you've got available. Although everyone has their own style, here's how my version goes:

1. Add a little fresh onion, sesame oil, and garlic to a pot or ceramic stew pot. Saute the onion and garlic until soft.

2. Add water together with a teaball full of dried anchovies (this is how I make my soup base), 1 large spoonful of chili powder, one piece of laver (seaweed -- also to flavor the broth), and sea salt to taste. Allow to boil briefly.

3. Add what you're craving. This time I made my stew with shrimp, crab, and tofu. Cook until shrimp or other protein is cooked and serve topped with fresh green onion and chili strands. Be sure and serve with with a big bowl of white rice.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

For those of you looking for a quick and easy meal, look away! Dongchimi noodles (Korean watery radish kimchi noodles) takes at least three days to prepare, but oh my god is it worth it...

동치미 국수 is unique because unlike most soup bases, dongchimi noodles uses kimchi broth as its base. This kimchi broth is fermented for two days prior to being placed into the refrigerator, where it requires an additional day to cool down. The result, after a hunger-inducing three day wait, is a broth that is pungent, sour, and slightly sweet all at the same time.

1. Start by soaking 10 green chillies in water salted with 1/4 cup sea salt for two days. Rinse and set aside.

2. The night before the chillies are done soaking, cut two daikon radishes into pieces and sprinkle them with sea salt. Let stand over night. Rinse thoroughly the next day.

3. Into a large ceramic vessel, place the radishes, chillies, 2 red chillies, 2 medium carrots sliced into lengths, 5-6 green onions cut into thirds, 1 Asian pear cut into quarters (unpeeled), 2 bulbs of garlic (sliced in half -- and I do mean two BULBS, not cloves), 4 slices ginger.

4. In a saucepan, heat 2 cups water and 1 white onion and cut into two and 2 tsp sugar. Bring to boil. Let cool, discard onion and then add 20 cups of purified cold water. Pour this brine over the vegetables and let stand for two days unrefrigerated to ferment. After two days, place into refrigerator to cool for at least 12 hours.

5. Now, if you're making dongchimi noodles, boil your noodles until ready and then drain, pouring over cold water to stop the noodles from cooking. Place the noodles into some dongchimi broth once the noodles are chilled by the running water. (You can further cool everything down by placing the noodle bowl into the freezer for a minute or two.)

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

In this dish (두부전골 or Korean tofu hot pot), two slices of pan-fried tofu are stuffed with and egg-based seasoning and tied together with a knot to hold their contents together. Traditionally minced beef is used but I've instead used shitake mushroom for a meatless dish. The bundles are then cooked together (boiled) together with carrot, mushroom, and daikon radish.

1. First cut the tofu into thick slices and weigh them down with a weight to remove excess liquid. Set aside 15 mins or more and remove liquid.

2. Dust tofu with flour and a little salt/pepper and fry in oil until crispy on both sides. Set aside.

3. Parboil green onions in salted watter until they go limp. Set aside.

4. Create an egg-shitake seasoning by mixing one egg white, 1 fine chopped shitake mushroom, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp finely chopped green onion, 1/2 tsp crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, pepper to taste. Set aside.

5. Lay down one wilted green onion and then place one piece fried tofu on top. Place 1 tsp of the egg seasoning on top of the tofu. Place another piece of tofu on top and tie the bundle together with a green onion. Repeat and set aside.

6. Slice daikon, carrot thinly and set aside. Clean two shitake mushrooms and set aside. Line the bottom of a pot with the daikon. Place bundles on top. Interleave the bundles with carrot and mushrooms.

7. Finally, create a cooking sauce by combining 2 cups of mushroom stock, 1/2 tsp crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp soy sauce. Pour over the bundles until the liquid almost reaches the top. Simmer on low until most but not all of the liquid has been boiled off.

P.S. I want to apologize about my comments system! For some reason, they take forever to save through my MT template, and many people give up after experiencing such a long pause, following hitting "Send." But please be assured that once the screen goes white, your comments have been saved. Thank you!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Today the temperature is supposed to reach 119F, so it's a lucky thing it's a holiday and everyone can stay home and run the air conditioner. It's also a good opportunity to cook and try out some new dishes.

This dish is milssam (밀쌈), or Korean crepes filled with vegetables and shrimp with a citron-vinegar-soy seasoning sauce. It's essentially the same as gajeulpan which I've made before but a simpler, less fancy version.

Goodies are placed on the crepes with a little of the seasoning sauce and gobbled up. What makes this meal so nice for a summer day like this is the zesty seasoning sauce, which is made with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and lemon rind. So light and delicious.

Each item has a slightly different preparation method, so let's get started.

1. You can start by prepping the shrimp. Boil in water briefly and then season to taste with sesame oil, white pepper, salt. Set aside.

2. The seasoning sauce served in a half-lemon is prepared by mixing 3 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and by zesting the second half of the lemon. Scoop out the second half and serve the seasoning inside.

3. Fry the mushrooms briefly in sesame oil and season with salt, pepper, and toasted sesame seeds.

4. Half the cucumber, cut into thin diagonal strips and salt them, allowing to sit for a few mins and release water. Squeeze a small bunch at a time to release liquids. Fry and season the same as the mushrooms.

5. The last part is creation of the crepes or wrappers. I'm no pro at this so best to not to look to me for advice, but here is how I make them. Use the whipper attachment of a blender and combine: 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 cups water, 1 egg yolk*, 1/4 tsp salt. Blend very well. Heat a large pan with a little oil. Pour in the batter -- just enough to cover the pan so it forms a very thin crepe. You'll need to circle around the pan in the air to make that happen. Cook just long enough until the crepe is sturdy enough to flip, but not long enough to brown. After the second side is cooked, remove and use a cup or bowl to cut a perfect circle into the crepe. Each crepe should make about small, perfect crepes.

* I used egg whites instead for a healthier version.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 01:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Summer's here! Today it's 112F outside, and the perfect time for cooling foods.

Although I've made and published this dish before, this time I took the time to properly season my vegetables and wow. what a difference this made. 냉면 are cold buckwheat noodles in an ice broth, topped with seasoned, chilled vegetables: daikon with a chile seasoning, cucumber with salt and vinegar, and Korean (nashi) pear. Taken all together this is really such a great summer meal which cools but tempts the taste buds with its tangy pungency.

Making it is a multiple-step process, but it goes quickly.

1. Prepare a broth -- you can either make one from scratch or use a the packet which comes with Korean buckwheat noodles. I used the packet this time. Just mix with water, heat, and then place in refrigerator to chill.

2. Begin by cutting daikon into rectangular cubes, relatively thin, and then salt with sea salt. Set aside for 5-6 minutes. Rinse briefly and squeeze out the liquid. Set aside. Do the same with cucumber.

3. After rinsing the daikon briefly, then add the chile seasoning, which is made by mixing: 1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes, 1 tsp vinegar, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp ginger juice, 1clove garlic, dash of salt. Add to daikon pieces. Set aside in refrigerator.

4. After rinsing the cucumber slices, add 1 tsp vinegar and dash of salt. Set aside in refrigerator.

5. Now boil the buckwheat noodles in water until they are slightly past al dente -- still rubbery but not soft. Remove immediately and rinse with cold water to remove gluten and cool down.

6. Place the cooled down noodles into a bowl and pour over the chilled broth.

7. Top with seasoned vegetables, Korean pear, and a fried egg (if you like eggs). Enjoy.

P.S. The broth can be supplemented deliciously with a little mustard oil or vinegar. Very recommended!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I never get tired of making and eating kimchi. It forms the basis of my culinary sensibilities and inspiration.

I hope everyone is enjoying summer!

I found this interesting kimchi-making video on Youtube. I'm really intrigued by the way she salts the cabbage and leaves it alone for two hours, rather than the method I've learned, which is to salt and soak in a brine for six hours. I may try this out and see how it works.

I'm also amazed by how much rice powder and sugar she uses, and how she chops up her ginger and garlic (in a food processor!). It's so interesting to see how different everyones' techniques are.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (28)

Leftovers make a great bibimbap. For this meal I used up some lettuce, cucumber, shitake mushrooms, winter lemon, and squid to make an informal bibimbap, dolsot style which is my favorite (i.e. in a heated stone bowl).

Sizzle-sizzle, pop, pop! I love the sounds of dolsot bibimbap just as much as eating it!

Next, the mixture -- together with some bibimbap sauce -- gets mixed up with a spoon, the crusty exterior getting mixed in with the soft interior, with more wonderful sizzling sounds...!

There couldn't be an easier meal to make. First you just need to make a bibimbap sauce by mixing: gochujan (3 tsp), 1-3 tsp cola or water, dash red wine, dash sesame oil, dash sugar, 1/2 tsp minced garlic. (Meat-eaters also like a dash of beef stock.) Mix all ingredients into a paste.

Use up whatever spare ingredients you have on hand. If you have some zuchini or winter melon, fry it in a little oil, garlic, and soy sauce. If you have some mushrooms, add them fresh or fried briefly. If you have cucumber or carrot, shred and use fresh or make a pickled salad with sugar and vinegar before adding. Finely chop lettuce and add that in too. Anything can be added to bibimbap to use up leftovers. I like a mixture of fresh and cooked ingredients with lots of texture and taste variations.

Place bibimbap sauce and toppings atop rice and mix with a spoon. Don't be surprised when you find yourself eating every last grain of rice!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Tonight's din-din was a special favorite of mine which brings back fond memories of my original Korea connection: 녹두빈대떡, otherwise known as Mung Bean Pancakes with Kimchi (or Galettes de lentilles vertes et de riz aux légumes, if you are a stylish Frenchman). These are pancakes made from a puree of mung bean and rice flour, and flavored with some homemade kimchi and served with a dipping sauce of 2/3 soy sauce and 1/3 rice vinegar. Ohlala.

This is not a terribly difficult dish to prepare -- just a little time consuming. If you have access to ready made cabbage kimchi, then great, you are already one step ahead of the game. Now all you will need is to soak some mung beans for a few hours until they plump up. Suggestion: don't bother using Japanese mung beans with the skins still on... this is a real waste of time when you can buy naked mung beans at a Korean grocery with the skins already stripped right off. Raaarrrr.

After you've soaked your mung beans you're ready to begin:

1. Rinse your 1 cup of soaked mung beans in a strainer and then place into a blender with just enough water to blend the mung beans to a coarse mixture.

2. Place the mung bean mixture into a bowl and mix in: 1/3 cup sticky rice powder, 1/2 yellow onion (finely sliced), 1/4 head of cabbage kimchi, 1 tsp salt, 5 green onions in 1-inch pieces, 1 tsp crushed garlic. Mix roughly.

3. Heat peanut oil in a pan and fry the pancakes for about 3 mins on each side.

4. Serve with dipping sauce -- this is prepared by mixing 2 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp rice vinegar.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

... or to be more specific, vegan bibim naengmyun (비빔냉면)! This cold noodle dish normally features an egg on top with a little slab of beef, but my version contains no meat or egg -- in fact, the egg-like item on top is radish carved into an egg-shape. :-)

Bibim naengmyun must be one of the best tasting foods in this world of ours! I love to make it at home on a hot day, the cold-sweet-savory spiciness of noodles cooling me down but heating up my taste buds at the same time. The cold-savory-sweet interplay is played atop the noodles as well in the form of fresh and crunchy radish, cucumber, and Asian pear.

My favorite part about making bibim naengmyun is the fantastic smell of gochujang meeting sesame oil -- could there be a more beautiful scent? I also get excited when the noodles come from the boiling water and are poured into a strainer, the scent of the buckwheat permeating the room and causing my stomach to rumble.

1. Begin by preparing fresh vegetable and fruit toppings by slicing: daikon radish, cucumber, and Korean pear. Set aside.

2. Prepare the seasoning mixture by combining three large tablespoons of gochujang together with 2-3 tablespoons of the following, adjusting amounts to taste: sesame oil, sugar, rice vinegar. Set aside.

3. Now bring water to a boil and boil buckwheat noodles until they are just past al dente. They should be rubbery but not soft. Place into a strainger and rinse immediately with very cold water. Allow to drain.

4. With a large spoon, mix the seasoning with the noodles. Place into a metal bowl and cool the noodles down in the freezer for a few minutes. Don't allow the noodles to begin to freeze but they should be very cold.

5. Top with fresh vegetables and Korean pear. (Traditionally also served with a slice of meat and an egg.)

And now a little Korean music to enjoy with your food: my favorite Korean singer, Simsoo Bong, singing "A Million Scarlet Roses."

Actually this heart-felt, moody stage version is much better than the poppy CD verson, I thought, and what surprise to learn that the original song is Russian! Of course it makes sense after you listen to the original...

In any case, I find both women mesmerizing...

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

At the market I spotted a few plump turnips and remembered seeing an unusual recipe for turnip kimchi (순무김치). Should I try it? I was nervous not knowing if I'd like it, or if it would turn out well. But as selections at the market come and go, I worried about missing my opportunity, so I went for it.

Wow, this was an excellent kimchi and I'm glad I tried it. It was also relatively easy, requiring few ingredients and not a lot of time, unlike many other kimchis. The taste was quite similar to radish kimchi, especially the texture; however the taste was distinctly turnipy. A quick Google search tells me that sunmu kimchi is a specialty of Ganghwado, Kyonggi Province. (Thanks to Yunchoi for confirming!)

Anyway, here's how I prepared mine:

1. Slice peeled turnips. (I used about 4-5 large ones.)

2. Cut the white portion of one bunch green onions into 1.5 inch sections. In a ceramic bowl, mix equal parts white onion pieces, chopped garlic, and red chili flakes. Add anchovy sauce* until the mixture is wet but not liquid.

3. Mix turnip slices and seasoning. Place into an airtight, non-metallic cannister and allow to ferment unrefrigerated for 12 hours*. Place into refrigerator and enjoy after a few days.

Notes:

* I used anchovy sauce but it's traditional to use salted and fermented pilchard, boiled and filtered
* My recipe book does not specify how long to ferment before refrigeration, so I tried 12 hours and this worked well in terms of the final taste outcome. But if this isn't correct, please let me know!

And for fun, here's some Korean pop music to enjoy with your kimchi:

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

This dish of grilled Korean squid, or 오징어구이, is a good example of "don't have the right ingredient but I'll be damned if I'm not going to make due." Whole squid are totally impossible to obtain here in the desert, so I've instead used frozen calamari rings but prepared them in a Korean style. Aesthetically not the most beautiful dish I've prepared, but oh my gosh was this delicious...

I really could not eat this fast enough. A few years ago, I would have told you I disliked squid. But now I'm a huge squid fan and I can never get enough. And fortunately, this particular batch of squid was tender beyond belief. Savory, salty, sweet, and tender with just a little bit of chewiness -- ahhhh! So delicious.

I have tried similar Korean recipes in the past but I was disappointed by the consistency of the squid as well as the marinade sauce. In this recipe, I loved both. The squid are kept tender by a combination of parboiling (quickly) and grilling. The seasoning was also heartier and zestier than what I've tried before. I will be making this again.

1. Begin by parboiling your squid very briefly. Drain and set aside.

2. Mix the marinade by combining 2 tsp gochujang, 2 green onions (sliced in large pieces), 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, and a dash of black pepper.

3. Heat a grill and grill until the squid begin to blacken.

By the way, my new hobby is learning Korean! And guess what? Youtube has a fantastic series of shows devoted to just that. How cool is that?

Wish me luck!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I'm of the opinion that some dishes simply make themselves. A combination of weather and ingredients on hand seems to cause a sort of culinary kismet. Today my "destiny" dish was kimchi jigae (김치찌개), or kimchi stew with mushrooms and tofu.

I had to run over to Riverside today to inventory somebody's personal archives, which happened to be a in a dark, cold room. (The great irony of my career is that for somebody who detests the cold, I am always finding myself in cold environments.) After finishing up, it's all I could but think about some nice, hot meal that would warm up my insides. Back at home, the ingredients available in my refrigerator rang out like a symphony composed to tempt and taunt the salivary glands: tofu, kimchi, fresh mushrooms, garlic... of course I had to have kimchi jigae.

This batch was particularly delicious because the last batch of cabbage kimchi I made was my absolute best. If I continue the trend anyway, I believe I've finally learned the secret of top quality kimchi and this only lifts up such dishes to another level entirely.

1. I began by pouring 1-2 tsp of sesame oil into a ceramic vessel, heating the oil, and sauteing fresh onion and 2 cloves of fresh garlic. I then added some freshly cut mushrooms.

2. Once the mushrooms just began to lose some fluid, I added fresh kimchi, 1-2 tsp of powdered chili pepper, and a small amount of water that would fill the vessel about 2/3 full, and tofu. (I also added a little sea salt to taste.) The contents were then simmered until the stew was piping hot.

So easy, simple, filling, and delicious.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I'm always on the lookout for the perfect cabbage kimchi recipe, and this one's the best so far. It's taken from "The Book of KImchi," published in Korea. I recommend it to anybody seeking out a kimchi recipe that produces restaurant quality kimchi.

Deconstructed, here's how kimchi breaks down:

sea salt, dried chili pepper flakes, sugar, ginger, garlic

watercress

green onion

julienned radish

napa cabbage after being soaked in a sea salt brine for at least 6 hours

1. Start by selecting a good napa cabbage that is heavy and firm. Remove the outer leaves and reserve. Cut the cabbage with knife 1/3 of the way into the base. Use hands to tear the remainder of the cabbage into two pieces. Sprinkle sea salt into the inner leaves.

2. Create a salt brine by mixing three handfuls of sea salt with water (I used filtered) in a ceramic or glass (not metal) bowl large enough hold the submerged halves. Mix the salt in thoroughly with clean hands. Submerge the two cabbage halves. Place the outer leaves on top. (If necessary, place a plate on top of them and weigh the plate so that the entire cabbage is submerged.) Allow to sit in the brine for at least 6 hours in a cool place. Overnight is convenient. (Never use a metal bowl as it'll react with the salt.)

3. Rinse the cabbage halves in cold water and drain thoroughly. Now it's time to measure out the basic seasoning ingredients. I have struggled with recipes that call for "x" number of grams of this and "x" number of oz. of that. Dispense with this nonsense. Instead use a breakdown of ingredients by percentage. Using the weight of the cabbage as a "100" value, counterpoint seasoning ingredients as such: 20% julienned daikon radish, 3% green onion, 3% watercress, 2-3% chili pepper flakes, 1.5% garlic, 0.7% ginger, 3-5% fish sauce, 2-3% salt. This is the standard breakdown for a basic cabbage kimchi. (In other words, if you have a 100 lb cabbage (haha) you would use 20 lbs of green onions in your seasoning. Make sense? Note that not all the salt is used in the seasoning -- most is used in the brine. In the case of a one-cabbage kimchi, you would only used about 1 tsp sea salt in your seasoning. The reason is the fish sauce is already very salty.)

4. Combine 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, chili pepper flakes (see above), 1 tsp pine nuts, fresh ginger (see above), fresh garlic (see above), anchovy sauce (see above -- this is my preference for fish sauce but you can use others), watercress (see above), green onions (see above), julienned daikon radish (see above). Clean hands thoroughout and mix with your fingers.

5. Now you will need to cut out the hard base of the cabbage halves with a knife. This is done because it will go bad if not cut out. Now pack the reasoning between each leaf of the cabbage halves. With done, wrap one outer leave around the exposed interior portion tightly. Place into a sealed, ceramic cannister. Repeat. With the removed, exterior leaves, use these to cover the cabbage halves. Sprinkle a little sea salt over them and add just a bit of fish sauce as well.

6. And now for kimchi's "big secret." Have you ever noticed that kimchis made at home never, ever taste as yummy and savory as restaurant or store-bought kimchi? The secret is pre-refrigeration fermentation. Before the seasoned cabbages are placed into a refrigerator, they are allowed to ferment for 40 hours before being refrigerated. This "activates" the fermentation which is what makes kimchi special. Place in a cool spot for 40 hours and then place into the refrigerator. You can enjoy your kimchi in just a matter of days, depending how "fresh" or "sour" you like it.

Additional Tips

Most people don't have a Korean store immediately available in their neighborhood, so if you're interested in making kimchi, I suggest Kgrocer.com. I've received nothing but superior service from them and they have everything you'll need, minus fresh ingredients.

If you're shopping for kimchi ingredients in a real store but you don't know what to look for, print out the following products:

I don't recommend using Thai fish sauce as its very sweet and the taste of the final kimchi will never be "right." But there are lots of Korean options to anchovy sauce, including croaker and baby shrimps.

chili flakes

I really don't like Wang brand, so try to find a Korean brand instead. The color of the chili flakes should be a bright red. Also, don't be confused by the packaging. Look for packages of flakes regardless of what the packaging indicates. Chili powder is available in Korean markets but this is used in stews generally.

Another tip for great kimchi is the use of an air-tight ceramic cannister. These can be purchased at a Korean market but I have yet to see any available online. The plastic top creates an air-tight seal, perfect for the fermentation process and also good for keeping smells at bay.

Good and luck and happy kimchi-making!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

Last night we had friends over for our semi-regular 'tapas' get-together. This time the event took place at my house, so I was set to the challenge of coming up with something bite size and yet substantial. After some thought, I decided on making a veggie gujeolpan (구절판 or "Korean Platter of Nine Delicacies"), served with a sour soy sauce to pour on the crepes (see center of dish) once filled with the various condiments.

My veggie version of consisted of flour crepes (center), tofu, salted cucumber strips, marinated shitake mushrooms, parboiled sesame bean sprouts, salted radish strips, parboiled garlicy broccoli, marinated button mushrooms, and salted carrot strips.

Sesame Bean Sprouts: these were made in advance by parboiling bean sprouts for five minutes, draining, and then combining with a little salt, garlic, and sesame oil to taste. These were then refrigerated.

Mushrooms: these were first marinated by combining 2 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp finely chopped green onions, 1 tsp minced garlic, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp pan roasted sesame seeds, and some ground pepper to taste. Once closer to the time of serving, these were fried very briefly in a wok.

Broccoli: this was parboiled briefly, drained, and then combined with garlic and salt to taste.

Carrots and Radish: these were julienned into strips and placed into water with a bit of sea salt. After five minutes, they were drained, lightly squeezed of excess liquid, and then placed into their sections.

Crepes. first I made a batter of 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 1/4 cups water. A small amount of crepe batter was then fried, rotating the pan to create a very then crepe. These were fried and removed before changing color, retaining their whiteness. I then placed the crepes on a cutting board and used a drinking glass to 'cut' out small, circular shapes. So that the crepes did not stick together, I placed a few halved pine nut pieces between each one.

Sour Soy Sauce dressing: this was prepared by mixing 3 tsp soy sauce, 4 1/2 white vinegar (rice), and 1 tsp water. This was then drizzled onto the crepes after being filled with the various goodies.

This dish was a big hit and I'll be making it again soon. Next time, however, I will find a better serving implement that allows guests who are not "chopsticks skilled" to more easily serve themselves.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 08:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This week I've tried using a new kimchi recipe book and have found it to be far superior to my old kimchi bible. What a revelation! I now realize that much of frustration regarding recipes that were "good but not quite right" has been due to recipe inaccuracies in the latter. Very frustrating, but at the same time very exciting to be moving along now.

I found the following recipe for kkaktugi (깍두기 - cubed radish kimchi) to be just the recipe I've been hunting for. The taste of the kkaktugi was light and refreshing without being overly salty or sour.

1. To make the kkaktugi, I first filled a big glass bowl with cool water. (Don't use a metallic bowl because it's reactive.) I then tossed in a fistfull of sea salt and created a salt brine. (Don't use table salt -- the kimchi will go bad.)

2. Next, I cubed a large daikon. (Ideally, use a Korean radish, but a Japanese daikon will do fine.) The cubes were then placed into the salt brine for twenty minutes.

3. Meanwhile, I created the seasoning by combining 1/2 bulb of garlic (finely grated, so much so that it's mushy), 1 small knob of ginger (also finely grated), about 7-8 tsp of Korean anchovy sauce (ideally use salted and fermented small shrimps but fish sauce will do), 1.5 tsp sugar, 3 tsp chili pepper flakes, and 1/2 bunch of green onions (sliced into 1 inch, skinny lengths). Set aside.

4. After 20 mins, I removed the radish cubes from their brine. I then rinsed them very briefly with water and drained. Next I placed the cubes into bowl and "colored" them with 2 tsp of chili pepper powder.

5. After the cubes had been "colored," I added the seasoning and mixed everything with my hands. Don't be afraid to get dirty -- it's fun!

6. Last step: I placed the kkaktugi into a sealed glass container and allowed them to ferment, unrefrigerated at room temperature, for 40 hours. After this time had elapsed, I placed into the refrigerator. This last step allows the kimchi to properly alter its chemical makeup and the flavor will become zesty and mature.

I think I have found the perfect kkaktugi recipe and I'm so happy now!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

What an unusual day today has been. In the morning, we had a minor earthquake: 3.5, centered about 10 miles from here. Now in the late afternoon we have heavy rain (very unusual for the season -- in fact, any rain is unusual) and thunder. It suddenly occurs to me how quickly one becomes accustomed "the usual" here in the desert -- hot days with clear, cloudless skies. Anything else which deviates from this norm seems... otherwordly, almost.

But deviating from the norm makes life interesting, which is why I decided to prepare today's dish -- a first for me. And to my general delight, it turned out wonderfully. Seasoned seaweed salad (미역무침 or miyeok-muchim) is a chilled salad served with spicy, seasoned seaweed and seafood, and it really fit the bill when it came to satisfying my cravings for Korean food. I loved the texture of the chewy seaweed combined with those classic Korean seasonings: garlic, chili, and vinegar. This was seriously delicious.

1. To prepare this wonderful dish, I began by de-shelling some shrimp and dropping them very briefly into salted, boiling water. I removed them as soon as they turned pink. After allowing them to cool, I cut them in half and then placed them into the refrigerator to cool.

2. I next placed the knotted seaweed into a pot of boiling water and allowed it to boil for 15 mins. The seaweed was then drained, rinsed with cold water, and placed into the refrigerator to cool.

3. Into a small pan of fresh, boiling water, I placed one bunch of green onions cut into 3-4 inch lengths. These were immediately removed, drained, and placed into the refrigerator to cool.

4. Finally, I prepared the spicy seasoning by combing 2-3 cloves of garlic (grated), 2-3 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp of white Korean vinegar (rice vinegar ok), 1 tsp gochujang sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, and 2 tsp sesame oil. After the main ingredients had cooled down completely, I combined them with this spicy sauce and served.

This dish livened up my spirits (and taste buds) on such a dark, moody day. Amazing how food can affect one's mindset, isn't it?

Update: even stranger weather came an hour later, with the strongest winds I have ever seen in this area -- check out these strange cloud formations and the swaying palms.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

This dish is described as a drinking appetizer, or something to munch on while consuming alcohol. This suited me just perfectly as last night I found myself in the mood for both Korean flavors and beer. It's the weekend! It also happens to be chili pepper season in my garden and my Korean pepper plants are looking particularly vibrant.

Pootkochu yangnyeom muchim (or literally, chili pepper salad with a yangnyeom sauce) seems to also be known as gochujjim (고추찜). These are Korean chlil peppers dusted in flour, steamed, and then coated in a yangnyeom sauce. This dish is a savory snack to be enjoyed with alcohol, but be careful... the heat sneeks up on you and can pack a punch!

1. To make it, cut the stems off the peppers and then dust the peppers with flour.If you don't have Korean peppers, use Japanese shishito peppers instead. Likewise, if you don't like very spicy food, shishito peppers make a good, milder replacement.

2. Next, oil the base of a steamer lightly and then steam the peppers for about 5 minutes.

3. In the meantime, create your yangnyeom sauce by mixing 3 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp ground chili pepper, 1 clove of crushed garlic.

4. Dry toast 1/2 tsp sesame seeds until they begin to pop or become fragrant. Add them into the yangnyeom sauce as well.

5. Allow the steamed peppers to cool briefly and then coat them with the yangnyeom sauce.

All done. A remarkably simple dish that is packed full of classic Korean flavors: spicy, pungent, and sweet all at the same time. The perfect beer accompaniment for a lazy Friday night at home. Enjoy!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

It's been far too long since I last made a batch of kimchi. If I go too long without eating kimchi, I begin to feel progressively more desperate for it. Am I the only person who feels this way? Can one have an addiction to kimchi?

1. To make kimchi, start with a nice napa cabbage. From the top, cut it with a knife a third of the way down. Then firmly hold the sides of the cabbage and tear the remainder in two.

2. Fill a bowl full of cold water and toss in a handful of sea salt. (Table salt won't work.) Mix the sea salt in and make brine. Make sure your hands are squeeky clean. Now submerge the cabbage portions, using a place to hold them completely under water. Allow to soak in the brine over night, at least 12 hours.

3. Rinse the portions under cold water twice. Remove any loose exterior leaves. Now create the seasoning by mixing: 1 bunch of green onions (sliced to about 2-3 inches), 1/3 cup crushed garlic, 1/4 cup crushed ginger, 1/4 cup red chili flakes, 1/4 cup red chili powder. Add fish sauce until the mixture is paste consistency.

4. Use your hands to rub the paste in between all the leaves. Fold over the larger leaves so that the seasoning remains inside the cabbage heads. Place into a very clean ceramic cannister with a tight lid, sprinking a little bit of sea salt or an additional amount of fish sauce over the tops. Replace the lid and store in a refrigerator for 2-3 weeks while the flavors mature. If anybody complains about the smell, tell them that the air is very fresh in the backyard.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

This simple but robust side-dish is called 감자조림, or gamja jorim. For lack of a better way to describe my style of preparation, I think I will call these Honolulu style gamja jorim. As opposed to the more typical cubed or finger shaped slices, I've imitated one of my favorite restaurants and used whole baby potatoes. These happy potatoes are simmered in Korean seasonings until just the right consistency is reached -- they're then placed into the refrigerator and served cold as a banchan. These are just packed with flavor and I really love them.

1. First peel a group of baby potatoes and placed them into a pot. Pour soy sauce into the pot until it just covers the base of the pot. Now fill the pot with water so that the tips of the potatoes peek just above the water line.

2. Add the following to the pot: 3-4 cloves garlic (crushed or grated), 1 knob of ginger (sliced or grated), 1 heaping tsp chili powder, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1.5 tsp sugar, 1 piece of laver, and a couple of dried anchovies (optional).

3. Simmer the mixture until the seasoning becomes thick. At this point, there should be very little seasoning left, leaving only the potatoes. Remove the potatoes one by one carefully and place them into a covered bowl. Place into the refrigerator until chilled. Before serving, sprinkle on a little sesame oil and some roasted sesame seeds.

The smell of this dish is heavenly when it begins to simmer, filling the house with those distinctive, savory Korean smells. Don't be tempted to eat this warm, however, as the taste and consistency will be disappointed as compared to eating them chilled. By then the potatoes have firmed up again slightly and the flavors have had a chance to really meld together. Enjoy!

P.S. It appears my gamja jorim have achieved fame. A photo of a previous prepation appears on this page, together with some other dishes I prepared. And here are some more of my dishes. Now that's a compliment!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

The most common question I get from this blog is: "How do I make kimchi?" And while I'm flattered to receive this question, I am definitely not the right person to ask. Of all the foods I have spent time preparing, kimchi remains the most enigmatic and fiesty. The reason is that many or even most kimchis are not simply prepared and eaten, but must go through a fermentation or pickling stage before they are ready to eat. Alchemy must occur, and during this period anything can change the flavor of the end result: fluctuations in humidity and temperature being just two examples. Good kimch is a real challenge to make, to say the least, and one may not know the results of one's labor for weeks to come.

Korean gochu from my garden, ready to be made into kimchi

Another reason I hesitate to answer this question is that there are hundreds of kimchis: kimchis made of turnips, radish leaves, carrots, and cabbage are only a few. Likewise, there must be hundreds of types of cabbage kimchi alone, each kimchi-maker with their own unique style. "The taste of kimchi depends on the hands that make it," as the saying goes.

rice porridge, a component in many types of kimchi

But I also understand why people are asking me this question: nobody else in the English-speaking blogosphere is making it. Most Koreans get quite tickled to hear that I enjoy making my own, largely perhaps because they don't make it themselves. They've perhaps never made it themselves, instead preferring to buy it from the grocery store where quality and consistency are assured. Being a kimchi-maker renders me an anachronism in a culture I did not even grow up in.

Well, no matter. Kimchi is my soul food. And while the "immediate reward" may be so desirable in our modern world, some things are simply better after having anticipated them for so long, like ripping open Christmas gifts or eating fruit sewn from seed many years prior.

Yang Paechu Kotchori kimchi is a great kimchi to experiment with because it is an instant kimchi, meaning no fermentation is required. And while it may lack the depth and pungency of a fermented kimchi, it is less heavy and spicy and makes for a good summer side dish. It can (and should) be eaten immediately.

1. In a food processer, coarsely blend 1/4 cup fresh red Korean chillies (use Korean chili flakes, if lacking), 1/2 onion, 1/4 cup fresh garlic, 1/2 tomato, 1/8 cup fresh ginger, 1/3 cup rice porridge (*see below), 1/2 cup fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/2 cup rice vinegar. Set aside.

2. Cut a firm cabbage (not Napa) into 1x2 pieces, rinse, and allow to drain. Meanwhile, cut 8-10 scallions into 3-4 inch pieces.

3. Mix kimchi seasoning sauce with cabbage pieces and scallions. Place kimchi into a ceramic vessel and cover tightly. Do not place into a metal container, as it will be reactive. (Note: this is not a long-term kimchi and should not be kept for a long period of time. It is meant to be eaten within a few days.)

* rice porridge is made by mixing 3/4 cups water and 1 tsp rice flour. Bring to boil and then cool.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

This first attempt at Korean daksanjeok (chicken kebabs) met with decent success.* This was a tricky dish based on the fact the chicken goes through a number of processes -- pounded with a meat mallet, fried, simmered, and then finally cut into pieces and skewered. The end result is definitely worth the effort, however.

1. First I began by placing patted-dry chicken fillets under plastic and hitting them with a meat mallet until flat. These were then dashed with salt and pepper. The flattened pieces were then fried briefly (1-2 mins) on each side and then set aside.

2. Next I prepared a seasoned soy sauce of 5 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp ginger juice, 1 tsp rice wine, and 1/4 cup water. (The recipe also called for 1 tsp malt liquid, which I did not have and excluded.) This was added to the pan until simmering and allowed to thicken slightly. The chicken pieces were then added and allowed to simmer for 10 mins. After removing, sesame oil was added to the chicken and the allowed to cool down.

3. The chicken meat was then cut into strips and added to the kebobs, interweaving in pieces of very lightly stir fried green onion.* They were then garnished with strips of Korean red peppers. (Also called for in the recipe was strips of egg omlette, which I omitted as I don't like the taste of egg.)

* Problems encountered: one problem was that I had pounded the chicken breasts too hard, making them very thin and difficult to skewer in Step 3. Next time I will not make them quite so thin. I encountered a similar problem with the green onions. Even though I only stir fried them for a few seconds, they came out a little wilted for my taste. I will remedy this next time by barely cooking them at all. I may even skewer them fresh.

This was a fun dish to make and it would definitely appeal to a broad range of people, as the only spicy component, the red pepper garnish, can be removed easily by hand. Be forewarned however that Korean peppers are incredibly sneaky in the way they change flavor. When green, they are entirely mild with a taste similar to a Japanese shishito pepper. However, when they turn red, they are wickedly hot -- so much so that when I was shredding the ones seen in the photo, I began to choke from their fumes. This was entirely unexpected as I've always eaten my gochu when green. Be cautious and enjoy!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Now that it's getting hot in the desert again, I'm breaking out some cool summer dishes. This one, today's lunch, is kong guksu (콩국수), which is cold noodles served in a chilled sesame-soy broth. Oh baby, was this tasty...

1. To make the sesame-soy broth, I first soaked 1/2 cup of dried soy beans in water for an hour. These were then boiled for 45 minutes on the stovetop.

2. Meanwhile, I placed a few tablespoons of sesame seeds into a pan and dry roasted them until they began to be fragrant. These were then placed into a blender with a little water and pureed until liquid. After the soy beans were done boiling, I added these as well and more water. Both were pureed until liquid.

3. Next I squeezed the sesame-soy bean mixture through cheesecloth to create the sesame-soy broth. After removing the solids and retaining all the liquid broth, I added sea salt to taste and placed the broth into the refrigerator to cool.

4. After about 45 minutes, allowing the broth to cool adequately, I began boiling the wheat noodles. Once ready, I removed them and rinsed them with cold water thoroughly. I then arranged them in a bowl and poured the chilled sesame-soy broth over them, also adding some julienned cucumber, tomato slices, and some sesame seeds.

Tip: if your broth isn't totally chilled at this point, you can add some ice cubes. You will find that a chilled broth is far superior in taste than a semi-chilled one. Also, not sure if this is authentic or not, but I finished mine off with a little bit of mustard oil just because I like my food to have some kick.

This was the perfect meal for a hot afternoon. 95F/34C today and it's only May!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 03:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Before leaving for San Francisco, I prepared this batch of kkaktugi (깍두기), or diced radish kimchi. This is one of my favorite kimchis and it was a great way to use up the remainder of my daikon and green onions. I love the crunchy texture of it.

1. Cut a daikon into 1-inch cubes.

2. Create a brine by mixing a handful of sea salt in a large bowl of water. (Do not use table salt.) Soak the radish cubes for about 3-4 hours. If necessary, weigh down the radish with a plate so that they are completely submerged.

3. Make the seasoning paste by combining rice porridge (3/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon of rice flour heated to boil on the stovetop and then left to cool), 2/3 cup fish sauce, 1/3 chili flakes, 2/3 cup chili powder, 1/3 cup finely chopped garlic, 1/3 cup finely chopped ginger, 1/4 cup sugar (optional). Chop 10 scallions and set aside.

4. After 3-4 hours of sitting in the brine, rinse off the cubes under cold water. Drain again.

5. Combine the cubes with the seasoning paste and scallions. (Don't use all the seasoning paste if the combination is getting soupy - it should only cover the cubes and no more.) Place into a ceramic container, sprinkle top with a pieces of sea salt, and allow to ferment in refrigerator for 1-3 days before eating.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

As I haven't had a chance to buy groceries after my long trip, the kitchen is fairly empty and I've been hard pressed to come up with full meals. This is particularly true for any recipe that requires fresh vegetables. I did manage to find a frozen chicken though, so last night I decided on preparing samgyetang (삼계탕), or Korean chicken ginseng soup.

Actually I have been wanting to try making this soup for a long time, but all of the ingredients are impossible to find locally. Fortunately, thanks to a great tip by a fellow food blogger, I wound up my trip to the Bay Area last week by visiting Kukeje in Daly City -- a Korean supermarket in the truest sense of the word. It's huge! Of course I was in complete nirvana and I must have spent more than two hours there examining all the foods, ingredients, banchans, and cooking wares. I'm surprised they didn't call security on me.

I looked at a number of samgyetang recipes before deciding on the following. They were all fairly similar but with some variations, mainly having to do with the amount of garlic used and how long to simmer the chicken.

1. First I washed 1/3 cup of glutinous rice and allowed it to soak in water for 1/2 hour. I also rinsed the following stuffing ingredients: 5 jujubes (dried Chinese dates), 4 dried chestnuts, and two fingers of dried ginseng.

2. Next I cleaned the chicken and placed the rice, jujubes, chestnuts, ginseng, and six cloves of whole garlic inside the cavity. I then sewed the cavity shut and tied the legs together tightly so that the contents would remain inside during the simmering process.

3. In a large pot, I boiled water and then placed the chicken in the pot. When the water began to boil again, I turned it down to a slow simmer and simmered the bird for three hours. (This is where recipes really vary, so you may want to check around and see what others say in terms of how long to simmer the bird.) Remove anything floating on the surface during this step so that the broth remains clear.

4. Finally I removed some of the broth into a separate bowl, adding salt and pepper to taste, and then added some of the stuffing ingredients for presentation purposes. The rice stuffing was served in a separate bowl.

This was an interesting dish to experiment with. Some problems I encountered were: burning myself when I placed the chicken into the boiling water, filling the pot too full and having water spill out when I placed the chicken into the pot, and underestimating the size of the chicken in relation to the size of my pot. (I 'solved' the latter problem by flipping the bird mid way through the simmering process, but what I really need is a bigger pot.)

You can learn more about the lore of samgyetang, a revered dish in Korea, by visiting here. If you don't have a local Korean market handy, I've spotted all of these ingredients at Chinese markets as well although their jujubes have never looked quite as nice as the Korean packaged type. Got samgyetang tips for me or stories? Please share them!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Now that my trip is only a few days away, I'm trying once again to use up all my groceries so that nothing goes to waste while I'm away. Fortunately I found just the right ingredients for Korean braised tofu (두부조림 or dubu chorim). This dish is prepared by pan searing firm tofu in oil and then braising it in a spicy mixture until the sauce is absorbed by the tofu.

1. The only difficult thing about this dish is the first step. Cut the tofu into slices and place them into heated peanut oil. Shake the pan very frequently so that the tofu does not stick. This is important or you will lose the shape of your tofu and the dish will be ruined. If one begins to stick, gently nudge it or use a spatula to gently release it. Continue frying on both sides until they are slightly browned.

2. In a pot, mix 4-5 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2-3 cloves garlic, and 1 tsp chili powder. Add half a cup of water. Bring to a medium simmer and add the tofu pieces gently. Allow them to braise in the sauce until it is half boiled off.

3. Add chopped green onions to the top and allow to cook to until most of the liquid has been boiled off. Sprinkle the top of the tofu with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Serve hot with rice.

This was a great lazy bones meal for somebody with a huge appetite but not a lot of energy to cook something elaborate. In reality, this dish is a sidedish but when cooking for one, it will do just fine as a main meal.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Today in response to the Flickr-posted picture of the kimchi and kkaennip pizza I made (and quickly gobbled up) some months ago, a very cool person from Saipan (apparently now in Seoul?) sent me their remarkably excellent kimchi pizza song. (You can check out the lyrics here.) Do have a listen -- it's really good!

Meanwhile, opening up my email I discovered that an SF food blogger had thoughtfully sent me a list of all her favorite restaurants (mainly Korean -- she knows me well) in San Francisco. Too cool.

I thought I'd just take this opportunity to say thanks to all the cool people I've met through this blog. Thanks so much for all your comments, support, and kindness. You rock.

By the way, according to UPS tracking, I'll get my new camera on Monday! This arrives plenty of time before I head to San Francisco, so the food gods are obviously watching over me. Woot.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 05:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Though my home sits squarely on the floor of an open desert, I am also in close proximity to a mountain range. In the rare times it snows atop these mountains, it is quite a sight to behold from this lower, warmer vantage point.

Brrrrrr, far too cold my liking! And our unseasonably cold weather seems to be having a negative affect on my body as well, having been unable to kick this cold of mine which has been lingering for weeks now.

Fortunately, while visiting the local hippie store a few days ago, I ran across an ingredient for a Korean medicinal tea that I have been hunting high and low for. I'm hoping it will be my key back to health.

Daechu-sankang cha (대추생강차) is a medicinal tea prepared by boiling fresh ginger, dried jujubes (Chinese dates), and licorice root, and adding honey to taste once brewed. According to recipe book, licorice root (kamcho) is used to soothe a sore throat and reduce coughs. The merits of ginger are well known, particularly its antioxidant properties. Jujube has very high vitamin C content and is also commonly used to fight sore throat.

Regardless of its medicinal merits, this was a warming, delicious, and comforting tea. I feel better already.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (1)

The weather this week has been fairly miserable for a person who thrives on sun and heat. Cold winds and grey skies conspired to make me crave food that would warm me up both on the inside and the outside. This is how I concluded that today's lunch simply had to be a big, delicious bowl of Korean clam soup (daehap guk or 대합국/대합별탕).

Jo gae gook isn't too demanding to cook. This is the second time I've made it and both efforts have been successful. The only variation I attempted this time was the addition of garlic, which tasted wonderful but added slightly to the difficulty level as it required straining the soup afterwards to maintain clarity.

1. First I created a salt water brine and allowed the Manila clams to soak for 30 mins. This removes any dirt which may be present. They were then thoroughly rinsed with cold water.

2. Next I filled a pot of purified water, adding a little sea salt. When the water came to a boil, I added the clams and allowed them to sit until they began to open, about 5 mins. These were then removed from the broth and the unopeneded clams discarded.

3. After turning down the heat to a very slight boil, I then added tofu and chili peppers. After a minute or two, I then re-added the clams and green onions, and served. (Note: if you use garlic, you'll need to strain the broth as the garlic will be unsightly.)

I wanted something for lunch that would warm me up and this did the job thoroughly. Gone were my cold fingers and feet; instead my forehead perspired as I joyfully slurped my savory soup with its flirty hint Jalapeno heat. Despite the lack of sun today, my soul felt warmed by this simple, elegant, filling soup.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last evening's dinner was a case of the main dish paling in comparison to one of its side dishes.

My main course was dak gal bi (닭갈비). With all the proper ingredients on hand (unlike last time), I prepared this filling combination of grilled chicken, onion, carrot, and spicy sauce. My preparation was a little different this time, however. During the last round, I grilled everything together and found that the vegetables had overcooked by the time the chicken was ready to eat. To solve this problem (I'm a fan of crisp vegetables), I tried grilling the chicken first, then the carrot, and finally the onions. This worked out much better.

As I have a ton of mature Korean perilla leaves growing in the garden, I recently made a batch of kkaennip kimchi (깻잎) and last night was the big taste test. Oh man was it delicious! So full of herby pungency and yet packed with that classic kimchi spicy garlic-ginger combination. Wow. Awesome. Amazing taste.

Though seasoned perilla leaves can be purchased in a can, they really just can't hold a candle to the fresh kimchi version. What was particularly delicious, I found, was wrapping these around warm rice and eating them as ssam (wrapped vegetable bundles). Indescribably delicious.

How rewarding it is to create a dish that begins with the sowing of seeds and culminates many weeks later in a product that is flawlessly fresh and delicious. It is one thing to enjoy fresh and properly prepared food, but another to have been responsible for the process. In such a case, one is not only appreciating taste but every step of the process.

This dish reminds me with clarity how inspired I continue to be by Korean cookery. While I'm inspired by all sorts of cuisines and styles, I am always drawn back to Korean food. It is my soul food.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Kkaennip (깻잎 or 들깨), otherwise known as Korean shisho, perilla, beefsteak plant, and even wild sesame, is part of the mint family and is used as a topping in Korean cooking. Another use is to make it into kimchi (깻잎 장아찌).

I began growing kkaennip in my garden a year or two ago when I started preparing dishes which called for it as a topping. Kkaennip grows remarkably well over the winter in the California desert, maturing in late February. It enjoys full sun with relatively cool temperatures. (It seems to prefer sandy cactus soil over normal vegetable soil.) It does not like hot weather, however, and will go to seed immediately if planted past March.

Kkaennip kimchi, according to my cookbook, is prepared by collecting mature leaves, rinsing them, and tying them together with string. (It's important to leave some stem intact for this purpose.) They are then rinsed (dipped) as a group in a salt water brine to prepare them for pickling.

The leaf bundles are then mixed with the seasoning, which is prepared by:

1. Mixing rice porridge (a teaspoon of rice flour + a little water stirred over flame until it thickens slightly), 2-3 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp red chili flakes, 1 tsp red chili powder, 3 tsp garlic, and 1 tsp ginger.

2. Mixing the seasoning throughly and then interleaving it between the kkaennip leaves.

3. Placing the seasoned leaf bundles in a covered container and weighing them down with a heavy plate or bowl. Cover. Allow to ferment (according to taste preference) and eat over a period of time as a sidedish.

This is my first attempt at making kkaennip kimchi and I'm really excited to try eating it in a few days. I have sampled canned kkaennip kimchi but have never eaten this dish fresh. Considering that I love the taste of fresh kkaennip and love the taste of kimchi, I think I am destined to enjoy this immensely.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I must have been peering into the future a few days ago when I made up a new batch of kimchi (paech'u mak kimchi, or cut and jumbled style kimchi). With all of its garlic and ginger, Korean food makes for such excellent comfort food when one is feeling under the weather. Go figure I'd start to develop a cold on the same day my kimchi was ready to eat.

But what to eat with it? After a little thought I decided on tuboo steak, or Korean tofu steaks with yang nyeom jang sauce. These are easy to make if you have some firm tofu lying around and make for an excellent vegetarian dish, either as a banchan side dish or as a meal unto themselves with a big bowl of rice. What really makes these special is the yang nyeom jang. The pungent, salty, hotness works as a great counterpoint to the subtle taste of the tofu.

1. Prepare the nang nyeom sauce by mixing 3 tsp soy sauce, mincing one green pepper, 1 tsp green onion, 1 tsp crushed garlic, 1 tsp chili pepper, 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set aside.

2. Cut firm tofu into squares. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper, and then coat them entirely with flour. Dust off excess flour and set aside.

3. Heat oil and fry the tofu steaks until they are quite crispy/firm on either side. Drain off excess oil by placing on paper towels. Drizzle on nang nyeom sauce upon serving.

Recipe: Tuboo Steak
From: Korean Cooking for Everyone
Page: 60
Recipe Rating: **** (four stars)
<--- click for more info on this book

And here is the cabbage and radish kimchi (섞박지)which just became ready to eat today. This type of kimchi requires only 2-3 days of maturation before it is ready to eat, unlike other types of kimchi which require many weeks. It is considered a "popular daily kimchi," according to my kimchi cookbook. It's also a little different in that the cabbage is broken into pieces before the 'so' (seasoning) is added -- most cabbage kimchis are left semi-intact, the so (seasoning) added between the leaves. In this case, the leaves are broken and jumbled together with the so, crisp radish pieces, and green onion.

I was pretty happy with this kimchi!! The taste was refreshing and light, and the addition of the radish cubes only accentuated these tastes and textures. This combination really made for the perfect under-the-weather meal.

Recipe: Paech'u Mak Kimchi (Cut & Jumbled Kimchi)
From: Kimchee Cookbook
Page: 114
Recipe Rating: **** (four stars)
<--- click for more info on this book

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I've been trying to grow Korean chili peppers (고추) for about two years now, coddling my lone Korean pepper plant by regularly feeding it fertilizer and giving it lots of love and attention. Two weeks ago it began producing its first gochus, so this this morning I thought I'd try making my first batch of gochu kimchi (고추김치 or green chili pickle kimchi).

What is interesting about my gochus is they are slightly curly, unlike the ones featured in my kimchi recipe book that appear to be perfectly straight. I don't know if this is due to the local climate or because I have a slightly different variety of pepper?

According to my recipe book: to make the pickle, combine 3/4 cup anchovy paste,1 cup fish sauce, 3 oz garlic, 2 oz ginger, and 3 oz chili flakes. Combine with peppers and press down the contents and cover. Ferment for 1-3 months.

I wish I could tell you now who it turns out, but you'll have to wait at least a month!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I used the very last of my kimchi last night by making mushroom and dubu chigae (두부찌개), or Korean mushroom and tofu stew. I used to eat this back in Silicon Valley for lunch once in a while and I have fond memories of it.

It was also the natural thing to make with quickly souring kimchi and while finding myself in the midst of a mad mushroom craving. (I had planned on topping off my chigae with some fresh green onion but it appears that hunger demanded expediency and I completely forgot.)

I love this dish because it's so easy to make: I just added some kimchi to a pot with a little dab of sesame oil and fried it slightly (with meat if you're so inclined), add water, some extra chili powder, and anchovy stock. At this point you can just add whatever you feel like. Really the only complicated part is preparing the kimchi the weeks prior, but even this can be simplified by using store-bought kimchi. (Just try and avoid King's brand in the U.S. which is terrible and not even worthy of being called kimchi. Spit-spit. Your local Korean grocer is your best bet.)

My side dishes were: oe muchim (spicy Korean cucumber pickle) -- see earlier entry for the recipe.

Parboiled broccoli. I couldn't find a recipe for this one but I craved it after eating it at Korean restaurants so often. I parboiled mine and then fried it briefly in a little sesame oil, garlic, and salt. It came out a little salty but I'll try it again with less salt next time. Anybody have a better preparation method?

This banchan was also an experiment. Without access to Korean mushrooms, I just used the same recipe for mushroom banchan but used the standard American type of mushroom available at all supermarkets here. I wasn't overly impressed! I hope to try this with the proper type of mushroom next time.

Yum. I was pretty happy with this meal. I could have gotten the banchan better by using less salt and the proper mushrooms, and my chigae presentation could have been much improved with some green onion atop the bubbling dubu broth. But in general it was still tasty and satisfying.

To be able to cook the meals one truly craves is to, in a small way, control the universe. Cooking is the control freak's most appropriate hobby. :-)

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Of all the foods out there, I find myself most enamored with and fascinated by Korean kimchi. I suppose this was somewhat inevitable, having been drawn historically to both pungent tastes and green vegetables. As a child, my mother used to make me vinegared spinach and I always loved this dish so much. Who knew this simple side-dish would lead me here?

I feel awfully proud of this batch of gochu kimchi (고추김치) because the Korean peppers were grown from seed out in my garden. Taken together with the fact the kimchi, once made, requires a month of fermentation, one might state that this kimchi took over two years to prepare!

RECIPE: green chili kimchi is prepared by first rinsing approximately 3 oz of Korean chilis. (If these are not available, I suggest using shishito peppers which have the same level of hotness, i.e. nearly none. The texture and look is different but the taste will be the same.) Then mix together 3/4 cup of anchovy paste, 1 cup fish sauce, 3 oz chopped garlic, 2 oz chopped ginger, and 3 oz of chili flakes (these should be purchased from a Korean market as the Mexican type just aren't the same). Mix the paste with the gochus and place them into a container, pressing down to compact the mixture. Ferment in the refrigerator for 1-3 months.

Perhaps I've told this story before, but I'm feeling nostalgic.

The first time I tried kimchi was in college and it was that dried type of kimchi that comes in Korean ramen bowls. This wasn't 'real' kimchi, but all the same I was fascinated by the taste and craved more. Sadly, I wouldn't try eating real kimchi for many more years. This happened in Tokyo where I shared house with a Korean woman from Pusan. She used to bring back big plastic tubs of homemade kimchi from her family, which I suppose was a much superior sort of kimchi introduction. (I've always wondered though how she got away with lugging these on planes, especially flying with Japanese people who harbor such strong, negative feelings towards the smell of garlic.) Anyway, it was during this time I began eating kimchi on a regular basis. I even ended up taking a short trip to Seoul, so inspired I was by this miracle food.

When I came back to the U.S., however, it was totally impossible to buy a decent kimchi. While most U.S. supermarkets sell a brand of kimchi called King's, this stuff can hardly be called kimchi. So I began preparing kimchi myself, slowly emersing myself in the various rules and forms of etiquette involved in the process. My love of kimchi became not just a love of the food then, but a love for the process. A lot of people have emailed me while I've kept this blog and 'informed' me that the average Korean on the street doesn't make their own kimchi anymore, but this isn't the point. The 'point,' if there must be one, is my personal love of the process and the satisfaction that comes after many weeks of waiting and wondering. One combines various ingredients that, with time and care, will emerge as something entirely different in the end; I find a certain sense of wonderment in that.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)