Japchae

                                Japchae

This dish is eaten mostly for special occasions like Christmas, birthdays or any other holidays. But why not during the year? I mean, come on. My daughter had that in an very authentic Korean restaurant  in Savannah, Georgia. If you ever get there or live there, try the Kimchi 2. Its amazing. We got most of our inspiration from there. So, this recipe is again from "My  Korean Kitchen". All credits to here. I am just trying to simplify it a bit.

This is what you need:

- 250 gr Japchae noodles or Dangmyeon (Amazon or Asian store). These are sweet Potato starch glass    noodles

- 100 gr rib eye fillet, cut into strips (or, I used left over Bulgogi meat)

- 1 carrot, finely cut in strips / julienned 

- 4 ounces / 110 gr. Baby spinach, blanched

- 1/2 yellow Onion, thinly sliced

- 100 gr. shiitake mushrooms (or any mushrooms) finely sliced in strips

- 1/4 red bell pepper, julienned (we left it out because my daughter doesn't like it)

- 1 Egg, divided

for the spinach seasoning:

- 1/4 TSP salt

- 1/2 tsp minced garlic

- 1 tsp sesame oil

for the noodle and mushroom seasoning:

- 4 TBSP Soy Sauce

- 1 TBSP Honey

- 1 TBSP brown Sugar

- 1 TBSP Sesame Oil

- 1/8 TSP Pepper

for the meat marinade:

- 1 TBSP soy Sauce

- 1 TSP Rice wine (Mirin)

-1/2 TSP minced Garlic 

- 1/4 TSP black Pepper

- 1 TSP Sesame Oil

for the finishing touch:

- 1 TBSP Sesame Oil

- 1 TBSP toasted Sesame Seeds

This is how you do it:

Start with marinading the meat first. Put a big pot of  Water on the stove and turn it on high so it can start boiling. Then cut all the vegetables like mentioned. Divide the egg.

In the Mushrooms, add 1 TBSP of the noodle/mushroom seasoning and mix it well (best with your hands). 

Then blanch the spinach in the hot water until welded. Rinse with cold water and squeeze out all the excessive water.  Put in a separate bow. Then add the spinach seasoning and mix well (again, best with your hands). 

Then start pan frying the vegetables. Use just a bit of vegetable oil each. Start with the onions. Cook them until glassy for just a few minutes. Take them out and put them in a big bowl. 

Then add a bit more oil if needed and add the carrots and cook them for a few minutes until soft. Remove and add to the onions in the big bowl. 

Do the same with the Bell Pepper. Cook until soft and add to the big bowl with the vegetables.

Now cook the Mushrooms with the remaining seasoning until soft. Again, add to the big bowl. 

Now start with the Noodles. I used the same Water as the spinach. Cook them like stated for about 8 min.. They will be very bouncy. When done. remove from the water into a colander, rinse with cold water. Let them drip well, return to the big Water pot (which is empty now of course) and add the remaining Noodle/mushroom seasoning. Mix well. 

Now cook the meat in the same pan as the vegetables until done. Remove and add to the vegetables. 

Take the Noodles and pan fry them for a few min with the sauce. Then add to the rest in the big bowl. 

Use the same pan and cook first the egg white as compressed as possible and turn once (so you can cut them into small strips just like the rest.) Try to not let it run to the side of the pan. I hope that makes sense. Do the same with the egg yolk after removing the egg white. Both should be like a silver Dollar sized pancake. Cut them also into strips. 

Use your hands or a spatula and mix all the ingredients in the big bowl together until combined. Now add the Egg strips and the finishing touch Sesame Seeds and mix well again.

Serve immediately with some "Banchang" side dishes like pickled Reddish, Kimchi, shredded cabbage topped with Yum Yum sauce. 

With a side of Rice, this dish is commonly known as Japchae-bap. You basically cook some sticky rice and put them as a bed on your plate and top it with the Japchae. 

Guten Appetit

Tteokbokki (Rice cakes)

                   Tteokbokki (Rice cakes)

Tteokbokki (rice cakes) are also a stable in Korea. We like the korean Mochi so we were a bit hesitant to try the rice cakes, but man are they good. This recipe is from "My Korean Kitchen" with an add on of Buckwheat Ramen and an egg.

This is what you need:

for the gochujang paste:

- 3 TBS Gochujang (again, if you can't handle spice, use 1 TBSP or 1/2 TBSP

- 1 1/2 TBSP sugar

- 1 TBSP soy sauce

- 1 TSP minced Garlic

- 1 TSP gochugaru (korean chili flakes) I left them out though

for the Tteokbokki sauce:

- 2 Cups of Korean stock soup (see my previous post)

- Gochujang Paste

- Rice cakes (Tteokbokki)

- Ramen

This is how you do it:

If you get the dried Rice cakes from the fridge section, it helps to water them first for 10 min.. Add the gochujang paste to the soup and bring to a boil. Now add the rice cakes and cook for about 5 min. or until they are soft. If you like it like this, stop right here. If you are like us, add a pack of Ramen now. We started using Buckwheat Ramen, which are gluten free. So we cook the Ramen with the Rice cakes the additional 8 min.. Just make sure the rice cakes are nice and soft. 

Now you just serve it and enjoy. Again, if the heat is too much for you, play with the amount of Gochujang or add more soup.

Guten Appetit

Korean stock soup

                      Korean stock soup

Ok, for this one you need to be going to an Asian store. If those stores are to far away, maybe call them first or look on amazon. I am going to attach a picture of the product.

This is what you need:

- Kelp

- dried Anchovies

- 4 cups water

This is how you do it:

I used the product I found at my Asian store. It is already pre-packed so you just use one of those teabags in 4 cups of water and boil it for 3-5 min.. The prescription is in Korean, but thanks to google translate I was able to translate it. I am warning you though. It's Anchovies. The smell pretty bad when you cook it. Very fishy. But added to Gochujang its just perfect.

Gochujang sauce

                        Gochujang sauce

We have discovered Korean food for us lately. We really like it but to keep it as authentic as possible, all my recipes I am going to add here aren't mine but from a website called: My Korean Kitchen. So all benefits are going to her. This recipe specifically I found on the internet and made adjustments to it after researching some more. 

Gochujang sauce is a staple in Korea. You can add that on fried chicken or we also use that as a quick solution for a Ramen dish. We also like to add a hard boiled egg to it for protein. What I like to do compared to the websites I use recipes from is to simplify it and since I have no adds running, its easier to follow. You are welcome

This is what you need: 

- 2 TSP vegetable oil

- 3 cloves garlic, minced 

- 1/3 cup of ketchup

- 1/3 cup rice syrup or honey

- 1/4 cup gochujang paste (or, if you can't handle spice like us, 1 TBSP or even less than that)

- 2 TSP Rice vinegar

- 2 TSP Sesame Oil

All this ingredients you can find in an good Asian store or, like the Gochujang paste, at Publix. 

This is how you do it:

Basically, you just put everything together in a pot and let it cook up for a min so the honey/rice syrup can dissolve. 

For the Ramen, I added chicken broth to stretch it down a bit and make it more saucy. You can use also the Korean stock I am going to post here. I recently tried it and its actually really good. 

Guten Appetit 

Korean soy Garlic chicken sauce

              Korean soy Garlic chicken sauce

Just another chicken wing sticky sauce you can put on. We liked it a lot

This is what you need:

- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce

- 2 TBSP brown Sugar

- 2 TBSP Honey

 

- 2 TBSP Water

- 2 TBSP Rice wine (Mirin)

- 1/2 TSBSP minced Garlic

- 1/2 TBSP minced Ginger

- a bit ground black Pepper

- optional some chili Flakes

- 2 TBSP Corn starch on 2 TBSP water for a slurry

This is how you do it:

Mix everything together in a small cooking pan and cook until its thickened. Bake your chicken wings or drums to your liking (preferably deep fried) and coat them with the sticky sauce before you serve. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Guten Appetit 

Gochujang sauce

                                              Gochujang sauce

This recipe is marked as Tteokbokki Sauce but I found it works for all kinds of other things as well.

My daughter likes Ramen or Ramyun and I figured to use the Gochujang for that with a Hardboiled egg works just as good. Or you even add the Tteokbokki to it as well. They also add Fish cakes to it, but I dont have them always. It also depends on your spice tolerance. Mine isn't really that good. So I add less Gochujang to the sauce.

This is what you need:

- 2 TSP Vegetable oil

- 3 cloves of Garlic, minced

- 1/3 cup Ketchup

- 1/3 cup honey or Rice Syrup

- 1/4 cup Gochujang (or less if to spicy. I am using 1 TBSP)

- 2 TSP Rice Vinegar

- 2 TSP Sesame Oil

This is how you do it:

Mix everything together. Cool until you need it.

For the dishes I make I used Chicken broth to thin out the Gochujang sauce and added that to my Ramyun. You can also make a korean soup broth with dried Anchovy and dried Kelp for the Tteokbokki but I haven't tried that yet. A good korean store will have the dried ingredients for you to cook the broth. Once I tried it, I will let you know

Guten Appetit 

Fruit cake bottom

                                  Fruit cake

This base can be prepared prior to your need. If it’s dry, good. It will soften with the fruit juices. Too fresh it might get soggy. You will need the pan for it though. It’s called a bisquit cake pan. https://a.co/d/6ORqVSg

This is what you need: 

- 3 eggs

- 6 TBSP sugar

- 6 TBSP oil

- 6 TBSP Flour 

- 1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder 

This is how you do it: 

Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Add the eggs with the sugar in a bowl and beat until foamy and smooth. Add the oil and Baking powder and mix it in. Now add the flour and mix it in well. 

Butter the baking pan well. Add dough to the pan and bake it for 20 min.. 

let it cool in the pan and when cold, put it upside down on a tray. Now let it sit at least a day or 2. 

You can dress the cake with any fruits you like. Even multiple different fruits, organized by color. The glaze you add on top is also already in my blog. You can use gelatin or corn starch. Both work. Let cool thoroughly before serving.

 

Guten Appetit 

Milk rice in rice cooker

                      Milk rice in rice cooker

I just recently played around with my rice cooker and came into the result of rice pudding. Since this here is for my daughter, you guys can enjoy the ride along 😘

This is what you need:

- 2 cups (from rice cooker) of Arborio Rice 

- 3 1/2 cups of water 

- sugar to taste (I used 3 TBSP) 

- vanilla (I used 1 small TbSP of Vanilla paste 

- milk and cream for after

This is how you do it:

Add the Arborio rice unwashed into the rice cooker and use the same cup for the milk. I added the sugar and vanilla paste. Cook on white rice setting. When done you can adjust the sweetness and vanilla aroma and I add more milk and whipped cream in it until it’s nice, smooth, thick and sticky. 

That’s how my daughter likes it best. 

Guten Appetit 

Sour Pork Kidneys

                       Sour Pork Kidneys

This is a dish from my area in Germany. I have had those since I was a kid and my daughter ate and loved them even before Pizza and Fries. I know, I know. Its weird. But she always had a special taste. Anyway, the hardest Part is to find Pork Kidneys. You might be most lucky in an Asian store. For the 2 of us with no left overs, you need at least 3 to 4 Kidneys. 

This is what you need:

- 3-4 Pork Kidneys

- 1 Onion, finely chopped

- 250 ml Water

- Brown Gravy or Sosse zum Braten

- 1 TBSP Sour cream

- 1-2 TBSP Lemon Juice

This is how you do it:

After finding some, the hardest and longest part is cleaning those Kidneys. Its the easiest when they are still slightly frozen. Filet them and carefully remove the white and pinkish part inside. I try to cut the "lid" so its free of all the inside and its all on the bottom half. From there just lift it up and cut underneath to remove the white. Its a bit tricky. When you done cleaning, just cut them in mouth size pieces. So it really doesn't matter when you mess up a bit while cleaning. They are getting cut anyway. I wash them a bit after they are cut to remove excessive blood. If you do it slightly frozen, it usually doesn't bleed as much hence less mess. Dry them with paper towels as good as you can and then roll them in Flour.

In a big pot, heat up some oil. When hot, add the floured Kidneys and fry them until they are grey'ish in color. That doesn't take long. Then add the finely chopped union and let it sit until its almost translucent.  The Onion will draw some water so you can clean the bottom of your pan from the Rue you created with the Flour/Oil mixture. You may add the water now and stir everything well so you can clean the rest of the pan bottom and incorporate it into the water.  Now its time for the brown gravy, some salt and pepper to taste, Sour cream and Lemon juice and your Kidney dish is done. 

We love Rice with it but you can also have mashed Potatoes. 

Guten Appetit 

Nutella Mug Cake

                        Nutella Mug Cake

Easy, fast, yummy

This is what you need for a big mug:

- 3/4 cup of Nutella

- 2 large Eggs

- 1/4 cup self raising flour or Flour with a bit Baking powder

- a piece of frozen Nutella in the middle for "Lava Cake"

This is how you do it:

Mix the Eggs with the nutella in a big mug. Add the flour and mix well. You may add now a piece of frozen Nutella in the middle to get that Lava cake experience, but its not necessary. 

Around about 2 Min in the microwave (you might have to add another 30 sec) and its done. But be careful: its hot.

Guten Appetit

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

                Homemade Teriyaki Sauce 

My daughter is a picky eater as you all already know. She doesn't like any Teriyaki sauce. Just like with the Marinara, or how we call it, Tomato Sauce, once I found something, I keep it. And since this blog is dedicated to her and a cookbook from her mom, that's why I am adding this. 

This is what you need:

- 1 cup water

- 1/4 cup Soy sauce (or a bit more until it tastes right)

- 5 TBSP packed brown Sugar

- 1 TBSP Honey (or a bit more)

- 1/2 TSP ground Ginger

- 1/4 TSP garlic Powder

- 2 TBSP Cornstarch

This is how you do it:

Put all ingredients in a pot, stir the cornstarch thoroughly. Then heat it up, stirring occasionally until its thickened. Use as desired. 

Its really that simple

Guten Appetit