Jessica's Dinner Party

Archive for the 'korean' Category

Asian Kitchen in Paris

I’ve done a good job at avoiding the kitchen for two weeks, but I think it’s time I start working those hot plates! I’ve started to become a little homesick for Korean food, most likely sparked by a confrontation with a harsh old man who told my friend and I never to come back to his store. There was nothing wrong that we did, unless browsing through books in a bookstore is a crime here! I guess I need to learn more about the French service industry, obviously, the customer is not always right! It was about time I start craving for some rice anyway. After all, I am Asian.

June 05 2010 | asian and france and korean and paris and thoughts | 5 Comments »

Kimchi

The kimchi is done! It took two full days to complete, but if I were to do it myself, I think it would’ve taken weeks. Experiencing the whole process really made me appreciate kimchi in a whole new way. It’s such a standard presence on my dinner table, that I don’t think I’ve ever really given it a second thought. But that’s exactly why kimchi is so important, because I eat it everyday. To know where all the ingredients came from and how much preparation went into it makes you enjoy it more. I found it really impressive how authentic and culturally intact each part was. All the ingredients were local, seasonal, and all the methods used could have been seen 100, 300, 500 years ago. Well, maybe except the mandolin we used to cut the radishes. That probably cut three days worth of work to two.

In theory, this batch is supposed to last one year, so you can imagine how much of everything we needed (we’re talking restaurant kitchen proportions). No recipe was used and I lost count after 50 cabbage heads, that I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

November 12 2009 | asian and korean and thoughts | 15 Comments »

Sweet Potato Kimchi Pancakes

It’s kimchi season right now, which means many Korean families will be making enormous amounts of that famous spicy fermented cabbage. We’re in the middle of making our own right now, and I must say, it is quite a fete. I can see why many families forego the whole ordeal and just buy some at the supermarket. It’s not only a long process, but we’re dealing with pounds and pounds of cabbage, more than you would believe you’d eat in a lifetime. However, nothing beats food made at home. There’s that love and trust that is absent elsewhere.

November 11 2009 | asian and korean and recipe and thoughts and vegetarian | 6 Comments »

Shitake Mushroom Pancakes

Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients. They’re easy to work with and perfectly accompany almost any savory dish out there. They’re amazing on pizza, in pasta, soup, stews, pies, casseroles, you name it! It enhances a dish by supporting and deepening the main flavors. Mushrooms, however, are always given that role, the sidekick. They rarely take center stage and shine on their own. That’s why I love this recipe because it’s all about the mushrooms.

November 07 2009 | asian and korean and recipe and side dish and thoughts and vegetarian | 6 Comments »

Soy Braised Burdock Root

Yesterday, I shared with you a great way to use leftover, stale rice. Today, I will tell you about the side dish I ate it with: soy braised burdock! Burdock is a root most commonly used in Japan where it’s called gobo. In Korea it’s called woo-ung, 우엉, and it’s mainly used in kimbap, 김밥, a dish similar to the Japanese sushi roll. Burdock has a sort of sweet, earthy taste that disappears when cooked. After it’s cooked, the texture is similar to the potatoes in this dish.