All posts filed under: savoury/savory

Ssambap with Sesame Noodles

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One of my favourite things about living in Korea is the amazing food I’ve been exposed to on a very frequent basis from bibimbap to dakgalbi to Korean bbq. If you ever get the chance to eat Korean food, I hope you get to experience it the way I did, right here in good ol’ Korea. When I first arrived, I ate out a lot more often than I do now. I usually reserved cooking for the weekends when I was home or an odd midweek meal. One reason I ate out so much was that I could not get enough of the grilled meats. In many restaurants here, at each individual table, there is a gas or electric ring where you cook your own meat and vegetables. I can remember vividly placing each piece of mouth-watering pork, beef or chicken hot from the grill onto a piece of crunchy green lettuce. Using my chopsticks in my right hand, I top the meat with kimchi, raw or grilled garlic, ssamjang, onions, and whatever other vegetables I can find at my table. …

Burrito-less veggie salad bowl

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A burrito is a delicious food item that breaks down all social barriers and leads to temporary spiritual enlightenment.  – Monster High, Lisi Harrison I love burritos. One of my favourite restaurants at home is this little pokey restaurant called Boojum, near Jervis Street Shopping Centre, where you can build your own burrito. Delicious (please forgive me if I ever overuse the word “delicious”.  It is not intentional, but in Korea that is the main word used to describe anything that is really tasty) aromas assail the senses as you walk in, and, for me at least, it’s hard not to just jump over the counter and devour everything I see. When I came to Korea, my brother and I found a place in Itaewon that was of a similar style. Sadly, it did not compare, and since then I’ve been quietly lamenting the lack of a decent build your own burrito place.  Over time I’ve found several other restaurants in Seoul (and Daejeon) that have tasty burritos. However, memories of that delicious  burrito at Boojum must have …

Stir-fried Lentils And Vegetables

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“Lentils are friendly—the Miss Congeniality of the bean world.” – Laurie Colwin Lentils are one of my absolute favourite kind of legumes. I love the texture, the taste, the versatility and the heartiness. I had never (knowingly) had lentils until I was in my mid-late 20’s when my sister cooked them for me at one stage, and I was absolutely hooked. From salads to curries, I actively try different ways of incorporating them into my diet frequently. A couple of weekends ago, I had spent one afternoon wandering around Homeplus (Tesco) in Jochiwon (조치원) with one of my friends. I had come with a list that I was diligently following, however, as my friend and I started talking about how much we love shopping for food, I ended up abandoning my list and choosing random things. Amongst other things, I picked up kale, spinach and red cabbage. When I got home, I was trying to think of how I could incorporate the above veggies with the lentils I’d already made into a dish with all the other veggie goodness that …

Roasted Pork Chops and Sweet Potato

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“If you want a subject, look to pork.”   – Great Expectations, Charles Dickens I have been trying to prepare my food in advance. On Saturdays, Sundays and/or Mondays, I tend to do a ton of cooking (vegetables, salads, soups and curries) to get me through the week. However, the very first week I tried this I had a huge appetite. I had demolished all my tuna for the week by Monday (I made it Sunday night!) and all my veggies by Wednesday. This was annoying because I ate out on Tuesday and I’d made 5 days worth of food. I wish I could say that I only ate healthy that entire week but unfortunately I also supplemented every little gap with something sweet like cake and chocolate! So, come Thursday, I needed to cook something else. I had some pork in the freezer which I’d defrosted the night before. A glance around the kitchen, and next thing I knew I had created a lovely, simple midweek meal. I liked it so much that I made …

Say Kimchi: Kimchi Vegetable Fries

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What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow. -A.A. Milne   I’m Irish so I love all things potato*: baked, roasted, boiled, mashed, twice baked, cold—in potato salad, and as crisps and chips. Give them to me in soup or curry, as colcannon, or as a main or a side and I’m a happy camper. There are times when all I have in my house are potatoes and nothing else so that’s what I’ll (happily) eat for dinner. Thankfully, potatoes are in abundance in Korea.  However, I find Korean potoes cook faster, for one thing, and, for another, they just don’t have as many varieties (Rooster’s, Queen’s or Kerr’s anyone?) compared to home. Despite this oversight, I’ve managed to get by quite well with what they do offer and have made many tasty meals based around this hearty vegetable. Christmas 2013 was no exception.  I made Kimchi fries, inspired by the Kimchi fries my brother made me and the subsequent ones I have had …