All posts tagged: lactose free

Stir-fried Lentils And Vegetables

“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

“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

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 …

Say Kimchi: Tuna and Kimchi Fried Rice

After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations. – Oscar Wilde Kimchi. Kimchi. Kimchi. Korea loves kimchi. They even  say “Kimchi” instead of “Cheese” when they smile. It’s eaten at every meal from breakfast to dinner and worms its way into lots of dishes.  There is fishy kimchi, spicy kimchi, mild kimchi, vinegar-y kimchi and even a sweet-ish kimchi (made from cucumber, this is my favourite). In fact, in winter, there are several places that hold kimchi making days where expats and visitors can learn this important aspect of Korean culture. I was supposed to go one weekend in December but unfortunately I was sick. Thankfully, the company I went through let my friends bring me some home! So here I was with 3 kilos of kimchi and trying to figure out how I would use it all. Luckily, when it comes to food, inspiration is never far away, and one meal that I really like is kimchi fried rice or kimchi bokkeumbap. If you are ever stuck with a ton of kimchi, …