Recipe: Ddukbokki or Labokki

Easy Medium Hard

Cook Time: 20 min

As you may already know, I love ddukbokki.  There are so many ways to modify this dish and I'm still trying to perfect my own... but here's a standard version for now.  (One thing to note is that this dish is best served hot and does not taste good reheated.

1. Base soup is important!  Boil 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 pieces of dashima (aka kombu in Japanese) for 5 minutes.



2. Remove the dashima.  Stir in 5 tablespoons of gochujang (Korean chili paste), 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoons sugar.
3. Add sliced onion and carrots.  Optional additions: Hard boiled egg, mushrooms, odeng (fish cakes), pork, dumplings, and/or SPAM!!



3. Add dduk (rice cakes) and green onions.



4. While you cook the dduk (rick cake), boil a pot of water and cook a package of lamyun (instant noodles) (just the noodles! Don't add the powder sauce!)
5. Drain and add to ddukbokki -- Now you have La-bokki!
6. Eat and Be Happy!

Recipe: Miyuk Gook (Kelp Soup)

Easy Medium Hard

Cook Time: 20 min

Recently I caught some wicked cold and all I wanted to eat was some 'miyuk gook' (kelp soup). Koreans have long believed the nutritional benefits of kelp.  It is tradition for women to eat this soup after giving birth bc it is so rich in nutrients.  I never before bothered to ask what nutrients, but apparently it's really high in iron and antioxidants and prevent cancers etc.  Time and time again, I am astounded that ours ancestors knew this kind of stuff before there were science labs etc etc.  I don't get it ... but it's proven over time - so eat kelp.  It's good for you.  And this soup is so delicious!

1. Rehydrate dry kelp in water to yield 1-2 cups.

2. Drain kelp (save 3 cups of water). 

3. Sauté 1 medium garlic, minced garlic, and beef chunks / mussels in 2 tablespoon sesame oil & 1 tablespoon soy sauce.  (I had cubed ham so I threw it in and it was SO good!)

4. Add kelp and sauté a few more minutes.

5. Add kelp water until mixture is fully covered.

6. Lightly boil for 10+ minutes.

7. Eat & Be (Healthy) Happy!

Recipe: Scallop & Pea Linguini

Easy Medium Hard

Cook Time: 30 min

I tore this recipe out of the Real Simple magazine and adapted it to my liking using some gourmet ingredients from Grand Central Market.  Hope you like it!

1. Sear scallops about 3 mins on each side - remove from pan.
2. Cook fresh pasta.
3. Blanch fresh peas
4. Toast panko crumbs mixed with lemon zest, salt, pepper, olive oil in 350 degree oven.
5. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in pan where scallops were seared.  Scrape bits of scallop juice left on pan.  (IMPORTANT: You must keep stirring the butter or else it'll burn!)
6. Add pasta, peas, scallops, and chopped fresh tarragon
7. Plate and sprinkle panko.
8. Eat & Be Happy!

Recipe: Steak Sandwich

Easy Medium Hard

Cook Time: 20 min

I was craving for some steak today, so I stopped by the grocery store after work and saw flank steak and decided to make a steak sandwich.  Good choice! 
 
Tip: Good bread is key to a good sandwich.
Tip: Don't overcook the steak!

Steak Marinade
1. Marinade flank steak for about 10-15 minutes

• 1/4 cup soysauce
• 2 tablespoons of sugar (can use brown sugar or palm sugar too)
• 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
• Sprinkle of black pepper
• Squirt of sriracha hot sauce (if you want a kick)

 2. Toast halved baguettes with olive oil or butter

3. Grill marinaded steaks on pan

4. Remove from heat and let rest on cutting board

5. Sauteed onions and mushrooms (add green or red peppers if you have them) in same pan

6. Assemble sandwich with leafy green and tomatoes

7. Eat and Be Happy!

Seriously Delicious Meatball Spaghetti

Easy Medium Hard

Cook Time: 30 min

Something about rainy days just makes you want something warm and hearty.  Don't you agree?  For my current project, I sit in a little conference room with 3 other girls - all who love to cook and/or eat - so brainstorming for dinner options is always fun and easy.  So when Ashley mentioned meatballs, I just knew that's what was gonna be for dinner :)

My Tomato Sauce (6 big servings)
1. Cook minced garlic, onions, and mushrooms in olive oil.
2. Add two big cans of diced tomatoes.
3. Add salt, pepper, pinch of sugar, and dried herbs (I use Herbes de Provence, mostly because I'm lazy).
4. Simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Longer = More flavor.  Just make sure you're not drying it out.



My Meatballs
1. Soak 1/2 cup breadcrumbs + 1/2 cup milk in big bowl.
2. Add chopped up (or minced in food processor) onions into teeny tiny pieces. (VERY important, or else they will create crevices and crack open your meatballs - and you will be sad).
3. Add chopped fresh parsley and other herbs if you want.
4. MY SECRET: Add meat of 6 spicy pork sausages (removed from cases, of course).
5. Add about same amount of ground beef.
6. ROUGHLY mix together with your hands - but DO NOT over mix.  (Or else, your meatballs will not be like rubbery tennis balls - and you will be sad).
7. Make into little balls.  (Note: Smaller meatballs are easier to eat and faster to cook)



All Together Now!
1. Fry meatballs in pan.
2. Add to sauce.
3. Cook together for a few minutes.
4. Boil pasta.
5. Add sauce + meatballs to pasta.
6. Eat & Be Happy!!!


Mishi's Note: I don't usually really go bonkers over anything I cook.  I don't know why this is, but it is.  I think I like feeding other people more than I like feeding myself.  But these meatballs -- were so delicious!  I was eating with Jason and Teresa and I said out loud, "MAN these are good."  So, go make some and tell me how yours turned out!  :)

Lazy Soba

Easy Medium Hard

Cook Time: 10 min

This is terrible, but I really haven't cooked since I've returned to the States.  I think I'm still in the process of summoning the energy to make anything elaborate.  I guess after eating out for 3 months, I just got used to buying meals off foodcarts or ordering off a menu.  Haha.  I promise to try harder this week!

The furthest I got this week was making Lazy Soba.  Hey - In my own defense, it wasn't SUPER lazy because I had to make my own soba sauce since I didn't have any instant stuff in the bottle.  AND - I cut up seaweed.  Thank you.
1. Boil water and soba noodles according to instructions (usually 4 minutes)
2. Rinse noodles thoroughly in cold water
(Mom's Tips: Really scrub the goop off the noodles, not just run cold water on the noodles.  Makes it extra chewy and gives a clean taste.)



3. If you have the instant bottled stuff, use it
4. If you don't:
- 5 parts yamaki shiro-dashi (middle bottle; aka Japanese seasoning soy sauce)
- 1 part soy sauce
- 2 part kotteri mirin (aka sweet mirin)
- 2 parts water



5. If you want to be fancy, cut up some dried seaweed, shave some daikon, dice some scallions



6. Eat and Be Happy!

Garden Chicken Alfredo

This is a great dish that can feed many tummies with the same effort it takes to feed just one. I would call this “semi-homemade” but I don’t want to be compared to Sandra Lee. I have honestly never attempted to make my own alfredo. It seems simple enough – but not as simple as buying it in a jar. Try this dish with different combos of vegetables. Just remember, most pasta dishes taste best when the colors of the Italian flag are represented. Something green (broccoli, peas, basil, etc), something white (cheese, alfredo, onion, etc), something red (tomatoes, red pepper, pepper flakes, etc). Endless possibilities!

Cook-to-Consume Time: 30 min

Difficulty: 1 2 3 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 2 boneless thighs
• Pasta - 3/4 box
• Alfredo sauce - 1 jar
• Garlic - 1 teaspoon
• Broccoli - 1 bunch
• Grape tomatoes - 1/2 container
• Optional: Sun-dried tomatoes - 10 tomatoes
• Optional: Grated parmesan - to taste

Directions:

(Pasta)

1. Bring water to boil in large pot
2. Add pinch of salt (for taste) and olive oil (to keep the bubbles down)
3. Add pasta

(Prep)

1. While pasta is cooking:

• Wash and cut broccoli
• Wash and halve grape tomatoes
• Chop sun-dried tomatoes into 1/4" slivers
• Chop garlic
• Cut chicken to bite-size chunks

The amount of each ingredient you use, is up to you. If you like a lot of broccoli, go nuts. If you like tomatoes, go nuts. Just remember to keep your vegetable to sauce ratio in mind.

NOTE: I used to preach the importance of using fresh garlic, but 1. I don't like how it makes my fingers smell for 2 days and 2. I can't be bothered anymore and 3. Chopped jarred garlic lasts longer and makes my life easier. Only problem is that these dang jars are so hard to open! When MrMuscles isn't around, I go for the smack-edge-with-spoon technique my mom taught me. Works every time.

(Assembly)

1. Drain pasta and wash with cold water (stops over-cooking) and add a little olive oil (keeps from sticking)
2. Turn heat to High
3. Add olive oil to same pot (1 less pan to wash)
4. Add garlic (don't burn the garlic!)
5. Add chicken and cook until almost (but not fully) done
6. Add broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes (2 min)
7. Add alfredo sauce and grape tomatoes (these go last; otherwise they overcook and lose their shape)
8. Plate pasta and add sauce on top
9. Eat & Be Happy!