Jjambbong (spicy noodle soup)

Jjambbong (spicy noodle soup)    (Korean Bapsang)

This spicy noodle soup, “jambbong,” is one of the most popular Korean-Chinese dishes alongside “jjajangmyeon” (noodles in a black bean sauce). Adapted for Korean tastes by early Chinese immigrants in Korea, Korean-Chinese cuisine (although called Chinese by Koreans) is a huge part of Korean food culture. 

You will find it surprisingly easy to make this popular bowl of noodle soup at home with easy-to-find ingredients. Restaurants usually use hand-pulled noodles, but for home cooking you can use ready-made fresh noodles sold in the refrigerator section of the store. The soup is typically made with chicken stock for a rich flavor, but you can also use anchovy broth for a cleaner/lighter taste. This soup also incorporates pork, chili-infused oil, and various vegetables and seafood. The combination of all the natural ingredients creates a hearty bowl of soup that is packed with robust flavors. 

Ingredients: (2 servings)
● 400 grams fresh jjajangmyeon/udon noodles

● 1 thumb-size ginger piece, julienned

● 2 scallions, roughly chopped 

● 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes) (adjust to taste) 

● 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 100 grams fatty pork, thinly sliced 

● 1/4 onion, thinly sliced

● 1/2 carrot, thinly sliced into bite sizes

● 1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced into bite sizes

●120 grams cabbage, cut into bite sizes 

● 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced

● 4 cups of chicken stock 

or anchovy broth (or water)

● 4-6 littleneck clams

(or other small clams)

● 4-6 mussels

● 4-6 shrimp

● 80 grams squid, cut into small sizes 

● Salt and pepper

Have a pot of water ready to cook the noodles. (Turn the heat on when you start cooking the soup ingredients. This way you can time it so that the noodles can be finished cooking at the same time the soup is ready.) While making the soup, cook the noodles according to the package instructions and drain.

Prepare all of the ingredients before you begin cooking. 

Heat a wok or a large pot over high heat. Add the oil, ginger, scallion, gochugaru and soy sauce, and stir fry for a minute.

Add the pork, and stir fry until the pork is almost cooked, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the onion, carrot, cabbage, zucchini and mushrooms, lightly salt, and cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Pour in the chicken stock (or anchovy broth/water), and boil until the vegetables are completely cooked.

Add the seafood starting with the clams, which require more time to cook, followed by the mussels, shrimp and squid. Bring everything to a boil again, and cook until the shells have opened. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Place a serving of the noodles in a large soup bowl and ladle the soup on top. Serve immediately while piping hot.

Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew)

Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) is a staple Korean condiment that’s used, among other things, as a base for stew or soup. Its deep, rich flavor is created by several months of fermentation and aging. Doenjang jjigae is a stew, which typically includes meat, tofu and various vegetables. It is one of the most representative dishes of everyday home-cooked Korean meals. Korean home cooks usually save the water used to rinse rice, ssalddeummul, and use it for a stew or soup. The rice water adds starch to the soup and works as a binding agent between the soybean paste and the broth, while enhancing the flavor of the doenjang. This hearty stew is a family favorite and my go-to dish when I want to make a quick, satisfying meal. The distinct aroma of sizzling doenjang makes my mouth water every time I make this dish.

Ingredients:
● 300 grams tofu

● 1/2 medium zucchini (mushrooms and potatoes can be added)

● 1/2 small onion

● 60 grams pork belly or other fatty cut 

● 1 chili pepper (green or red)

● 1 scallion

● 2 tablespoons doenjang, fermented soybean paste

● 1 teaspoon gochugaru, red chili pepper flakes

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● Pepper to taste

● 2 cups of anchovy broth or water*

(*Use the water used to rinse rice, ssalddeummul. For anchovy broth, boil about 7 or 8 medium dry anchovies and 17-centimeter square of dried kelp in 3 cups of water or ssalddeummul for 10 minutes.) 

Cut the tofu and zucchini into bite-size cubes. Thinly slice the onion and chili pepper, and roughly chop the scallion. Slice the meat into thin strips.

Preheat a small pot with a little bit of oil over medium heat. Saute the meat, doenjang, gochugaru and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the water (or anchovy broth), and stir well to dissolve the bean paste. Cover and boil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add the onion, tofu, zucchini and chili pepper. Boil for an additional 10 minutes. Throw in the scallion with 2 minutes remaining.

Serve with rice while it is still bubbling from the heat.

Beoseot jeongol (mushroom hot pot)

This recipe is a simple version of jeongol (Korean hot pot). Jeongol is a hearty, steaming one-pot meal that’s usually cooked at the table. To make it, you basically arrange a variety of ingredients neatly in a shallow pot, then add a flavorful broth and cook.

Beoseot (mushroom) jeongol is made with an assortment of different types of mushrooms. It’s a great way to enjoy the strong, earthy flavor of mushrooms. Here, I made it simple and completely vegetarian! You can add other vegetables, beef, seafood and/or tofu if you like. The recipe can be easily doubled for more people. It’s a healthy meal that will warm you up on a cool autumn day!

2-3 servings

Ingredients:
● For vegetable broth: 

● 1/2 small onion, cut into big chunks

● 80 grams Korean radish, cut into big chunks

● 3x3-inch dried kelp (known as dashima/kombu)

● A few mushroom stems

● 1 tablespoon guk ganjang (soup soy sauce) 

● Salt and pepper to taste 

For the pot:
● 300 grams assorted mushrooms (button/white, shiitake, oyster, enoki, etc.)

● 2 scallions, roughly chopped 

● 60 grams minari (watercress), roughly chopped 

● 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (You can also add tofu and/or other vegetables such as mu (radish), napa cabbage, onion and carrots.)

Put 5 cups water and the broth vegetables in a medium-size pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and moderately boil for about 15 minutes. Discard the vegetables. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. 

Cut the mushrooms into bite-size slices. Mushrooms cook down quite a bit, so don’t cut too thin or small. 

Neatly arrange the mushrooms and scallions in clusters in a shallow pot. Add 2 cups of broth. Boil over medium to medium-high heat until mushrooms are softened, 4-5 minutes. You can add more broth and any remaining ingredients while eating if you’re cooking at the table.

Ganjang gejang (Raw crabs marinated in soy sauce)

Ganjang gejang (raw crabs marinated in soy sauce) (Korean Bapsang)

Ganjang Gejang is a popular dish made by marinating raw crabs in a mild soy sauce-based brine. To make the brine, Korean cooks tend to use a wide variety of aromatic ingredients. The goal is to eliminate the raw, fishy taste while enhancing the flavor of the crabs at the same time. 

The brine should be flavorful, but not overpowering or too salty. Female crabs are preferred for making gejang, but you can also use male crabs, especially in the fall when they are fat and bountiful. As is the case with the consumption of any raw seafood, be sure to use only the freshest crabs. 

Gejang is eaten with a bowl of rice. Koreans even refer to this dish as a “rice thief.” Your bowl of rice will be gone in no time as you enjoy sucking the flavor-packed crab meat out of the shell. Be sure to leave a spoon or two of rice to mix with the roe and tomalley in the top shell. 

Ingredients:
● 5 medium fresh blue crabs or kkotge 

For the brine:
● 2 cups soy sauce

● 1/2 cup rice wine (or mirin)

● 6 cups water

● 3 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)

● 1/2 medium onion, roughly sliced

● 5-6 plump garlic cloves

● 3-4 thin ginger slices (about 1 inch around)

● 1 piece dried kelp, dashima (about 5-inch square)

● 1 small apple, roughly sliced (or 1/2 small Korean/Asian pear)

● 1 bay leaf

● 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppers

● 2 to 3 dried red chili peppers

For garnish:
● 2-3 green and/or red chili peppers, thinly sliced 

● A few thin onion slices

● 3-4 thin lemon slices

Put the live crabs in the freezer for an hour or two (longer is fine as well), unless you are comfortable with handling live crabs. 

Meanwhile, bring all the marinade ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to boil, covered, for about 20 minutes. Remove the kelp after about 10 minutes of boiling. Strain the brine. Discard the fruit and vegetables. Cool completely, and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Clean each crab thoroughly with a kitchen brush. Drain well in a colander in the fridge.

Place the crabs in an airtight container or jar. Add the chili pepper, onion and lemon slices. Pour the brine over the crabs. Make sure all the crabs are submerged. Weigh them down, if necessary, with a small bowl or plate that fits inside the container. Refrigerate. 

After one day, strain the brine into a pot (and put the crabs back in the fridge). Bring the brine to a boil over medium heat, and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Wait for the brine to completely cool, and then pour it back over the crabs. You can skip this process, but it enhances the flavor of the brine and helps the crabs to last longer.

The crabs are ready to eat after two to three days of preparation. Separate the top shell and break the body in half before serving. Use a crab or nut cracker to break the claws. 

If left in the brine for too long, the crabs can get too salty, and the meat will start to dissolve. It’s best eaten within three to four days of preparation. After that, individually freeze any leftover crabs with a little bit of the brine in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving. 

The crab infused leftover brine can be reused to marinate meat or as a dipping or seasoning sauce. Boil it for a few minutes and cool before saving it in the fridge for later use.

Kongjang (soy braised soybeans)

Kongjang (soy braised soybeans) (Korean Bapsang)

Kongjang, also called kongjaban, is a sweet and savory soybean side dish. On weekends, I try to make a few side dishes, banchan, to help make my weeknight meal preparations easier. During the week, I make a quick soup, stew, or meat dish and serve it with the pre-made side dishes. We call those side dishes that are made to last long and served with every meal over several days (or weeks) mitbanchan, meaning basic side dishes. Kongjang is one of the most common ones. 

Kongjang is typically made with black soybeans (called geomjeongkong or seoritae), but you can also make it with yellow soybeans. The soaked beans should be cooked in water first before you add the sugar and soy sauce for slow braising. This will keep the beans from getting too hard. Cooking in an open pot helps reduce the liquid and gives the kongjang beans their unique shiny and wrinkled look. The result is sweet and savory beans that are a bit chewy, which is a nice contrast to steamed rice they accompany! 

Ingredients:
● 1 cup dried black (or yellow) soybeans

● 4 tablespoons soy sauce

● 2 tablespoons rice wine (or mirim)

● 2 tablespoons sugar 

● 1 tablespoon corn syrup

● 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Rinse and soak the dried beans for 3-4 hours. (The time required may vary depending on the beans.) Drain.

In an uncovered medium size pot, bring the beans and 2 cups of water to a boil. Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Stir a couple of times so the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Skim off the scum.

Add the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium. Gently boil, uncovered, until almost all the sauce is evaporated, 25-30 minutes. (Keep your eyes on the pot during the last few minutes to avoid burning the beans.)

Add the corn syrup, stirring well to coat, right before turning the heat off. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. The beans will be soft at first, but they will get a bit chewier in the fridge. 

An Appeal for Democracy and Justice in the Republic of Korea (South Korea)

An Appeal for Democracy and Justice in the Republic of Korea (South Korea)

In recent years, South Korea has made a remarkable economic and political advances. It has been a visible role model for many developing countries. This accomplishment did not come without heavy tolls, however. After the Korea War, South Korea has traveled a tumultuous roads to gain freedom and democracy. 

Beginning with the April 19th Uprising (4.19 Uprising against Seungman Rhee, 1960), the Kwangju Massacre in 1980 and the June 1987 Democracy Movements, the many precious young human lives were lost in the name of freedom and democracy. Despite the heavy losses of life, this hard-won democracy in South Korea is steadfastly dying: The unlawful intervention by the National Intelligence Services (NIS, aka. KCIA) in the Presidential Election of 2012; the renewal of the Neo- McCarthyism and the political "Witch-hunt is actively erupting.

Geopolitically, the Korean Peninsula is at a critical juncture. Its domestic stability and peace will become an important factor determining the world peace. Thus, at this juncture, we express a deep concern over the current political situations in South Korea. The autocratic dictatorial government of Park Chung-hee has resurfaced via his daughter, Park, Geun-hye who was "elected" into the office through the electoral coup d'etat!
To demand the return of peace, justice and democracy in the Korean Peninsula and ultimately to sustain and normalize world peace, we hereby earnestly request the following:

1. We urge the Geun-hye Park administration to cease and desist the reinstatement of her father's dictatorship! (Yoo-shin). Furthermore, the Park administration MUST acknowledge the brutal and illegal deployment of Neo-McCarthyism and IMMEDIATELY cease all witch-hunting politics!

2. We demand a PROPER and LEGAL prosecution of all those who intervened in the 2012 presidential election and an IMMEDIATE dismantling of the NIS.

3. We demand a FULL and COMPREHENSIVE return of the democracy in Korea by GUARANTEEING the INALIENABLE RIGHTS of the freedom of expression, ACADEMIC FREEDOM and ideology! Furthermore, we demand the COMPLETE eradication of censorship!

4. We demand the RETURN of the COMPLETE and UNEQUIVOCABLE normalization in the prosecutor's office. We urgently demand the IMMEDIATE DISCONTINUOUS of meddling and tarring the prosecutor's office.
Once again, peace and democracy on the Korean Peninsula WILL ULTIMATELY lead to a world peace.

We vehemently urge the Park administration to execute all of the above-mentioned demands. We urge the global citizens to join hands with this consorted effort to bring about peace and justice, not only in the Korean Peninsula, but to the entire world. Thank you!

September, 2013
The Conscientious People of the World

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Appeal_for_Democracy_and_Justice_in_the_Republic_of_Korea_South_Korea/?fbdm

Haemul sundubu jjigae (seafood and soft tofu stew)

Haemul sundubu jjigae (seafood and soft tofu stew) (Korean Bapsang)

Sundubu is uncurdled tofu, which has a high water content. The stew, jjigae, made with sundubu is enormously popular both in and outside Korea. If you’re lucky, you might have a good tofu house near you that specializes in this dish, offering several variations (seafood, meat, vegetables, combination, etc.) on the menu. 

To make this stew at home, I like to use anchovy broth, which is typical, but you can simply use water if you want. You can make different variations using the same basic technique in this recipe. Whatever you do, let the soft tofu be the star of the dish and do not overcrowd it with too many other ingredients. The delicate sundubu nicely contrasts with the spicy broth and bold flavors, making a delicious stew.

Ingredients: (1-2 servings)● 1 package (350 g) sundubu (extra soft/silken tofu)

● 60 g beef or pork (rib eye, sirloin, pork loin or pork belly)

● 7-8 pieces of seafood (shrimp, mussels, clams and/or oysters)

● 1/2 small zucchini (about 60 g)

● 1/4 small onion 

● 1 scallion

● 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes ― adjust to taste

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil (use a little more if using more chilli pepper flakes)

● 1 teaspoon garlic

● 1 teaspoon soy sauce

● Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

● Pinch of pepper

● 1 cup anchovy broth (or water)

● 1 egg (optional) 

Cut the meat into short thin strips. Clean the seafood. Cut the zucchini into small pieces. Dice the onion and scallion. 

Add the red chili pepper flakes and sesame oil to a small pot, and place it over medium heat. Stir until the pepper flakes become a bit pasty in the heating pot. (The red chili pepper flakes burn easily, so do not preheat the pot.) Add the meat, onion, garlic and soy sauce. Stir fry until the pork and onion are almost cooked, 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the broth (or water). Bring it to a boil and continue to boil for 3-4 minutes.

Add the soft tofu in big chunks along with the zucchini. Bring to a boil again. Gently stir at the bottom of the pot once or twice so the tofu does not stick to the bottom. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the seafood and boil until the clams and mussels open, 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the scallion right before turning the heat off. If desired, crack an egg into the stew right before serving while it’s still at a boil.