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Buckwheat Noodles (Memil Guksu in Korean)

Published December 31st, 2006 in Korean Japanese and Noodles. 12 Comments
Buckwheat Noodles (Memil Guksu in Korean) on the magazine

It is the end of the year already. Time flies. One of the best things that has happened in my life this year is starting this blog and making some good friends with people from all over the world. Are you getting ready to welcome the coming year?

I wouldn’t usually eat these Buckwheat noodles in the middle of winter (Most Koreans eat these in summer), but it is Japanese culture to eat these noodles at dinner with family at the end of the year, which is today. (It has a meaning of wishing long and happy life, and the noodles are called toshikoshi-soba.) I wanted to bring back memories from my short adventure in Japan years ago, so I decided to make this noodle.

Ingredients for 4 people (for 2 people, reduce all the ingredients in half)

  • Buckwheat Noodles 600 g

Dashi

  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • 1/2 cup of liquid sauce from dried shaved bonito
  • 1 cup of refined rice wine

A picture of the liquid sauce from dried shaved bonito.

Buckwheat Noodles (Memil Guksu in Korean) liquid sauce

Side additions

  • 2 sheets of laver (Thinly shred them with scissors)
  • 4 stalks of small green onion (Cut them into small pieces)
  • Grated white radish - 4 tbsp (Squeeze the water out from the radish)
  • Wasabi water (mix of wasabi 1 tsp + cold water 1/2 tsp)

Cooking (you will need 2 pots)

Buckwheat Noodles (Memil Guksu in Korean) cooking
  1. Boil the dashi for about 3 minutes, cool it down first then slightly freeze its surface.
  2. Boil the buckwheat noodles in boiled water for 4 minutes and rinse them in cold water.
  3. Serve the noodles on a plate with the dashi and side additions (I added some radish sprouts and laver as a topping but you don’t have to do the same.)
Buckwheat Noodles (Memil Guksu in Korean) 1
Buckwheat Noodles (Memil Guksu in Korean) 2

How to eat

Put the amount of the side additions you want into the dashi bowl and dip the noodles into the bowl and dig in. Enjoy!

Caution

It can make you really cold afterwards, so for people who live where it isn’t well insulated, I recommend not to eat them. :) Michael added that it is a very slurpy dish to eat so don’t eat them on a first date.

This is a picture from a near by park where I live and it is for celebrating New year. It was freezing cold, but I wanted to share the picture of the last day of the lights. (It is a bit blurry though I couldn’t keep taking pictures, because of the freezing cold weather.)

Happy new year

I hope you have wonderful, happy and healthy New year.

Happy New Year! 새해 복 많이 받으세요. (Korean)
明けましておめでとうございます(Japanese) 新年快樂 (Chinese)

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Inarizushi (Yubu Chobap in Korean) - Instant Version

Published December 3rd, 2006 in Korean Japanese, Rice Meals and Quick Meals. 15 Comments
Yubuchobap on the magazine

When I was in school, I was so jealous when some of my friends brought Yubu Chobap as a lunch on a school field trip day. Mine was just plain vegetable Kimbap like most of the kids, so my friend’s lunch box looked even more fancy, unique and so special. My mom never made any Yubu chobap for me in my life, so I always thought it is really expensive or hard to find.

Now, as an adult, I realized that it is very easy and cheap to get those ingredients at a supermarket, I sometimes buy instant Yubu chobap to brighten my day. :) - Though it is an instant version, so don’t get your hopes too high. It is my favourite non fish sushi by the way. It’s very more-ish.

Ingredients for 16 Yubu chobap (Big enough as one person’s meal or a light meal for 2 people)

(Expected prep and making time - less than 10 minutes)

package inside
  • Freshly cooked white rice for 1 and half people (If I used a measuring cup, it would be about 2 cups, though I can’t guarantee. Use a bit less water than usual for cooking rice.)
  • Yubu chobap package : It includes 16 Yubu (fried bean curd), flavoring sauce (clear liquid sauce), herb mix, and fried flavoring.

Steps

1. Pour the rice in to a bowl. (A big bowl, like a salad bowl is easier to use)

2. Pour out all the sauce from the packet on to the rice. (Though, I only used half of the herb mix, which is the green packet. It is really up to you.)

3. Mix the rice well with a spatula.

making yubu chobap

4. Hold the Yubu and open it.

5. Scoop out the rice from the bowl and fill the Yubu with it.

filing the yubu

6. Serve it on the plate.

zoomed up yubu chobap
This is the packet I used, and different brands are also available. It was 1,950 won (US $ 2) at Homeplus.
Yubuchobap package

As you can see, it is very simple, even a 5 year old child can make it. Good for picnic meals or when you don’t want to bother with heavy cooking.

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Japanese Style Chicken Curry Rice

Published September 24th, 2006 in Korean Japanese, Rice Meals and Quick Meals. 2 Comments

When I first tasted curry in Japan, it was so different to what I was used to yet it was really delicious. I think Japanese curry is sweeter, darker, and smells stronger (Someone said it is similar to the original Indian curry) than Korean curry.
I personally like Japanese curry better. However I cooked this Japanese curry for the first time today. But it turned out really well, so I am very glad.

Because Japanese curry is imported, it is more expensive than the Korean one in Korea. It was about 3,300 won (US $3.50) I bought it at Homeplus.

This is what I used today. Curry looks like chocolate, so my husband was happy for that moment. :)
japanese curry casewhat japanese curry looks like

(Top : Outside, Bottom : Inside of the packet)

With this one, you can serve about 12 people. Once you open it you need to keep it in the fridge in an air tight container. (It was on the directions.)

There were two choices in terms of spicy level, I chose “medium hot”, but as you may expect, it wasn’t hot at all to me. (If you are used to Korean food, it wouldn’t be hot.)

Ingredients for 2 people are: (If you are a big eater it is quite right, but if you are a small eater, it can serve up to 3 people.)japanese curry ingredients before cutting

  • 1/2 an onion
  • 1/3 of a zucchini
  • 1 medium size potato
  • 1/4 of a carrot
  • 1/4 of a red capsicum
  • 1/4 of a yellow capsicum
  • 1 piece of chicken breast
  • Olive oil 1 tbsp
  • Curry 1 and a 1/2 blocks
  • Water 265 ml (approximately 1 cup)
  • Steamed rice for 2 people

-Preparationjapanese curry ingredients after cutting

  1. Wash all the vegetables and chicken in cold water. Peel off the skins as needed.
  2. Cut the onion, zucchini, potato, and carrot into small cubes.
  3. Cut the capsicums and chicken breast into small pieces.

-Cooking

  1. Pre heat the wok for 10 seconds.
  2. Pour the olive oil.
  3. Put in all the vegetables (except capsicums)
  4. Stir it for about 3 minutes.japanese curry cooking process
  5. Add capsicums and the chicken.
  6. Stir it for a bit. (For about 2 minutes)
  7. Add the water.
  8. Boil it until vegetable and chicken get soft. (For about 5 minutes)
  9. Add the curry. Stir it around until it melts in.
  10. Stir it well.
  11. Put the rice on the plate.
  12. Serve the curry on the top of the rice.
japanese curry work

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