7 posts tagged “korean”
Here's another recipe based on one I found in The Korean Cookbook. I changed it into a vegetarian side dish for two.
1 average-sized zucchini (about 250 grams)
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
some mushrooms (I usually use portobello, but today I used 5 regular white)
dash black pepper
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
Crush garlic. Heat sesame oil in skillet/frying pan. Add garlic and pepper. Stir. Add zucchini & mushrooms. Cook till veggies are just tender; don't overcook. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce.
*weird that side dish isn't one word...darn English and its trickiness!
This is a vegetarian version and is a little mild (well, for some people!)...here's the recipe (adapted from a recipe I found in The Korean Cookbook: Quick and Easy Recipes; ISBN 156591001X):
1 green onion (just trim the tips; use the whole thing; cut fairly thinly on a diagonal)
3 cups water
3/4 tbsp 고추장 (red pepper paste)
tofu (I used 1/3 a block of med-firm tofu and cut into little cubes)
2 tbsp 된장 (soybean paste)
1/2 a zucchini (cut length-wise first, then thinly the other way so you end up with half-circles)
garlic (I used about 3 cloves; minced)
무 (daikon radish--longish and white; I used about 3 inches, cut thinly into half-circles)
onion (not quite a half, cut thinly pole to pole)
Mix the 고추장 and 된장 with the water and put into pot with all the other ingredients. Bring to boil. Cook, covered for about 5-10 minutes (till the 무 is really tender). I usually cook it at med-high for about 5 minutes, then turn down to med. and cook for awhile longer.
If you like it hot, sprinkle some 고추가루 (med-coarse red pepper powder) on the top!
It's been quite awhile since we last made this, so it tasted extra good! We used 10 cups of rice (mixed with the rice was 3 tbsp sesame oil, 3 tbsp cider vinegar (although JH said he should've used a little more), 1 scant tbsp salt (scant, unfortunately!)) and inside put cucumber, carrot, spinach, egg (we beat 4 then pan fried in one shot), 우엉 (I threw away the package, but it translates to "burdock" according to http://world.altavista.com/) and 단무지 (pickled radish). I usually put 김치 (kimchee) on top as I eat it--yum yum!
Oh, I forgot to mention that we used 김 (sheets of seaweed)...we used only 8 'cause that's all we had on hand, but I think next time we'll try to use 10 sheets.
UPDATE: When we made it the next night, we used 10 sheets of 김 (so 1 cup of rice/sheet), and changed the amount of cider vinegar to 4 tbsp and the amount of sesame oil to 2 tbsp. Oh, also, I made sure the salt wasn't a 'scant' tbsp! Hee hee. Tasted a little better (in my humble opinion).
Ha ha...I guess I should change the title since I don't post a Korean expression every day! Oh well. Here is one for today:
Let's have/eat breakfast--아침먹자 (heard this said between two female roommates in the KDrama I'm watching)
Actually, I just realized that since 아침 means morning and 먹자 is let's eat, this expression is funny~can't really be translated literally. Also, I think it's quite casual; I have to double-check that with the hubby later.
UPDATE:
The actual word for breakfast is 아침식사
I just asked my hubby about whether that expression above is casual and we ended up having quite a conversation. Although I've heard it at least twice in the drama I'm watching these days, he said he wouldn't use that expression...I think he errs on the polite side. He would use (even to me, or, to our kids if we had any): 아침먹읍시다. So then I asked him about the expression for let's go (가자) and he said he wouldn't use that one either. Interesting...
With the ending -읍시다 you can say all sorts of things (but it's still a casual form; not appropriate for, say, in-laws!)...like: 갑시다 (let's go), 잡시다 (let's go to bed/sleep), etc. With the latter expression, though, I was told that that wouldn't be something you'd want to say in front of others...ha ha. In that case, you'd want to use something more like 먼저자겠습니다 (we'll go to sleep first/before you). Anyhow, that's enough for now.
Okay, I've heard this a million times, but apparently not very well...I never realized before tonight that the second syllable (in 죄송합니다 ends in -ng. Here's something I didn't know that I didn't know!
Polite version of sorry: 죄송합니다
Regular version: 미안합니다
A little more informal: 미안해요
Very informal version: 미안 (good for people you're very close to)
*I also just realized my spelling is a little rough...I think I'd better take the advice I give my students and get more practice...heh heh.
I thought I would try to post a Korean Expression of the Day once in awhile since I seem to be watching Korean TV shows/movies a lot these days. May as well try to learn a little something! So here is today's:
웃지말고
Basically, it means don't laugh. It was said in a situation where the woman was trying to be serious, but the man was laughing a little at her (during a conversation in a cafe). The killer is, I said to my husband tonight as we passed by a display of chocolate (good stuff from a local chocolate shop), 'I hope I'll get some cute chocolate like that for Easter'...he chuckled and damn--I missed my chance to use the expression!! Next time I'll be ready~~for sure!
On the left is a vegetarian version of 순두부 찌개 (soon-doo-boo jji-gae), courtesy of my hubby. Here's the recipe (though some of the measurements are rough):
Boil 6 cups of water.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, 'mix up' (stir/separate) one 300g package (roughly 300g) soft tofu (or, if you are close to KTown, something in a tube called soon-doo-boo=순두부).
Next, set aside about 1 - 1 1/2 cups (about 150g) kimchi (김치) that's either old or aged overnight on the counter in a jar, 2 green onions sliced fairly thinly on a diagonal, 1 smallish regular onion sliced thinly pole to pole, and 2 finger hot green peppers sliced thinly UPDATE: the peppers made it too spicy for me, but my husband liked it.
In a little bowl, stir together 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tbsp whole sesame seeds, 1 tbsp corn oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp red hot pepper paste (called go-chu-jang=고추장), and 1 tsp black pepper.
When the water is boiling, add the tofu and cook for about 2 min.
Then, add everything else. Boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
Eat with rice...enjoy!
