떡볶이 Ddukboek-ki

     Inspired by all the street stalls all over Korea...I whipped up some of this a WHILE ago...떡볶이..More kitchen playing....
     I always see kids and adults alike shoveling this stuff in. I've never been a fan or have ever craved it (even in those horrid 소주nights) but...It is Korean...so here goes.

떡볶이
photo taken by VeganBeats

Not a very good quality photo but hey, it tasted good.
What you need:
*떡(rice cakes)
*sugar
*거추장 (hot pepper paste)
*carrots (optional)
*cabbage (optional)
*onions (optional)
*4 cups of water

What to do:
1. in a pan pour in the water and boil over medium heat.
2. Add whatever sliced up veggies you want to add (carrots and cabbage are ESSENTIAL*!~)
3. Add the rice cakes to the water and a ratio of 1 TB of sugar for every 5 TB of hot pepper paste.
4. Keep the mixture boiling over medium and stir until it boils down and the rice cakes look shiny and glazed.
~You can keep adding water and let it boil down, but the rice cakes will get really swollen. I like mine saucey, hence the soup looking picture above ^^*~


Next up is 김치버금밥 (kimchi fried rice)...(maybe...)

deal, 밥 doesn't love me...and same in return. I just can't digest or consume this stuff like everyone around me.

Wandering, cooking, and Dongdaemun*!~

This week has been AWESOME*!~

I've been wandering a LOT while on break and been seeing some pretty spectacular things SUPER close to my area, check this mountain out!!! 



photo taken by VeganBeats

 I am definitely hiking this guy sometime soon. I'm sure the view will be more than beautiful*!~  

photo taken by VeganBeats

  And super close to my school is some completely appropriate statues...

photo taken by VeganBeats

  Also did some flash cooking...was super hungry and forgot about the POUNDS of tofu in my fridge...so attempted to make what my halmuni perfects everytime. Garlic, tofu, oyster mushrooms and a light kimchi broth!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

Some noodles I whipped up. Kimchi spicey broth, simmered carrots, oyster mushrooms, spinach and chinese broccoli..hiding in there somewhere. I don't usually eat noodles, but yumm!!! 

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Can't forget Ddeok!!

This weekend I went to Dongdaemun Market with Amy!! My coworker and it was a blast!!! Here's a whole round of pics from the adventure!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

First we kicked it in Chungbu market...also known as dried fish market! I found flax seeds here!! And macadamia nuts, cashews in bulk...There is so much you can find here!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Some ajumas with chesnuts....tons of them!

photo taken by VeganBeats

 lots of beans and grains of all sorts..Get ready for the fishes....I know I'm vegan and jazz, but there is something pretty spectacular about all of this stuff...

photo taken by VeganBeats

 eel

Fish eggs (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Garlic Ajashi (photo taken by VeganBeats)

 fish...photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

  These donuts from Krispy Creme are too cute!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

I am not sure the correct name for this but there is this candy like ocnfection that's literally just sugar. All these ajumas were squating at tables and etching designs into boiled sugar...the kid above is choosing which one he wants...mmm sweetness!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

This is Amy!!! My coworker and my shopping adventure partner for the day! She showed me/guided me around Dongdaemun, sososo much fun!! She's AWESOME!!! 

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

Ajuma with promoting the various foods her restuarant serves!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Plastic menu options!! One of my many favorite things about Korea, you can see what you want...AND the food looks like what you order. When I was in China, I'd order things that NEVER looked like their picture.


photo taken by VeganBeats

A really spicey fish stew/soup, Amy said it's amazing. So omnivores...go for it!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Cute baby shoes!!!


photo taken by VeganBeats

This was super good, a rice bun with sweet red beans inside. It was only 1500W ($1.00 US) and filling, sweet, and served warm!!

photo taken by VeganBeats



Amy and I split one!!

Dondaemun and Nangdaemun was so much fun, and I have a lot to credit Amy for that. Saw a lot of things, spent a lot of money (eeep) and left with some great buys!!

Seoul Stands*!~



photo taken by VeganBeats

 All along the streets there are stands selling all sorts of things, even though in the US there are these types of shops it somehow is so much more interesting and novel because I'm here. There is a copious amount of fruit stands, which I LOVE!! Persimmons and giant apples are at every corner, there are boxes of grapes, and everything is reasonabley priced in comparison to in the market. Or for what produce is now. The produce has been suffering this season in Korea so all prices are very inflated.




photo taken by VeganBeats


The other night I met up with Jaxs in Insadong and went to a vegan resturaunt, but that's for another post. Insadong was so much nusier than my Nowon. Tons of people, tons of foreigners, lots of shopping, tea shops, etc. Super cute, super busy...this is a stand owned by a Halmuni, she was selling nut bars and rice cakes, and dduk...
Everything here was vegan too! All made with a TON of suger, but none the less...pure tasty energy.

Anyways, I'm off to do some more exploring. Peace, love, and good times only*!~