Showing posts with label japchae. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japchae. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

설날 2012~ 새해복많이받으세요!!~

     I've brought attention to this too many times already...but this New Years I was flying back Seoul-side and it just didn't feel like a new beginning. I realize it could have been a perfect opportunity to really set the new year right, but I just wasn't in it. I was too confused and a bit all over the place. Granted, I got to spend the beginning of the year cuddling with pups and commuting from a different part of town, but it didn't feel like a "new year" for me. Now...now it does. Considering where I'm located, I'm taking advantage of this 설날 (Seol-nal) and counting this lunar new year as my "new year/beginning."
      Before I lose track of this blog's theme...let's talk about/show the noms of 2012. I'm super lucky and fortunate to have some relatives living here so last year (loads of 만두mandu if you recall) and this year I've been able to celebrate with family! Monday early morning I drove to 구리 (Guri) to start feast preparations and kick it with the family!
oh god~ photo taken by VeganBeats
     The food this year was not as grandiose as last year, we were all pretty sleepy but still massive by all means! There were the classic 반찬 prepped and made ready and as always...the language of the heart for many Koreans (especially my family) there was the creation of the GIANT 잡채(japchae)! I love that I'm no longer that little kid that's not allowed to help out in the kitch~
cutting those mush (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     My family actually loves the vegan challenge and more so bringing up how many vegetables they've gathered to make this (and every meal we have together) a SUPER vegan meal~ Just look at all the veggies JUST for japchae!
oh hey, 야채!(photo taken by VeganBeats)
     ugh~ are noodles realllly necessary?!
^^*~ photo taken by VeganBeats
     We literally have a mixing bowl my cousin AND I could both sit in just to mix this dish up...there is always more than enough, enough to bring home...and have for days after.
mix mix mix (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     There was no 만두 this year, didn't need to be! I was still hungover from all the greatness building up to this holiday that pots of coffee would make me stupid happy (hell, that would always make me pee with glee!)
      This is the plated japchae...can you guess what's in my fridge right now? Like bags of?
잡채 photo taken by VeganBeats
     I'm maybe a bit horrible for this, but I pick out the veggies...and "gift" the noodles to everyone else. My cousin, luckily LOVES those sweet potato noodles and is partial to the veggies...we're a good team eh! Here's some more of the spread~ ^^*
photo taken by VeganBeats
     I ate enough to cover another day's hike, then watched a lot of Arthur and Strawberry Shortcake...

Next post...well one soon will go into the plans I have for this new year...already riding strong~

새해복많이받으세요!!~

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Food and more Weekend Business*!~

Lots to update on, but I'm remembering this blog is supposed to have some food in it, some Vegan slices of heaven...
My emo has been talking about her BOMB japchae since I have gotten here, and a while ago she made me a WHOLE bunch of it an dI have to say, it was pretty damn tasty*!~ Lots and LOTS of veggies (I really kind of hate noodles, so thank you Emo!)
Check this out~~ (PS! working on my hangul, so I am guessing on how to spell some of the Korean dishes...do not, DO NOT quote me on any of these....I'll let you know if I am near right)
nom nom nom
photo taken by VeganBeats
All that spinach...and carrots...are you speaking ot my heart Emo?!~
(O;
photo taken by VeganBeats
Potatoe noodles are used for Japchae, super yummy. They are light, not heavy and slightly sweet (atleast to these tastebuds of mine!) There's suprising a lot of prep work involved for this dish. You need to soak dried shitake mushrooms, then lightly blanch and pan fry them, set them aside, fry the carrots with a little salt and sesame oil, set aside. Blanch the spinach, dry them, and let them cool down. On the other hand you make a sauce of sesame oil, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, a kiss of vinegar and sesame seeds, add the spinch to it, mix thoroughly...boil the noodles, make a sauce of sesame oil, a kiss of sugar, a kiss of soy sauce, and sesame seeds, mix all the veggies together and add salt until it's to your liking. My emo has mastered japchae (잪재artistry...nom nom nom*!~

This is another dish I made one of these past weeks, I had some veggies waiting to be played with (mmmm) so of course I did! These are oyster mushrooms, carrots, garlic (nom nom nom), and yellow sweet yams. I threw a splash of sesame oil and rice oil (yes, rice oil) into a pan and let it heat up a bunch, threw in the potatoes, and let those bubble up a bit (I really never can master potatoes..kind of don't like them...AAAAA) then I threw in the carrots...after I cut them I threw them in ice cold water...for some reason I feel like they taste better, fresher this way....annnyyyyways then I threw in the mushrooms, sliced thin and then about threee good sized cloves of garlic...everything was on medium heat and I continually mixed...threw in some kimchi broth (my kimchi!!!) and obviously the staples soy sauce and sesame seeds...when the oil burnt (?) off I added some water, vinegar and some left over green tea (why, experiment), then a little red chilli powder...result, a steamy yummy flavorful concoction....
I could do without the potatoes though...just not a fan of the textures....
Alright...now the weekend, another GREAT ONE*!~
Friday night I busted out of work, showered, dressed, and met up with Jaxs and Stephanie...Hongdae, again! I live in Hongdae....
It's across town and I've been there this entire weekend, nearly and seriously...ahhh
Went back to papa Gorilla and as expected, had a wonderful time!I went and visitied a buddy (O: ~~
Anyways...the night was great and...eventful to say the least.
Left Gorilla around 3 am and took a cab with Jaxs and Kevin to Gangnam and the cab driver tried to rip us off...by nearly 100% more the actual price..he locked us in the cab and when I tried toget out he grabbed me, GRABBED my arm...bruised. Now I don't swear, but I was fuming and infuriated..you never ever grab me, or a woman, ever I don't care how pissed, how angry how whatever you are...if you want to send me into a violent swearing extremely articualte (O; raging energy...try me...
Physical altercation with a cab driver..he got out of his cab after we all scrambled out and seriously...I don't think this jerk will mess with three foreigners again, we were not violent or agressive, just grounded...we would not and refused to take any BS...he got in his cab...left...grrrr
Anyways.....morning after I left Gangnam to go visit my emo and this is what I passed....
A GIANT BURGER.....blech....

My mom is in Korea visiting my halmuni (하무니) and harabagi (하라바기) so kicked it over to their place and rested. I was all ready to nuzzle up in my covers and get some rest...recover and all that good jazz...I was going to go to the G20 concert and see Rain and 2am...but bailed )O:  and Jaxs shot me a text saying Hongdae again...thought about it for maybe an hour then got showered, ready and peaced...didn't get there until around midnight..but so glad I went...!!! Met up with the crew...and not a ton of pictures but...chyea*!~
Phillip and Kevin....sassy*!~
photo taken by VeganBeats
Phillip is a rocker!! Dance partners yea!!! So much "GREAT" music was playing...rocked out to JaRule...hellz yea*!~
Phillip, Kevin, and Brian
photo taken by VeganBeats
 Still many creepafaces but I was with my crew...creepafaces blocked*!~
Jin (진우)!!!~~
photo taken by VeganBeats
 Spent a wonderful time (as always) with Jaxs*!~ I seriously cannot put into words how happy and wonderful it is to have such a beautiful person here...in Seoul, so close to me!!! Jaxs...ahhh there will be a Jaxs post!

I love me some Jaxs*!~

my lovie*!~
photo taken by VeganBeats
Jaxs and I stayed until way way late and kciked it with the Gorilla crew (VIP whaaa)
Didn't actually leave Hongdae until much later today, I've been up for far too many hours,....had a wonderful day, kicked it with some Great people (O:
Thinking Gorilla next week....How did I start liking clubs?*!~??!?~