THE HUNT FOR ABALONE PORRIDGE! (전복죽!)

So as I was looking for the Kimchi recipe I saw another one by Maagchi that drew my attention. In part because Abalone is a funny word and also because I’ve never had porridge in my life. I feel that it’s important to know what a food tastes like before you try and make it for yourself, so, I must find a restaurant that serves it and have a taste.  In my experience, if you don’t know what a food is supposed to taste like, you’ve lost half the battle . Now off to finding a place that made Abalone Porridge…once that’s done I can make it for myself and post the results.

date: 10/15/11….really late at night

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Some time around 5PM:

Omo…I’m so stuffed I don’t know how I managed to make up the stairs! Okay I ate Abalone porridge 3 times today and I’m very confident I know how its supposed to taste…Oh no!! I’m too stuffed to taste the recipe once I finish. Heeheeee its time for some friends! I’ll be back with the final results tonight.

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Some time around 10PM:

Ooh yeah Maachgi did not let me down! This is one hell of a yummy dish. If I hadn’t been so full I probably would have had 3 bowls myself. Instead my friend Cindy and Jessica helped me taste test. They gave this 4 thumb’s up!

The beautiful Maagchi with yet another marvelous recipe!

You can replace abalone in this recipe with mussels, clams, shrimp, or even ground beef, but abalone porridge is the king of porridge!

When to make this precious porridge?

1. For yourself! You’re the most important person in the world!
2. For someone you love. They could be your parents, parents-in-law, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, or of course your children.
3. For someone special in your life who’s recovering from an illness.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Ingredients:

2 small size abalones (1 cup worth), 1 cup of rice, 7 cups of water, 2 tbsp. sesame oil, 1 tsp. salt, 1tbs fish sauce, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 green onions, ¼ cup of chopped carrot, and 1 sheet of roasted laver.

Directions:

1. Wash 1 cup of rice and soak it in cold water for 2 hours. Drain it through a strainer.
2. Clean up the abalones using a brush in cold running water. Chop it up and put it on a plate.
3. Chop some carrot (about ¼ cup), 2 green onions, and put it on the plate.
4. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and put it on the plate.
5. Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tbsp. sesame oil.
6. Add the minced garlic, abalone, and chopped carrot to the pot. Stir it for 30 seconds.
7. Add the soaked rice to the pot. Keep stirring for a few minutes until the grains of rice look half translucent.
8. Pour 7 cups of water into the pot and lower the heat to low heat. Close the lid and cook it for about 30 minutes.*tip: Every now and then open the lid and stir the porridge so the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom the pot
9. Open the lid of the pot and add 1 tbsp. fish sauce and 1 tsp. salt (the amount depends on your taste).
10. Roast a sheet of laver and put it in a plastic bag. Crush it by rubbing the plastic bag.
11. To serve, ladle the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle the crushed roasted laver and chopped green onion over top.

BIBIMBAP!! (비빔밮!!)

  HOLY BLAZES….I have never had such amazing food in my life! I went to this quaint little restaurant in my area (if you live in Miami its right off the Palmetto on 7917 NW 2nd St or you can give them a call for directions  at (305) 267-0011). Lo and behold it turned out to be a Korean restaurant run by a such a cute couple. To begin with, the owners themselves served us and their cheer was contagious. We spent quite a bit of time finding out which dishes they considered their specialties and which of them their regular customers usually ordered. In the end we went with a classic, Bulgogi and Bibimbap. I must say that I have had quite a lot of Bibimbap in my life but this was…this was indescribably A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

The vegetables were super fresh and as we cooked them the scent enveloped you in a cloud of spice and deliciousness. I’m totally in love!  Their sticky rice was really well made as well and, once combined, we all drooled like puppy’s over a rawhide bone! We also had Bulgogi and there was nothing out of the ordinary there… as is customary of all Bulgogi it was PERFECT! The meat was succulent, the lettuce fresh, and the bean paste soup! OMO Now that was like nothing I had ever had. It was like a religious revelation, a spiritual revival!  The taste was classic, but the consistency was thicker than I am accustomed to. I love that as I drank I felt it coat my throat and warm up my insides; made me think of cold winter night snuggled in from of a fire.  Alas, we had to leave and after having spent nearly 4 hours eating and laughing we all didn’t want to go.  A few tears almost escaped me-  though I cant rightly say whether  it was the pepper flakes or the overwhelming orgasm of flavors! I know my friend’s and I can’t wait to go again!!!!!!!!

Now for those who don’t like to go out to eat but really want to try the greatness that is Korean cuisine here is a recipe I live and breath by.  I got the original recipe from online but I have made a few changes since I began making it. Granted its not as fantastic as Korean restaurant but it will definitely hit the spot when your craving good Bibimbap.

Its great for  4- 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• Ground beef (or other meats you prefer- or forgo it all together for a more vegetarian meal)
• Kimchi (any kind you prefer)
• Cooked rice
• a package of bean sprouts
• a bunch of spinach (or lettuce if you prefer)
• 2 small size of zucchinis
• 5-7 Shiitake mushrooms
• fern brakes (kowari)
• 200 grams of ground beef (about half a pound)
• 1 small carrot, eggs
• soy sauce, hot pepper paste, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and vegetable oil
• Soju in abundance!

Recipe:

1. Put you rice to cook. You can use a rice cooker or a stainless pot.
2. Next, you need to prepare a large platter to put all your ingredients on (make sure that when placing them they don’t mix).
3. Rinse your  bean sprouts a few times and put them in a pot with a cup of water. Add 1 tsp. of salt and cook for 20 minutes. Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of minced garlic, sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
   Put it on the platter.
4. Put your spinach in a pot of boiling water and stir it for a minute. Then rinse it in cold water a few times and squeeze it lightly. Mix it with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp. of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it on the platter
5. Cut 2 small size zucchinis into thin strips, sprinkle them with a pinch of salt, and then mix them together. A few minutes later, sauté them in a pan over high heat. When it’s cooked, it will look a little translucent. Put it on the platter.
6. You can buy soaked and cooked “kosari” at a Korean grocery store. Prepare about 2 or 3 cups of kosari for this 4 servings of Bibimbap. Cut it into pieces 5-7 cm long and sauté in a heated pan with 1 tsp. of vegetable oil. Stir and add 1 tbsp. of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp. of sugar, and cook them for 1-2 minutes. Add sesame oil. Put it on the platter.
7. Slice shitake mushrooms thinly and sauté with 1 tsp. of vegetable oil. Add 2 tsp. of soy sauce and 1 or 2 tsp. of sugar and stir it for 2 minutes. Add some sesame oil, and put it on the platter.
8. Cut a carrot into strips, sauté it for 30 seconds and put it on the platter.
9. Prepare eggs with sunny side up.
10. Put your rice in a big bowl, and attractively display all your vegetables and meat(s)-keep them in their own sections for a more attractive place setting. Place the sunny side up egg on the center.
11. Serve it with sesame oil and hot pepper paste to taste.
12. Lastly, mix it up and enjoy with friends and family…..oh and don’t forget the SOJU !!!!!

*For those who can’t tolerate spicy sauce. : )

Yangnyeomjang sauce:

Chop 4 green onions and put them in a small bowl. Pour in half cup of soy sauce, and add 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, 2 tsp. of sugar, 1 tbsp. of sesame oil and mix it up.

Egg soup:

1. Put a can of chicken broth in a pot, as well as 2 cans of water using the can from the chicken broth. Boil it.
2. Beat 2 eggs with a fork and pour it into the boiling stock while stirring slowly. Add salt to taste.
3. Chop 2 green onions
4. Serve your soup in a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over the top.