April | 2013 | A Fat Girl's Food Guide to Eating in Korea

29
Apr
2013

Spanish Style Chicken & Rice

categories: Recipes

Last week I bought myself a chicken fully intending to make us a roast dinner. However when I woke up the sun was shining and it was a gloriously warm day. The idea of sweating away in hot kitchen making roast potatoes and stuffing suddenly lost its appeal. I decided that something a little bit different was in need. A quick rifle through the fridge and cupboards and I came up with this Spanish inspired meal. I bunged the chicken in the oven, the rice and veg in the rice cooker and went outside to enjoy the sunshine. When I returned the dinner was cooked and the house smelled delicious. Some may be put off by the appearance of the very dark brown chicken but the flavour is amazing. So I will certainly be making this again.

Ingredients

chicken

1 whole chicken

2 tablespoons of mexican spice

A handful of coriander (cilantro)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice

Rice

450g of rice

800ml of chicken stock

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

1/3 of a courgette

1 tablespoon of turmeric

1 1/2 tablespoons of paprika

1 tablespoon of mexican seasoning

A pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

To make the chicken marinade, put the coriander, (cilantro) lemon juice, Mexican seasoning, and olive oil into a blender and pulse until it resembles a dark green smooth paste. Rub your paste all over the chicken, you can even push some under the skin and all over the breasts as I did. Put the chicken on a tray, cover with foil and cook in the oven for about an hour on 185 degrees. After an hour take the chicken and out and stab the thickest past of the thigh with a knife. If the juices are running clear, it’s done, if there is still blood cover back over and cook for another 20-30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes or so. Once the chicken juices run clear, remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes to crisp up the skin.

To make the rice, chop the onion, garlic, peppers, and courgettes into medium sized pieces. Measure out your rice, I used 450g which is equal to one the containers I have, then I put in twice as much chicken stock, so 2 containers worth. Add in the spices and the vegetables and mix. Then set the rice cooker to cook. The rice should be done when the rice cooker finishes its cycle. Serve on a large platter and sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander and top with the chicken. Voilà Spanish style chicken, the perfect summer alternative to a Sunday roast.

25
Apr
2013

Lovely Lemon Pie

categories: Baking, Recipes

After making my lovely key lime pie, I wondered if the mix would work as well with lemons. It certainly did, plus I had the added bonus of being able to use fresh lemons instead of concentrate without having to bankrupt myself. It was still quick and easy to make and totally delicious. You can also make it with just a trip to your local Korean mart.

Ingredients

200g of digestive biscuits (Graham crackers)

100g of butter

1 can of condensed milk

3-4 lemons (zest and juice)

3 egg yolks

200ml of whipping cream

Directions

Crush the digestive biscuits until they resemble fine bread crumbs. You can do this with your blending or smacking them up a bit with a rolling pin. If you wrap them in a tea towel and keep them in the packet, you can prevent making a big old mess.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, then add the biscuit crumbs and mix together Pack into your pie tin and make sure you bring the mixture up around the sides.

In a separate bowl mix together the condensed milk, egg yolks, and lemon zest and juice. Pour this mixture onto the biscuit base. Then bake at 170 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool then pop it in the fridge for 2 hours to set. Once the pie has been chilled, whip the cream and then pipe around the edge to decorate. You could also add a slice or two of lemon and a little zest too. Serve with more cream and strawberries. . Voilà the lovely lemon pie.

23
Apr
2013

Capresa Bruschetta

categories: Recipes

On my last visit to Costco I decided to treat myself to some fresh mozzarella. I had already made a capresa salad for the blog last summer so I wanted to try something a little different. I already had some lovely garlic and rosemary bread I had bought from The Bakers Table the day before for brunch so a bruschetta seemed like the ideal meal. Tomatoes are getting tastier by the day now the sunshine is out. They are finally starting to get that tomato smell. Throw in some fresh basil from my now flourishing herb garden and you have got yourself one hell of a party for the taste buds.

Ingredients

3-4 slices of good quality baked bread

2 large tomatoes

10 cherry tomatoes

150g of fresh mozzarella

6-7 basil leaves

1 clove of garlic

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

A pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

First cut the large tomatoes into chunks and the cherry tomatoes in half and put them into a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, then add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix then set to the side. Next cut the clove of garlic in half and rub onto the bread then toast it so it’s golden brown on both sides. Cut the mozzarella into pieces and add to the bowl with the the tomatoes. Tear the basil leaves and mix them in too. Pile the tomatoes and mozzarella onto the toasted bread and serve. Reserve any leftover liquid from the bowl of tomatoes and use it as an amazing salad dressing. Voilà the perfect summer lunch in minutes.

21
Apr
2013

Le Brunchic

categories: Restaurant Reviews

Last week we popped off to see the cherry blossoms in Yeouido park and whilst there we thought a spot of brunch might have been in order. Located in the depths of the brand spanking new IFC mall is Le Brunchic. A restaurant specializing in, you guessed it, Brunch! We arrived on a busy saturday afternoon to be told of course there would be a wait. We put our names down and went off to do some shopping. Several hundred thousand won and too many shopping bags later we returned and were shown straight to our seats.

The cafe is chic, light, and airy, it would be perfect if it was on a tree-lined street instead of a shopping mall. There are a mixture of booths, tables, and private areas for those on romantic dates. They serve beer and wine but sadly no cocktails.

We perused the menu and selected our dishes. The menu consisted of the usual brunch fare, salads, pasta, benedicts, omelettes, and pancakes. I, of course, chose my favourite Eggs Benedict with spinach and bacon (16,000). The eggs were cooked to perfection, when cut into the yolk just oozed out, and the hollandaise was rich and tasty. I have never had bacon this good in Korea it was just so damn tasty. It had a kind of char-grilled taste which was just so nice. I usually give my bacon away to my boyfriend but he was only given a tiny piece of this.

My boyfriend opted for the Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (16,000). Once again the eggs were cooked to perfection. The salmon was succulent and the capers gave it a nice balance of flavour. His only complaint was that there were too many olives in the side salad, but it was a very minor gripe.

I very much enjoyed Le Brunchic and it is the first brunch I have had in a while that can rival the Flying Pan. If they had had a Bloody Mary or a Bellini on the menu it would have been a 10/10 for me. I love going to hang out in Yeouido park now that the weather is nice. Throw in some shopping and brunch and you have my ideal Saturday. Le Brunchic is located in the IFC Mall in the basement. L334 at 23 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. You can call them on 02-6137-5531. To get there take a train to Yeouido station (lines 5 and 9) and just head for exit 3. Follow the signs to get to the IFC mall.

They also have a branch at 524-35 Sinsa-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul. The telephone number there is 02-542-1985

19
Apr
2013

Sugar Daddy

categories: Cafes / Takeaways / Bars

I think you may know by now that I love a cupcake or 3. So imagine my delight when after moving to Hae Bang Chon, I discovered that mere meters from my house there was a delightful little cake shop. However sadly for me it hadn’t opened yet and it has now moved up to Itaewon. I spent months walking past admiring the beautiful mixers inside wondering when oh when would I finally be able to buy some cakes. They finally opened a few months ago now, but I have just only gotten around to writing a post. However I wanted to be very thorough dear reader, so I made it my business to try as many of the goodies as possible (for purely professional reasons of course).

The first cupcake of choice is the Snickers Cupcake (4,500). This was quite a delight, chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting, slices of snickers, and drizzled with caramel sauce. This is one for those of you with a sweet tooth. If you like snickers I’m sure you will find it heavenly.

The Maple Bacon Cupcake (4,500) a cinnamon cupcake with pieces of bacon mixed into the batter. Topped with maple frosting with a slice of bacon. This has a nice balance of salty and sweet, it shouldn’t work but it does. I will certainly be ordering this one again. From now on I’ll be adding bacon to all my desserts. Bacon trifle anyone?

Red Velvet (4,500) Red velvet is one of my absolute favourite flavors so I was looking forward to it. The cake has that sourness that one comes to expect from a red velvet cake. The frosting is very sweet and cheesy though. It’s a bit runny for me. It’s fine but not the best I’ve had in Korea.

On to the root beer float (4,500) I recently tried root beer for the first time and this cupcake is certainly reminiscent of it. The cake is root beer flavoured while the frosting is very sweet. It’s a good combination and makes a nice alternative to the more traditional flavours.

Pumpkin (4,500)I didn’t choose this one I got it for free. It’s a pumpkin spiced cake with pumpkin frosting. This one isn’t really my cup of tea, but if you like cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin then give it a bash. I did enjoy the squidgy little pumpkin on the top though.

Vanilla (4,500) I love vanilla cupcakes and they are usually my go to choice. This one had a nice light vanilla cake with a sweet vanilla frosting. It was nice enough and looked perfect but it wasn’t a patch on the one in Life is just a cup of cake up in Itaewon.

Overall I am thrilled that Sugar Daddy has opened on my door step. They have a wide variety of cupcakes with lots of fun flavours. I am very keen to try the Key lime and the New York Cheesecake flavours very soon. I have also been very lucky, as every time I have bought two I have received a third one for free (assah)! So in this case it’s better to buy an extra one.

Sugar Daddy is located in the arcade just next to Mcdonalds in Itaewon. To get there take a train to Noksapyeong station (line 6) . Walk straight out of exit 3 and cross the road towards Itaewon. Sugar Daddy is on is on your right just after Mcdonalds inside the little shopping arcade. You can call on 010-3630-0723 if you require any further information.

16
Apr
2013

Falafel

categories: Recipes, Vegan / Veggie Friendly

When it rains it pours, and these past few weeks it’s been raining falafels. First Zayd started selling them over at Med food in Korea. Then I had some over at El Grecos. Then finally I made some myself and they are so good that I just can’t stop. I have been making them by the truckload lately and having them in all manner of salads and wraps. I also took a batch a down to the vegan potluck and the whole plate had disappeared within minutes. They are actually surprisingly easy to make if you have a sturdy blender.

Ingredients

2 cans or 800g of soaked chick peas (this is the weight once they have been soaked in water)

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

1 lemon (zest and juice)

A large handful of parsley

A large handful of coriander (cilantro or 고수 found in many korean supermarkets)

1 -2 tablespoons of cumin

2 teaspoon of ground coriander

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

2-3 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Oil for frying (I use soybean because it’s cheap)

Directions

If using dried chickpeas, soak them in lots of cold water overnight. Drain the chickpeas and blend until they resemble cous cous or bread crumbs in consistency. Next you need to blend the parsley, garlic, and onion. I did this in the blender too until it made a green onion smoothie. Mix together with the chickpeas, then add the salt, pepper, and spices. Add the juice and zest of the lemon and mix. Stir in the flour and baking soda then cover with cling-film and leave in the fridge for about an hour. When the mixture has had time to rest remove from the fridge and form into ping-pong sized balls. Heat your oil to a medium heat then fry the falafel, they should take about 3 minutes on each side. If the oil is too hot they will not be cooked on the inside. Once they are done let them drain on a piece of kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Enjoy fresh from the pan with lots of hummus and flatbread. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Voilà fabulous falafels.

14
Apr
2013

Moules Marinières

categories: Recipes

I have been meaning to write this post for quite some time now. Mussels are insanely cheap in Korea right now and what better way to use them, than in this classic French dish. Coming from a family that lives by the sea, my mum regularly whipped this up for us at home. It’s very easy to make and you should be able to find all of the ingredients in your local Korean supermarket It tastes great and also looks very impressive. It’s always been one of my dinner party favourites, so if you’re unfamiliar with it give it a try.

Ingredients

1.5kg of Mussels (roughly two packages from the mart, mine were 2,000 each)

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

30g of butter

200ml of cream

200ml of white wine

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley

1 lemon (cut into wedges)

A glug of olive oil

Directions

Clean and wash your mussels thoroughly in cold water. Remove any beards that are still left on them and discard any mussels that are open. Finely chop the onion and garlic then fry in the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan for a few minutes until softened. Next,add the mussels and the glass of wine to the pan and put on the lid. Steam the mussels for about 5 minutes until they have opened. Remove the lid and pour in the cream and parsley. Mix to make sure everything is coated then remove from the heat. Throw away any mussels that have failed to open after steaming. Put the mussels into bowls and top with a wedge of lemon. Serve with the finest crusty bread from Paris Baguette. Voilà, moules marinères, the most luxurious way to eat the fruit of the sea!

13
Apr
2013

The Page – Brunch

categories: Restaurant Reviews

A little while ago we discovered that just across from our work in Bangbae-dong there is a cute little brunch restaurant. Although, its not so little, its actually over 3 floors with a gallery at the top! I’m always looking for new places to brunch so one Friday we decided to go to work a little early and hit this place up.

The industrial style space is decorated with art and has a cool warehouse vibe. It was really busy when we ventured there at lunchtime. They have a menu of around 10 brunch options that can be purchased in a set with an americano. Perfect for those ladies that lunch, and lunch they did, this place was heaving. The food was of western style but designed to please the Korean palette.

We opted for a Mandarin Salad. It was huge. The chicken was well cooked and very tasty. There was lots of fruit and it was very refreshing, although a smaller amount of salad would have been better. Overall it was very nice, a good summertime option.

We also had the eggs English style. An English muffin topped with a fried egg, spicy bulgogi, and a side of potatoes and salad. It was actually pretty good.

I wouldn’t travel across Seoul to go out of my way to come here, but the food was reasonable and it’s a cool place. If you live in the area I would say it’s worth a visit.

The Brunch Page is located at 796-27 Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Naebang station(line number 7) and come out exit 7. Walk straight until you pass the BMW dealership and make a right. The page is a few meters up on the left opposite Gastro Pub. The nearest bus stop is 22-222. You can call them on 02 536 5961 for more information. They also have valet parking.

11
Apr
2013

Chocolate Pie

categories: Baking, Recipes

After the success of my Key Lime Pie, I thought I would whip up a chocolate one. I also had half a pint of cream that desperately needed to be used, so a chocolate pie seemed the perfect solution. It is very rich, so I would recommend sharing it with your very lucky friends and family. It is also incredibly quick and easy to make and no oven is needed.

Ingredients

200g of digestive biscuits (Graham crackers)

120g of butter

250g of coveture milk chcolate

200ml of cream

Directions

Crush the digestive biscuits until they resemble fine bread crumbs. You can do this with a blender or by bashing the hell out of them with a rolling-pin. Life has been a little bit stressful for me lately so I have been using the rolling-pin method a lot. If you wrap them in a tea towel and keep them in the packet, you can prevent making a mess.

Melt 100g of the butter in a sauce pan, then add the biscuit crumbs and mix together Pack into your pie tin and make sure you bring the mixture up around the sides.

Put the chocolate, cream and remaining 20g of butter in a glass or metal bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until all of the chocolate has dissolved and you’re left with a lovely ganache. Pour the chocolate ganache into your pie crust then pop into the fridge for several hours to set. Once set remove from the pan and serve. If you’re feeling indulgent you can serve with extra whipped cream.

09
Apr
2013

Spanish Omelette

categories: Recipes

I do love a good brunch. It is swifly becoming one of my favourite meals of the day. In an effort to save money over the last few weeks I have been making my own rather than going out. My fridge is always well stocked with appropriate ingredients and I always have a steady supply of vodka for making Bloody Mary’s, so it seems churlish to venture outside when there is so much goodness at home. This weeks choice was a Spanish omelette. Quick and easy to make. I don’t own a metal skillet that is capable of fitting in my tiny toaster oven so I used a round cake tin I bought from Daiso. It came out great and I’m sure it will now be a regular feature for weekend brunch from now on.

Ingredients

7 eggs

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

2 potatoes

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

A small bunch of spinach

1 tablespoon of freshly chopped coriander (cilantro)

1 tablespoon of freshly choped parsley

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of rosemary

A glug of olive oil

Directions

Thinly slice the potatoes and fry them in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked right through. Remove them from the pan and set to the side. Next slice the onions, garlic, and green and red peppers and fry for about 5 minutes until softened. Roughly chop the spinach and add to the pan until it had wilted then remove from the heat. In a separate bowl, break and beat the eggs together with a dash of salt, pepper, paprika, and rosemary. Finely chop the fresh parsley and coriander and add that to the egg mixture too. Next take the potatoes and add them to the egg mixture in the bowl. Then fold in the onion, garlic, peppers and spinach. Make sure it is mixed thoroughly then pour into a cake pan. Pop the the mixture into the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius. Its done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. You may also want to cover the top with foil after the first 10 minutes to stop it over browning. To remove put a plate over the pan and flip it. Cut the omelette into wedges and serve with a side salad. Voilà Spanish style omelette.

April 2013 archive