January | 2014 | A Fat Girl's Food Guide to Eating in Korea

29
Jan
2014

The Pizza Pub

categories: Restaurant Reviews

The Pizza Pub is the latest bar to hit Itaewon. Cool and sleek it’s a cut above the usual dive bars that serve self service beers. As well as a huge variety of cheap bottled beers and ciders they also have great food too, which is why it is my current favourite hangout.

With a name like The Pizza Pub, it would only serve that they are selling lovely home-made pizzas, otherwise they would really have to think about changing the name. The menu is a good mix of classics and more inventive gourmet choices. I was lucky enough to sample quite a few of them. My first choice had to be the BBQ Chicken (13,500 S/17,000 L). My favourite pizza flavour by far, I can never resist this one on a menu. A good barbecue base with plenty of chicken and a great crust, there were no complaints here.

Next up was White Arugula Pizza (13,500 S/17,000 L). With mozzarella, roast potatoes, bacon, and arugula all on top of a white sauce. Personally I love a white pizza, I’m not dissing the red sauce, I like that too, but I’m always pleased when I see a white one on the menu. This white sauce was especially tasty and everyone loves arugula right? It makes you feel like you are being healthy even though you’re having pizza.

We also had to try the The Meat Empire (15,000 S/19,000 L). What could be better than an empire of meat? With pepperoni, smoked ham, chicken, pulled pork, and bacon. I don’t think any meat lover would be disappointed. I know that The Fat Boyfriend will be desperate to try this one.

As well as all those delicious pizzas there are Chicken Wings, with bones or without (9,000). These are served with your choice of an array of dipping sauces. I was lucky to be given a taste of all of them. Spicy Mango was one of my favourites along with the Creamy Buffalo, but no one can beat a pot of Ranch.

The host also put a basket of the Fried Kimchi and Pickles (8,000) in front of me. I think we all are aware of my feelings about kimchi. But I am a polite and charming girl and figured it would be rude not to try it. I picked up a piece and dipped it into the accompanying samjang mayo. I put it into my mouth and chewed and didn’t hate it. I ate a another piece, it was all right. I tried a pickle, it was good. Not bad I thought to myself, but as we waited for our next pizza I ate piece after piece until the basket was empty. Then that night when I was back at home I found myself thinking about it more and more. The next day at work I couldn’t get it off my mind. When my friends suggested a drink I immediately hailed The Pizza Pub as the destination and strode there as fast as I could, ordering myself a basket straight away. It was just as good as I remembered. Is it possible that after 5 long years I could have been converted? No, it’s the deep fried goodness that did it, I’d eat a smelly old sock if you breaded it, deep fried it, and gave me a good dipping sauce. But either way this dish is spectacular and I have no doubt will be the star dish on the menu.

We also had to have a try of the Garlic Sticks (9,000). Garlic bread is the one thing that is missing from virtually every pizza establishment throughout the peninsula. Why I have no idea, since Koreans, love bread, garlic, and cheese, surely it should be right up their street. But for some sad reason it’s never truly made it’s way on to the menus. These garlic sticks have a pizza base and are topped with lashings of garlic butter and cheese served with more melted garlic butter just in case you wanted more.

For those of you more interested in the drinks than the food, they have a tonne of imported largers, beers, and ciders. Big brands and and craft beers can all be found in the fridges. Just help yourself and pay at the till.

The Pizza Pub is located at 2F 131-3 Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-858. To get there take a train to Itaewon station (line 6) and come out of exit 3. Turn back on yourself and take a left at the crossroads. Walk straight past Taco Bell and look for the building 2 doors down. The Pizza Pub is on the second floor. For more information you can call them on 010-5295-4551 or check out their facebook page.

27
Jan
2014

Goats Cheese Quiche

categories: Recipes, Shopping

So this week I have been a very happy camper indeed. Not just because I still have a whole shelf in my fridge dedicated to the chocolate I brought back from home, but also because I have 400g of goats cheese. I really can’t begin to tell you how much I love goats cheese. It is certainly up in my top 3. Obviously in Korea goats cheese is expensive and hard to find, right? Wrong. Goats cheese is easy to find is you contact the amazingly awesome people at Waeg Farm. A fabulous farm full of goats that make the milk that makes the cheese. Hurrah. No more trips to Hong Kong just to get that goaty goodness. Check out their website for details on how to order yours.

Since I had this premium ingredient I felt compelled to really do it some justice and make something proper out of it, however tempting it was just to eat it smeared on the Fat Boyfriend’s sourdough and have it topped with onion jam. No, no, no an ingredient of this caliber deserved it’s own recipe. I recently made the most magnificent tart whilst I was at home. If you’re a fan of my facebook page I’m sure you would have seen it. It was pure culinary perfection but really it was just shop bought puff pastry with a a few of my favourite ingredients thrown on top. A treat for the taste buds but ever so easy, any novice could knock one up in 10 minutes. But for this I decided I would go the whole hog and make my own pastry. Yes, I could have just walked to Itaewon and bought some pre-made, and yes I did think about it, but that’s not really fair to you now readers is it. So even though I’m crap at making pastry I gave it my best shot and it actually turned out great. Paul Hollywood you are a legend!

Ingredients

Short crust pastry (Paul Hollywood’s recipe)

250g of flour

125g of cubed butter (chilled)

50ml cold water

2 egg yolks

A pinch of salt

Filling

300ml of cream

3 eggs

100g of cheddar cheese

75g of goats cheese

3 rashers of bacon

1 onion

1 bunch of spinach

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Start by making the pastry. Put the flour and salt in a bowl and mix. Then add the butter cubes in and rub together using your finger tips until it forms a bread crumb like texture.

2. Add the egg yolks and start to mix with your hands, before slowly adding the water and mix until it comes together to form a ball. Do not overwork the pastry, as soon as it’s a ball, press it down to form a disk with your fingers, wrap it in cling-film, and put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours to chill.

3. When the pastry has had it’s rest, roll it out on a floured surface. Make sure you roll it out so it’s large enough to fit in your tin. Put the pastry in your tin, press it down so it’s nice and snug and leave an overhang over the edges.

4. Bake in the oven at 180 for about 15 minutes until the pastry has cooked and its golden brown. Trim the edges and leave to cool.

5. Cut the bacon into chunks and fry in a pan. Thinly slice the onion and add to a corner of the pan. When the onion and bacon is almost done, make a space and add the spinach leaves and cook until wilted.

6. To assemble the quiche, first add the cheddar cheese, then the bacon and onions, then the spinach and top with the goats cheese. Whisk the eggs and cream together then season with the salt, pepper and paprika, you could also add a pinch of mixed herbs. Pour the the filling into the quiche almost to the top. Pop in the oven and bake at 170 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the custard has set in the middle. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan and serving. Can be enjoyed hot or cold.

You can also switch the ingredients up a bit, I added tomatoes to my second quiche.

25
Jan
2014

Bulldogs

categories: Restaurant Reviews

When I found out that this new British restaurant had opened, I was chuffed to bits to say the least. When I found out they had Pimm’s I was ecstatic. Being from the motherland myself, I love all things British. So a taste of home was just what the doctor ordered and I wasted no time at all in paying them a visit.

Located on furniture street, Bulldogs is cool, hip, and minimalist in it’s decor with a salute to British icons pasts and present. We took a seat and scanned the menu. Salt and vinegar popcorn was given to us to snack on while we waited for our drinks. What a fab idea I thought, there is not enough salt and vinegar for my liking in the land of the morning calm. Although owner Tom tells us he is still tinkering with the recipe. Koreans aren’t used to the flavour of vinegar so he doesn’t want to make it too over powering. Personally I like mine so strong I cant feel my tongue after eating a family sized bag of crisps.

Our drinks arrived and how lovely they looked. A homemade Pimm’s for me (12,500). I think we all know by now what a fan of Pimm’s I am. It thoroughly upsets me to not have a bottle nestled under my sink, ready to make my favourite summer cocktail. So a bar selling it is fantastic. The recipe produces a very good result, if there were a few strawberries in there, he would have pretty much cracked it. I know what I will be drinking this summer. I also adore the giant jar it comes in, making it well worth the price tag, it’s like 2 drinks in one.

My assistant Victoria chose the peachy Punch (12,500). Bulldogs have devised a whole collection of cocktails featuring Britain’s favourite drink, tea! Served up in a giant teapot, it’s quite a sight. Teapots are the new jars don’t you know? This one has a fruity twist but you can still taste the tea. We also tried the aptly named G & Tea! A cool twist on the classic.

On to the fare. Hot dogs dominate the menu thus far, but restaurateur Tom assures that it will be growing bigger over time. The hot dogs all range in price but are 8,000-9,500 for 2 and 11.5-13,000 for 3. With 7 different kinds on the menu, they are anything but the usual. In Fat Girl tradition I decided to give four a go. First the “Slumdog Millionaire” an Indian take on a hot dog. Topped with curry sauce, yoghurt, onions, and cucumber. We definitely liked this one. Assistant Victoria forced the Kimchi one upon me. Despite the fact we are a kimchi free zone it would have been churlish not to give it a try. Despite my lack of interest in kimchi it was not bad, I would have eaten it if I didn’t have more food coming.

The Mash & Gravy was spectacular. Sausage, mash, and gravy are a match made in heaven so I don’t know why no one has ever thought of putting them in a hot dog. What could be finer, those deep fried onions on top were orgasmic in themselves. This one was my favourite by far. I also enjoyed the brunch hot dog. More traditional toppings such as an egg, bacon, hash browns, and ketchup. This one was breakfast in a bite. Perfect after too many drinks at the weekend.

We also tried out the Bulldog Fries (12,000.) There is not much in life that I enjoy more than fries topped with steak, bacon bites, and garlic mayo. Throw in some coleslaw and you have a party in your mouth where everyone is invited. There is also kimchi, though I can always ignore that and I think next time I shall just ask for extra coleslaw instead. Cabbage has never looked sexier than when its dressed in mayonnaise.

I didn’t really have much more room after all the goods I had sampled so far, but I managed to make some for scotch eggs (10,000). Still a recent convert to scotch eggs, freshly out of the fryer is how I like them. Cold on the supermarket shelves can stay in England. I like them fresh and hot. With their oozy yolks these were perfect. A little more seasoning in the sausage mix wouldn’t go amiss but the coating was crunchy. A nice mushroom and bacon salad was paired and went well with the eggs.

The dessert menu is still under construction but we were lucky enough to try the sticky toffee pudding. Mmmmmmm.

Bulldogs is a cool bar with cool food and even cooler music. All British tunes make it my new choice of hangout. Festooned with Britain’s greats on the walls and even Harry and Hermione guarding the loos, it’s a motherland haven. So Keep Calm and go to Bulldogs.

Bulldogs is located at 2F 116 Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Itaewon station and walk out of exit 3. Go back on yourself and take a left at the intersection. Go stright past Taco bell, its a few doors down on the left on the second floor. Call 02-6248-2998 or check out their facebook page for more information. Bulldogs is opened Sun-Thur 11.30am-11.00pm Fri-Sat 11.30am – 12am Closed Mondays

23
Jan
2014

Apple Coleslaw

categories: Recipes, Vegan / Veggie Friendly

I whipped up this lovely apple coleslaw after I received my WWOOF box of organic goodies. The apple is such an amazing addition that I now will not make coleslaw without it. I have actually made it about three time since. The Fat Boyfriend and I can’t get enough of it, we are both sneaking to the fridge and eating it by the spoonful. I mix things up depending on what’s cheapest, but I generally like to use a red onion or a red cabbage to give it a bit of color. You can also add cheese. I love cheesy coleslaw but cheesy apple coleslaw is insane. Smeared on some french bread and roast chicken it’s divine.

Ingredients

1/2 a small cabbage (red or green)

1/2 onion (red or white)

1/2 a carrot

1 apple

100g of grated cheddar (optional but delicious)

300ml of mayonnaise

3 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

1/2 a teaspoon of celery salt

1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper

Directions

1. Finely shred the cabbage and onion and put into a bowl.

2. Grate in the carrot and apple and mix with the cabbage and onion.

3. Stir in the mayo and make sure everything is coated. Use less or more as desired.

3. Stir in the sweet chili sauce and grated cheese if using.

4. Season with celery salt and black pepper to taste. Voilà the best coleslaw you will ever eat!

21
Jan
2014

Dillinger’s

categories: Restaurant Reviews

A few weeks ago I was enjoying a nice Friday night drink with The Fat Boyfriend in Dillinger’s. I was filled to the brim with the post work euphoria you only get on a Friday night. What better feeling is there in the world than knowing you have the entire weekend stretched before you. Despite the cold weather I opted for a sangria (9,000). I guess I was trying to get myself back in that summer groove. Well one sip of the surprisingly tasty sangria and I was there. It was so sweet and yummy, filled with strawberries, it was quite the delight.

Whilst The Fat Boyfriend supped down a pint of John Smiths, we mulled over where to eat dinner. As a food reviewer choosing where to go for dinner is no easy task. We discussed various options at length when I happened to look out the window to see that it was bucketing it down with rain. “Why don’t we just eat here?” We both said in unison. The waiter was summoned and a menu swiftly arrived.

After a quick peruse of their standard pub fare, I opted for a chicken and bacon sandwich (12,900.) Chicken tenders, bacon, lettuce, tomato and ranch dressing all housed in a ciabatta bun. It also came with fries (hurrah) and I ordered extra ranch dressing on the side. A good sandwich that was much nicer than I had anticipated.

The Fat Boyfriend went for the Bangers & Mash (11,900.) But when it arrived he soon had half stolen. I’m generally not much of a fan of bangers and mash, but figured I would give it a try as it looked so nice. And oh my it was! The two herby sausages were so juicy and full of flavour. The mash was lovely, the green beans tasty, and the gravy was perfection. The wholegrain mustard on the side was just the thing to seal the deal. I can’t believe I almost missed out on trying this fabulous sausage and mash potato goodness. Next time you stop by for a drink or three, be sure to order yourself up a plate.

Dillinger’s is located at 72-32, Itaewon 1 -dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Itaewon station (line 6) and come out of exit 4. Walk straight for about 150 meters, Dillinger’s is on the left just opposite ABC Mart on the 2nd floor. For more info you can check out their facebook page or call them on 02-793-7232.

17
Jan
2014

Soft Shell Crab Salad

categories: Recipes

I had to make this dish after trying it at Spicy Bite. I was lucky enough to find the crabs at my local Korean mart. They are clearly in season as I am seeing them everywhere. I didn’t even like crab that much before I tried this dish. Now I can’t stop thinking about it. These crispy little critters are just the ticket. I made a nice fruity Asian salad to accompany them and it was so good, I made it again the next night. You could also fry them and have them in a sandwich or with pasta if you wanted something more hearty. Below is a picture of the crabs in their box. I found them in the frozen section so you know what to look for. They were 4000 for 1kg so they are pretty cheap.

Ingredients

Crabs

1kg of soft shell crabs (this yields a lot and will serve 2 fat people or 4 normal people)

100g of seasoned flour

200g of panko bread crumbs

300ml of buttermilk

1 teaspoon of paprika (optional)

Salad

1 Red pepper

3-4 handfuls of salad leaves

3-4 Spring onions

1/2 a pomegranate

A handful of cilantro leaves

1/2 a cucumber

Dressing

6 tablespoons of sesame seed oil

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

3 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon of lime juice (lazy lime will be fine if you don’t have fresh)

1 clove of garlic

1-2 inch piece of ginger

Directions

1. Defrost your crabs then give them a little rinse in water then pat them dry with kitchen paper.

2. Set up three bowls ready for the coating. In the first put your seasoned flour, in the second your buttermilk, and the third should have your panko crumbs mixed with the paprika.

3. Heat your oil to 180 degrees. Then dip your crabs first into the seasoned flour, then into the buttermilk and finally into the bread crumbs. You will need to cook them in batches as you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. Deep or shallow fry the crabs for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan and cook the next batch. You can keep any cooked ones warm on a tray in the oven.

4. To make the dressing, put the sesame seed oil, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice in a jar. Season with salt and pepper then crush the garlic and ginger and add to the jar too. Then give the jar a good shake. Any leftover dressing will keep for a few days in the fridge.

5. To make the salad finely slice the cucumber and red pepper. Tear the salad leaves into bite sized pieces and arrange on a plate. Top with the cucumber and pepper. Then top with pomegranate seeds, spring onions, and cilantro leaves. Drizzle with your dressing and top with as many crabs as you can manage.

15
Jan
2014

WWOOF CSA

categories: Recipes, Shopping

Until recently eating organic has never really been something that has appealed to me. Well maybe it has appealed but the vegetables costing twice the price have generally been enough to put me off. I’ve also always put it down to being one of those gimmick things too. We all ate vegetables filled with pesticides growing up and we were fine, well most of us! But since embarking on the Raw till 4 movement, I’ve figured that this could be improved upon even more by eating organic fruit and vegetables. It is also my resolution this year to be a bit more ethical in the companies I choose to buy my food from. I’m certainly not renouncing all large companies, I’ll still be eating plenty of Big Macs, but I want to choose to buy from small independent businesses rather than handing my cash over to conglomerate chains without thought. Then as luck would have it I received an email from WWOOF asking me if they could send me a box of organic produce so I could write about it.

What a fabulous idea I thought. Back at home farmers markets are ten a penny and virtually every item sold in the supermarket can be bought in organic form. But here in Korea life is not so simple for the those who prefer their produce pesticide free. The supermarkets of course have sections of produce devoted to organics, but when it comes to eggs, meat, and fish we are as baffled as can be. Also out in the sticks it can be near to impossible to get these things.

Enter WWOOF – they will send you a box filled with in season organic fruit, vegetables, eggs, and other goodies. Produce will obviously change from week to week but you know that you are getting is ethical and organic. In my box there were 6 eggs, a ciabatta, a loaf of potato and walnut bread, yuja cakes, cream butter, omelette snacks, a cabbage, carrots, potatoes, apples, mushrooms, and a selection of salad leaves.

The first thing that jumped out at me, were those lovely organic eggs. You can’t beat eggs that are fresh from the farm. Eggs Florentine is my absolute favourite breakfast, so with the lovely walnut bread they included I could make some toast. I also decided to have some mushrooms too, just because there is nothing better in life than mushrooms cooked in butter.

Ingredients

1 egg

2 slices of bread

A handful of mushrooms

6 kale and lettuce leaves

50g of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Hollandaise Sauce

125g butter

2 egg yolks

½ tsp white wine vinegar

A pinch salt

1-3 tablespoons of lemon juice

Direction

1. The first thing to do is make the hollandaise sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Put 2 egg yolks, white wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a metal or glass bowl that will fit over a small pan. Whisk for a few minutes then put the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk continuously until pale and thick, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter, bit by bit until it’s all incorporated and you have a creamy hollandaise. Squeeze in the lemon juice to taste. I like mine zingy so I use quite a bit. Then season with salt and pepper and keep it warm until needed.

2. Slice the bread and preheat the grill, ready for toasting. Then wash and slice the lettuce, kale, and mushrooms.

3. Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms for a few minutes until, soft and juicy. Push to one side of the pan then add the kale to the other side, cook for about 30 seconds then add the lettuce. Cook for another minute until the leaves have wilted then turn off the heat.

4. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, and pop your bread under the grill to toast. Don’t forget to flip it over after a few minutes.

5. Add a few drops of vinegar to the water and make sure its on a low heat and a soft boil. Using a fork draw it around the edge of your pan making a vortex in the middle then crack your egg and drop it in. The organic eggs are so lovely and fresh that they keep their shape really well. But the vortex will stop you losing any white. Let the egg cook for about 3 minutes. By this time the egg white should have set and the egg yolk should still be runny.

6. Put your toast on a plate and layer one piece with the mushrooms and the other with the wilted salad leaves. Pop your perfect poached egg on top of the leaves and drizzle with hollandaise sauce and sprinkle with black pepper.

If you too would like to get on the organic bandwagon, then check out WWOOF’s website or facebook page for more details about how to get a box delivered to you. You can sign up for a month or a few months at a time, but if you want to give them a try first they have a 1-2 person sample box for only 30,000. I know I will be signing up for sure. The taste of the eggs and apples alone made it worth it for me. With my ingredients I also made an amazing apple coleslaw, with I used in a chicken and ciabatta sandwich . Sour dough starter, and a chicken breast on a bed of roast cabbage and root vegetable rosti. Recipes coming soon. What will you make with yours?

13
Jan
2014

Green Smoothie

categories: Recipes, Vegan / Veggie Friendly

Another healthy start to the week with my favourite green smoothie recipe. Don’t be put off by the color or all the vegetables, this smoothie is fresh ,zingy, and delicious. The Fat Boyfriend was unconvinced at first, assuring me that it was going to taste “gardeny”. But it doesn’t! The vegetables are all mild enough that they blend well with the fruit flavours and now he drinks one almost every day. Feel free to lose one of each of the fruit and vegetables and you can manage without the cilantro if it’s not easy for you to get hold of. But keep the parsley, its amazing for cleaning the blood, along with the spirulina which is an absolute superfood, order it from i-Herb. This is one of the best starts you can have for your day freeing you up to have a few treats later on.

Ingredients

1-2 inch thick slice of pineapple

1 apple

2-3 baby oranges

1 kiwi

1 cucumber

2 sticks of celery

1 green pepper

5 kale leaves (substitute spinach if you don’t have kale)

A small bunch of parsley

A small bunch of cilantro

1 heaped teaspoon of spirulina

1 tablespoon of chia seeds

200ml of orange juice (use apple or coconut water too)

Directions

1. Start by putting the softest ingredients in first cucumber, kiwi, oranges, apple, pineapple, celery and green pepper. Add the orange juice and do the first blend.

2. Once you have a lovely thick smoothie add the kale, parsley, cilantro, spirulina and chia seeds then blend again.

3. If the smoothie is too thick, you can add more juice or ice cubes. Pour it into a take away cup and get off to work. The perfect drink to perk up your body after a heavy weekend of partying.

12
Jan
2014

Everest

categories: Restaurant Reviews

Last week we ventured to Everest in honour of my lovely friend Sophie’s birthday. Everest is a real stalwart of the curry community and has been an ex-pat favourite for years. I have visited on various occasions but have now only just gotten around to writing a post for it. Although well known, as being the best Indian in Seoul, there are still plenty of you who have never heard of this gem hidden in a small alley in Dongdaemun. The menu has more or less everything you would expect and more, curries of chicken, mutton, and paneer. Appetisers such as samosa, pakoras, rice, noodles, and sides dishes galore. There were quite a few of us at the table, but here is what I tried.

I’ve never been able to turn down a samosa or 4 so I was especially glad when I remembered they were on the menu here. At a mere 3,000 for two you could easily get half a dozen orders of them. The samosa skin it’self is quite thick, more like pastry than the thin springroll wrappers that are usually used. But it is no less delicious for it. A nice filling awaits inside and two spicy dips on the side. I only wish I had ordered more.

I was feeling in a chicken mood so ordered up a chicken tikka (7,000). Chunks of marinated chicken breast char-grilled in a tandoori oven. The tikka at Everest has such a wonderful flavour, with a squeeze of lemon it’s the perfect balance of flavours.

You know I can never get enough lamb, so I also had a mutton curry (8,000). Which was wonderfully flavourful without being too spicy. But they do have a vindaloo (10,000) which really packs a punch for those who like it hot, hot, hot. On this occasion it’s was almost too much for the Fat Boyfriend to finish all the sauce.

No curry is complete without naan bread and the garlic naan (2,500) here is to die for. The huge pieces of warm delicious chewy thin bread just perfect for digging into a curry. One is more than enough but it wont stop you wanting more.

I also ordered up a batch of raita (5,000). This refreshing yogurt dip is perfect for dipping all those extra samosas and naan breads into. As well as cooling down a spicy curry. It also comes served in a bucket which I think is pretty bad-ass. Not enough foods come in a bucket for my liking.

I also have to mention the Nepali chicken set which the birthday girl ordered. A chicken curry, rice, daal, potatoes, naan bread and vegetables. This is the perfect thing for those unfamiliar with Indian food to order as you can try a bit of everything for a mere 10,000. You can still afford to order extras if you want them too.

A mango lassi (3,000) was just the ticket to wash down a curry for those still suffering from weekend hangovers (so not me.) They also have draft and bottled beer for those who know how to take a drink.

Everest is located at 148-1 Changsin-dong, Jongro -gu, Seoul, 110-540 (서울 종로구 창신동 148-1). To get there take a train to Dongdaemun station (Line 1&4) Walk straight out of exit 3 and take the first left next to the pharmacy. Walk straight and take the first right, you should see the sign for Everest in front of you. For more information including a copy of their menu you can check out their website or call them on 02-766-8850.

10
Jan
2014

Curried Squash Soup with Cheese & Onion Soda Bread

categories: Recipes

So one of the joys of long haul flights is that the change in air pressure can cause a toothache to rear its ugly head. So after a trip to the dentist I have been confined to eating soft foods this past week. Nothing beats a good bowl of soup so I stopped by my local mart and grabbed a couple of the green squash and a bag of sweet potatoes. I knew the soup could be knocked up in an hour but I was craving bread. I didn’t have the time or inclination to go to the bakery to pick one up and neither did I want to wait over 2 hours myself to let one rise. I had bought the Paul Hollywood book for the Fat Boyfriend for Christmas as he has recently taken up baking. I was flipping through and found this soda bread recipe which is super quick and easy because it has no rise time. Hurrah dinner was saved and an hour and a half later I was enjoying a delicious bowl of soup with a slice or three of homemade bread smothered in butter.

Ingredients

Soup

2 kabocha squash

4 small sweet potatoes

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon of curry powder

1 teaspoon of cumin

500ml of milk or coconut milk (optional)

Soda bread

500g/9oz of plain white flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

420ml/15fl oz buttermilk (make by putting 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into regular milk and waiting 5 minutes)

1/2 a red onion

100g of cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

Extra flour for dusting

Directions

Soup

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the squash into pieces and discard the seeds. Although you can roast them with a little oil and salt if you like and have them as a crunchy snack.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and arrange on a tray with the squash. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle on a little salt. Bake in the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes until they are soft.

3. Meanwhile finely chop the onion and garlic and fry off in a little olive oil in a large saucepan. When the squash has cooked remove the flesh from the skin and add to the pan with your onions. If you like to eat the skin, sprinkle with a little spice or seasoning add a touch more oil and pop them back in the oven for another 10-20 minutes until they are crispy. I find them more addictive than crisps! Peel the sweet potatoes or just pop them in the pan with their skins on. I left mine on because all the goodness is in the skin and because I’m lazy.

4. Turn the heat on and add the curry powder and cumin and cook for a minute or two before adding the stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes to bring it together before blending. Once you have blended it, add the milk or coconut milk until you reach your desired consistency. Reheat and season to taste.

Bread

1. To make the bread Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

3. Grate in the onion, cheese and herbs if using, then mix again.

3. Add the buttermilk and mix until a sticky dough forms.

4. Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it.

5. Gently roll and fold the dough a couple of times to bring the mixture together. Do not knead.

6. Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball gently with your hand. Score the dough with a deep cross dividing it into quarters. Dust the bread with flour.

7. Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas 6. The loaf should be golden-brown.

8. Leave to cool on a wire rack. This is best eaten on the day of baking. Thanks Paul!

January 2014 archive