I just can’t get enough of stew at the moment. It’s just so comforting and such a pleasure to come home to. The nights have grown cold and it’s always dark by the time I get home. What better way to warm my cockles than with a hearty stew of meat and vegetables served with dumplings. I have already brought you my chicken and lamb stews so here is that old classic beef. I bought a cheep cut of beef at my local butcher. I just got a slice of frozen meat, then cut it into chunks myself. I served this stew with roasted cabbage steaks. I’m not fond of boiled cabbage at all, but roasted it is delicious. It really brings out the sweetness and I would definitely recommend that you give it a try.

Ingredients

Beef Stew

500g of Beef or steak chunks

1 large onion

1 carrot

3 cloves of garlic

A glass or two of red wine

1 litre of beef stock

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

A  few sprigs of fresh herbs or 2 tablespoons of dried (thyme, rosemary, parsley)

Dumplings 

100g of butter

200g of flour

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

salt & pepper

ice cold water

Cabbage steaks

1/2 a large cabbage

Salt and pepper

A drizzle of olive oil

Directions 

1. Chop the onion and garlic into chunks and fry off in a little olive oil for a few minute until translucent. Then put them into your stew pan. Chop the beef into chunks then toss in seasoned flour and fry for a minute or two until browned on all sides. Do this in small batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Then add them to the stew pan. Then chop the carrots and potatoes into large chunks and fry off in the same pan for a few minutes and add to the stew pan

2. Put the stew on a medium heat and add the herbs, Worcestershire sauce and wine, then cook off for a few minutes. Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat so it is simmering. It will need to cook for about 2 hours. If the stock gets too low, you can add a little more. The stew is done when the beef is tender. If you used a cheap cut be patient as it will get to the falling apart stage in the end.

3. To make the dumplings  mix the herbs, salt, pepper, and flour together and then grate the butter into the flour. Gently mix it together. Add the cold water a spoon at a time and very softly bring it together in to a loose dough. Do not work it into a ball, keep it loose then break off lumps and roll them gently to form balls. Add them to the top of the  stew, then cook for another 20 minutes.

4. To make the cabbage steaks, slice the cabbage into one and a half inch slices. Lay them onto a flat baking tray then sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush them with olive oil. Be careful not to use too much oil as you don’t want them to be greasy. Bake them in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes then flip them over and bake them on the other side for 10 minutes. They may be a bit hard to handle so be careful they don’t break apart.

I have been lusting after a BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger for months now. For so long I have lusted over the joy of a juicy patty of meat, smothered with melted cheese, topped with salty crisp bacon, tangy BBQ sauce, and housed in a delicious soft bun. But after eating various burgers my craving just wasn’t satisfied. Yes, I could have just visited Burger B in Hongdae, but I’m a very lazy girl, and feel Hongdae is just too far to go for food. I live in HBC (Haebangchon) which is actually better known to residents as Ham Burger Central. Our street is actually littered with places selling burgers. There is Burgermine of course, all you can eat burgers but no matter how many I ate, I wasn’t quite satisfied. Phillies, which I will say do a great burger and almost hit the spot but not quite. The restaurant  that changes it’s name one a month, currently named Bombs Burger, Indigo and Hungry Dog, but none of these restaurants meet my meat needs. I moved on to Jacoby’s. Jacoby’s has become a phenomenon in the last year after it was shown on a Korean drama, most nights of the week there is an endless queue of Koreans desperate to eat there. But I have never rated it, they are so over-hyped for a mediocre burger. I’ll take the one at Phillies any day of the week. So I did the only thing a fat lazy girl could do and decided to make my own. I came, I saw, and I conquered. They were exquisite and I couldn’t be happier. I scarfed down two in a matter of minutes. Every need was met and I am now sated for the time being.

The first thing that needed to be made were the buns. If I had been to Costco I would have just bought some, but we hadn’t, and you can’t get decent sized buns anywhere else. So I had no choice to make my own. I tried to cheat and found a no rise recipe, and, despite being delicious with melted butter, they were more like scones. My lovely fiancé Niall managed to find this recipe online at allrecipes.com and made these buns. They came out perfectly, which just goes to show you don’t have to be a great cook to make good bread. In fact I think it helps if you are not as you are more scrupulous when it comes to following the recipe!

Ingredients 

1 cup milk

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon white sugar

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoons salt

Sesame seeds for decoration

Directions 

1. Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Position 2 oven racks so they are not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.
5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the rolls from the oven and return them to different shelves so each one spends a little time on the top. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.

My next job was to make the burgers. I popped over to my local butcher, and chose the cheapest wedge of beef he had and had him grind it up for me. It had a great ratio of fat to meat so was perfect. I like to to add breadcrumbs to my mixture too, probably because my mum does so that’s the way I have always done it.

Ingredients

600g of ground beef

1/2 an onion

1 1/2 slices of bread

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 a teaspoon of salt

1/2 a teaspoon of  black pepper

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs (parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme, whatever you have…)

1 egg yolk

Directions

Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry off in a little oil for a few minutes just to cook out the raw taste from the onions, then set aside and leave to cool. Meanwhile make the bread into bread crumbs. Put the ground beef in a bowl then add the breadcrumbs. Add the salt, pepper, and mixed herbs. When the onions have cooled add to the bowl and mix everything together thoroughly. Add the egg yolk and mix again, then form into patties. Wrap the patties in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. If you are not using them all straight away, they will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can put them in the freezer. Fry them in a pan, pop them under the grill or dust down your barbecue. Cook them to your liking with is medium – well for me.

Lastly I had to make the Chips, you can’t have a burger without chips. It would be sacrilege. I have been making Heston Blumenthal’s famed triple cooked chips for the past 2 weeks now. Yes they are somewhat time consuming, but they are well worth the extra effort. If you are spending a lazy Sunday on the sofa watching back to back episodes of Project Runway like I am then, it’s a good way to use your time. I followed Heston’s directions to the latter except I used soy bean oil as its very cheap here, and I just used the biggest potatoes I could find. They turned out well even if they weren’t exactly the kind we get back home.

Ingredients

1kg of potatoes peeled and cut into chips

Oil for frying

Salt

Directions 

Last week we tried Marakech Night’s new sandwich place. The original restaurant is still open but they have added another string to their bow. Hidden just in the alleyway where Wolfhound is, it serves up delicious Moroccan food in a small friendly environment.

Thanks to the wonderful people at Casablanca, I am crazy about Moroccan sandwiches so I could barely wait to try the offering from Marakech Night. They have various other Moroccan dishes on the menu too, which, for the size of the place, is actually quite varied.  They have all the favourites on there, kebabs, hummus, pita, baba ganoush, falafel so there are plenty of options for the veggies and vegans. However, it was the sandwiches that I was interested in.

We ordered up one Panachi (chicken sandwich with fries 7,000).  The bread was tasty and the filling was quite satisfying. A slightly different take on the Moroccan sandwich than the one at Casablanca, but not in a bad way.  It was a good sandwich filled with the delicious potatoes which were covered in batter, cheese, meat, salad , and lots of sauce.

We also ordered a Moroccan beef sandwich (5,000), it would have been churlish not to. The beef was thinly shredded, a bit like bulgogi, and the filling was the same as the chicken one. All in all a very hearty sandwich for such a cheap price.

This is the perfect restaurant for a quick bite or some late night eats after way to many drinks. I’d say these lovely sandwiches would definitely go a long way to curing a hangover! Marakech Night 2 is located in Itaewon. To get there take a train to Itaewon station (line 6) Come out of exit 4 and turn left,(you may have to come back on yourself slightly). Walk straight past Geckos and the bank, and take the first right. Walk straight down the road, past the supermarket and the wolfhound. Marakech Night 2 is on the left at the end of the road.

I made this on Monday for dinner and my god was it good. We finished the whole thing in one sitting. Not great for the waistline, but it was too yummy to resist. I bought a kilo of mince beef at the butchers at the weekend and was wondering what to make. I thought I should try to make a few different things. I planned on making some spicy beef samosas, but when I took out my rather old samosa wrappers, they had seen far better days and I had to throw them away. For lack of a better idea I just made a giant batch of chili. We had some on top of homemade potato wedges and a little with rice. The rest went into the freezer. Then on Monday, inspiration struck, and I decided to try out Mexican lasagne. I took my chilli out of the freezer and warmed it back up, whipped up a quick cheese sauce, and bing bang boom, dinner was done in about 20 minutes. I will definitely be making this again very soon.

Ingredients

Chili 

350g of mince beef

1/2 a can of kidney beans

1/2 a can of black beans

1/2 can of corn

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

10 mushrooms

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

6 tomatoes or 1 can of chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

2-3 tablespoons of Mexican seasoning

1 teaspoon of chili powder

A small bunch of cilantro (고수)

Cheese sauce

25g of butter

25g of flour

400ml of milk (roughly)

Salt and pepper to taste

100g of cheddar cheese

Lasagne

4 large tortillas or 8 small

150g of grated cheese (i used a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)

Directions

Finely chop the onions and garlic and fry off in a little olive oil for a few minutes until softened. Then add the mince and fry until browned. Add the Worcestershire sauce and Mexican seasoning and stir. Chop the peppers and mushroom and add to the mince along with the tomatoes. Mix together, if it is a little dry add a cup of water or tomato juice. Cook for another 5- 10 minutes then add the beans and corn. Taste the chili then add in the cilantro and chili powder to taste.When the chili is done remove from the heat.

To make the cheese sauce melt the butter on a low heat in a saucepan, then add the flour. Mix together to make a paste, then add the milk. Whisk the sauce to dispel the lumps then keep stirring. After a few minutes the sauce will thicken, if it’s too thick add a little more milk. If it’s too thin add in a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of flour. As long as you add fat with your flour, the sauce will never be lumpy. Once the sauce has thickened add the cheese and stir until it has melted. Depending on what I am making I also like to crumble in a little chicken stock cube or mustard to give a little extra flavour.

To assemble the Mexican lasagne trim the sides off the tortillas to make them squarer, unless you are using a round dish of course. Place a tortilla in your dish then cover with a third of the chili, then place another tortilla and top with the second third of chili. Add  another tortilla then top with the final third of chili and finish with a tortilla. Use the trimmed pieces to fill in any gaps, then top with the cheese sauce and grated cheese. You can also sprinkle on a little extra cilantro on the top if you have some. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes to let the cheese melt. When it’s ready remove from the oven and leave for about 10 minutes or as long as you can wait for it to set a little. If you want to have beautiful slices then it needs to cool. Never one to have any patience I was not particularly good at this so my pictures are less than perfect, but you get the idea. Voilà Mexican Lasagne!

People often tell me that too many of my recipes involve an oven, which a lot of your lovely people are without. This can be remedied by a quick shop on Gmarket on which you can pick one up from 30-60,000. But for those of you that need every penny you have for more exciting things like beer and soju, I offer you this recipe instead. You shouldn’t have to suffer because you have trouble managing your budget.

Lasagne is one of those truly comforting meals that we all seem to miss while living away. I don’t know whether it’s the pasta, the cheese, or the beef, It just hits the spot every time. I often make a big one in the oven, but I was intrigued by the idea of doing one in the frying pan.  I was skeptical if it would work at first, but it turns out it does. I made a very simple version of my usual one without a bechamel sauce, but you could easily add one. I also broke my lasagne sheets into pieces but I think if you removed the meat sauce from the pan, you could layer it up the same as a traditional lasagne. I think next time I will try the full monty, but for now this is quick simple and easy lasagne cooked in a frying pan.

Ingredients

400g of minced beef

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 tin of tomatoes or 6 large fresh ones

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons of ketchup

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

1 cup of tomato juice

5 sheets of lasagne (foreign food mart/ iHerb)

200g of grated Cheese (i used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella

Directions

Finely chop the onions and garlic and fry off in a little oil over a medium heat for a few minutes until translucent. Add the beef to the pan and fry until its browned. Then add the Worcestershire sauce and the herbs and mix. Roughly chop the peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes and put into the pan too. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down, then season with salt and pepper. Add the ketchup and cup of tomato juice  then cook until it looks more like bolognaise. If you have a glass of red wine handy add that in too. The sauce needs to have quite a bit of liquid, as the pasta will soak it all up as it cook. Break the lasagne sheets into pieces and mix in with the sauce, finishing with a final layer on the top. Reduce the heat and leave to cook for about 10 minutes. You may need to add more water or tomato juice if the pan is getting a little dry. After 10 minutes check the pasta, it should be a few minutes away from being done. If it’s still hard keep cooking. Once the pasta is almost done, top with cheese and cook for five more minutes until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and turn off the heat. You need to give it about 10 minutes to set a little. Whip up a quick side salad, have a nice glass of wine, or possibly a cold shower to cool you down from all that heat in the kitchen. Cut a slice, serve, and enjoy. There you have it frying pan lasagne. No need to suffer without your favourite dish, just because you live an ovenless life.

Suji’s Deli has been a stalwart of the expat community for many years now. However there are still plenty of new arrivals that are unaware of this fabulous restaurant located at the very end of Itaewon. They have just relaunched to promote a new deli and takeaway service in addition to the restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have been meaning to write my review of Suji’s for some time now, and the new deli is the perfect reason to do so. Plus, they invited me to their media party at which they let me try lots of their yummy foods and drinks. It was my first media party and was fabulous, finally my Media degree is paying off.

The menu at Suji’s is large and has pretty much every option you could hope for covered . Omelettes, French Toast, Eggs Benedict, pancakes, bagels, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. I have eaten here plenty of times and am quite fond of the Eggs Florentine. What sets Suji’s apart from other brunch restaurants in Seoul is the fact that almost everything they serve is made in house. The meats and salmon are cured, the breads are baked, and all of the potato salads, pickles, mustards, and sauces are all made on the premises. They have even started selling their own coffee, which after trying I have to say is lovely. Pair it with a freshly baked cinamon bun or bagel and breakfast is good to go.

Whist taking some picticture I decided to stay and have some brunch. After having a long look at the new menu, I couldn’t resist my favourite Turkey Club Sandwich (13,000). I love the turkey here, it’s even better than the stuff I would buy at home. This sandwich is perfection. Throw in some chips and coleslaw and I’m in sandwich heaven.

My lovely friend Matt  accopanied me on the trip and ordered the Spanish Omelette (13,500). He let me try some and it was cooked to perfection. Despite their simplicity omelettes can easily go wrong but this one was spot on. With toast and potatoes it was a nice hearty start to the day.

I think you are all more than aware, that I can’t consider a meal to be brunch unless there’s booze involved. Luckily Suji’s has me covered with my favourite Bloody Mary (8,000) which always comes adorned with a giant piece of celery. They also have a peach bellini (7,000) or mimosas on the menu. It’s the most fun way to cure a hangover. However always expect to queue for around 30 minutes if you come on a Saturday or Sunday as it’s very busy.

Suji’s Deli is located on the 2nd floor of Yangjin building, 34-145 Itaewon-Dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul. To get their take a train Itaewon station (line 6). Walk straight out of exit 4 for about 5 minutes, past Mcdonalds until you reach the gate. Suji’s Deli is at the very end of the road on the left, just around the Skinfood shop. You can call them on 02-797-3698 or check out their website  for more information and to take a look at their menu.

I am a very lucky girl as I have such lovely friends. One of my loveliest friends Susan took me to Deli Heinzburg to celebrate my birthday. She clearly knows the way to my heart is through sandwiches. Located in the tres chic Sinsa, tucked away in a back street is Deli Heinzburg ready to offer up all of its delights. This deli/cafe had room for plenty in the main restaurant as well as a sunny conservatory on the side. The perfect place to grab a quick bite or while away a sunny afternoon in the sun.

After working my way through their mammoth menu, I ordered the Boiling Cheese and Steamy Beef (13,200). Hand rubbed roast beef, deep cheddar cheese, macaroni, and sautéed onions inside a steaming sandwich. When it arrived it was encased in foil to keep the heat in from the steaming plate. I had to rip it open to delve into my sandwich. The pillow soft ciabatta bread was amazing, I actually prefer it to some of chewier style ciabatta I ate in Italy. Generous slices of roast beef and cheesy macaroni. It was just the comforting calorie laden sandwich I was hoping for. It came with home-made whole grain mustard which complimented it perfectly.

My lovely friend Susan ordered the Toscana (12,200). Prosciutto topped with slices of honeydew melon. I am not usually a fan of all things ham but this one was so tempting I decided to have a bite. Fresh and tasty, it beats those limp old plastic ham sandwiches they sell every where in Korea any day of the week.. The melon was the perfect accompaniment. Being a local to the area Susan told me that she had tried various sandwiches on the menu, yet this one still remained her favourite.

Since it was my birthday I figured we needed a side order of frites (4,300). Although I was expecting french fries, these chunks of breaded and fried potato did not disappoint in the slightest. My only complaint is that we didn’t order two portions. As there may have been a little bit of a tussle over who was going to eat the last one.

As well as serving all manner of delicious sandwiches in store they also have lots of things to take home and enjoy. Bread, deli meats, sauces and  sweet delights can all be found in abundance. Obvious a glutton like myself could not resist the opportunity to pick up a few more tasty treats despite already being full.  A fully fledged fatty like myself would never let a thing like a full belly put me off buying more food.. I picked up a trio of ciabattas (5,500), 200g of turkey from the deli and a jar of their delicious lemon mayo (7,000). I used some of the rocket (arugula)  which has been flourishing in my herb garden and some cheese to make myself another fabulous sandwich at home.  The bread was once again perfect despite the lateness of the day. I will be sure to buy more next time I’m passing by.

Deli Heinzberg is located in Sinsa at 534-1 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Sinsa station (line 3). Come out of exit 8 and walk straight until you get to Tous Le Jours and make a left. Keep walking straight along that road until you reach the Fossil store. Take a left just after and you should see Gentle Lady Cupcake on your right. Keep walking to the end of the block and Deli Heinzberg will be on your left. You can also call them on 02-541-8780.

So I am continuing my mission to make lots of lovely Valentine’s Day inspired recipes. I am extra happy about this one because I got to use my new pasta machine too (아싸!) Pasta is very popular in my house these days and what could be cuter than heart-shaped ravioli. I was considering making a love soup recipe with lots of vegetables cut into heart shapes when I suddenly realized I could make ravioli instead. I chose beef for the filling here, pretty much because I had some in the freezer but you do whatever you like. Although I think a cheese filling would be easier to fill. You can use any sauce you like. I decided to make a red pepper and tomato one to make it a little different for you. Plus red is the colour of love.

Ingredients

Pasta

250g of all-purpose flour (I use the one for noodles and dumplings)

3 eggs

A pinch of salt

Filling

200g of minced beef

1/2 an onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

3-4 tablespoons of red pepper and tomato sauce.

1 tablespoon of Worcester sauce

A pinch of salt and pepper

Sauce

4-5 red peppers

3 tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

Directions

The first step is to make the pasta dough. Mix the salt with the flour then make a heap on a clean flat surface. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in your beaten eggs. I haven’t taken any pictures of these steps, as I’m sure you have seen it countless times before. Stir the egg gradually incorporating the flour from the sides of the circle a bit at a time so the well keeps its shape until the last moment. When all the flour has been mixed in you should have a lump of dough. Knead this dough for 5-10 minutes until it is elastic and has some stretch to it. Wrap it in cling-film and store it in the fridge for 30 minutes. While you are waiting you can make the sauce.

To make the filling, finely chop the onion and garlic and fry off in a little olive oil until it is translucent. Add the mince and cook until it has all browned. Add the mixed herbs and Worcester sauce and a few tablespoons of the tomato red pepper sauce. Mix thoroughly and leave to cool.

To make the sauce, split the red peppers in half, drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. When they are done put them in a bowl and cover with it with cling film and leave it for about 10 minutes. Once the peppers have cooled in the bowl it should be easy to remove the skins. Discard the skins. Put your skinned peppers, a clove of garlic, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and your tomatoes in a blender and blend until smooth. You may also wish to add a sprinkling of salt and a spoonful of sugar too. Put the sauce in a saucepan and heat until it starts to boil.

After the dough has been chilled properly you can begin to roll it out. It’s a good idea to separate your lump of dough into 2 or 3 pieces and work with one piece at a time. Put the unused lumps back in the fridge so they don’t dry out. If you have a pasta maker rolling the dough should be quick and easy. If not roll those sleeves up and get out your rolling-pin. The pasta really does need to be wafer thin, so when you think its thin enough, keep rolling. I read on-line that it should be thin enough so that you can see a playing card underneath the dough. The thinner your pasta the better it will taste. Even if the pasta is a little thick it’s not the end of the world but the skinnier ones were definitely far tastier than the fatter ones.

Once your dough has been rolled out, use your cutter to cut out the heart shapes. Place a small spoon of filling on the centre then brush around the edges with beaten egg. Put another heart on top and press all the way around the edges to seal. Repeat until all of your little hearts have been made. Store them on a floured board to let them dry out for 30 minutes. Make sure they are not touching so they don’t stick together.

When your hears are ready to cook. Place them in batches in a boiling pot of salted water with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the top. You may wish to try one to make sure they are done. When all of your hearts are done. Top with the sauce and some freshly grated parmesan. Voilà adorably cute heart-shaped ravioli. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

My rice-cooker is certainly seeing some action these days. Last Friday’s dinner of choice was a good old chilli. I’m sure that most of you out there are more than capable of making a chilli but I thought I would share my recipe with you anyway, just because it was so darn tasty. Also it’s the perfect meal for those of you hosting Super Bowl parties. It tastes great over nachos, fries or in a tortilla bowl and topped with cheese.

Ingredients

600g of minced beef

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

1 can of kidney beans

1 can full of water

1 beef stock cube.

3 peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow)

300ml of salsa (you could also use a can of tomatoes)

2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning (iherb or foreign food mart)

2 tablespoons of Mexican seasoning (iherb or foreign food mart)

Directions

Roughly chop the onion, peppers and garlic and throw it into your rice cooker bowl. Break up the mince and add it too along with all the other ingredients. Put the rice-cooker on for 2-3 cycles until half of the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables, meat, and beans have cooked. You can add more spices at this point if it’s not hot enough for you. Serve on its own or over nachos, smothered with cheese and a blob of sour cream. Voilà a very easy chilli.

You may already be sick of me telling you about all the wonderful restaurants that I am lucky enough to live by, but I figure one more can’t hurt. As previously stated there are lots of dining options within my neighborhood. However I’m  not always in the mood to eat out, I just want to go home and eat my dinner whilst lying on the sofa and watching telly. This is usually on a Monday when I am still hideously hungover. Delivery food is quite plentiful in Korea (see my previous article) however it is generally plentiful of the Korean variety, which doesn’t really get my juices flowing. It’s that or pizza and as you may know if you’re an avid reader of this blog I always eat my pizza on Sundays (that’s why I call it pizza Sunday, hangover Sunday, or Sunday funday depending on my mood).

Back to the point of this blog, just by our bus stop on the way home is the  Buddha’s Belly which provides a lovely takeaway service if you pick it up. We have the number saved in our phones and the menu ingrained into our minds. One quick call on the bus home and its ready to pick up when we arrive. It’s a great option to have on those lazy nights. As you may have heard I miss Chinese takeaway more than anything in the world, it almost makes me want to live at home again. However Buddha’s Belly is luckily doing its bit to keep me in Korea.

By far and away our favorite dish on the menu (and we have tried quite a few) is the Pad See Eew – blackbean fried noodles 9,000. Before you go getting visions of jajangmeyeon this dish is nothing like its Korean counterpart. To be fair there’s hardly ever a blackbean in it. But either way it’s deliciously tasty. Large flat noodles, stir fried with egg, chicken and vegetables with a slightly sticky sauce coating.

We are also big fans of the Thai green curry 11,000. This is always a favorite dish of mine and this one’s pretty decent. The green Thai curry pastes available to buy in Korea are poor at best. Although it’s possible to source all the ingredients and make it yourself, it’s not always that easy or cost-effective and the one at Buddha’s Belly can certainly satisfy your cravings.

The springrolls are rather good too 2,000, a decent size with lots of good filling. I do like a good springroll. We also enjoy the fried rice 10,000.

Word of warning not everything on the menu is to my liking. The chicken cashew dish 9,000 was very disappointing, the sauce was just way too hot and not remotely sweet. I practically lived on this dish when I traveled in Thailand and this one tastes nothing like the one found there. If you enjoy your food hot you may like it. But even Niall wasn’t that keen and he likes food to blow his head off.

We also tried the sour and spicy chicken 9,000 which was very strange for want of a better word. It just tasted very very odd, kind of like feet, it must have an ingredient that makes it taste like that.

Whilst Buddha’s Belly does not make the best Thai food in the world, it’s fairly decent and a good choice if you’re looking for something different and you live in the area. They also have seating for about 6 people if you wish to dine inside.

Buddha’s belly take-away is located in Kyungnidan. Take a train to Noksapyeong station (Line 6) and come out of exit 2. Walk straight for about 200 yards until you come to an underpass. Go through the tunnel under the road and take the exit on the left. Bhuddas Belly will be right in front of you. If you already know the menu you can call them on 02-793-2173 to arrange a pickup. There are also two other restaurants in Itaewon. One is located just above Berlin and the other is on the street behind the Hamilton Hotel.