Tag Archives: Bread

Roast Beetroot Dip & Homemade Pita Bread

Posted in Recipes, Vegan / Veggie Friendly by

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Another day, another dip. I am very into bread and dips at the moment. I have been going through them by the bucket-load. It’s so hot, that I am trying to limit my cooking to every other day. Some bread and dip is all I need to satisfy me on a hot summers eve. Once again I picked up some beetroot cheap and was looking for another interesting way to use them. This dip is easy and tasty and it’s bright pink!!! What more could you ask for? Feta was the ideal thing to pair it with but you could easily use Greek yoghurt or sour cream instead. I found a jar of feta cubes in my local store which I used but I believe they have real feta at Homeplus and the foreign food mart in Itaewon. If you are vegan then just skip the dairy completely, the roasted beet tastes great on it’s own.

I also decided it was about time I learned to make real pita bread. My flat bread recipe is awesome, but I wanted to take it to the next level. I scoured pinterest and found this recipe. It is by far and away the best recipe I have ever come across for pita bread and my most successful to date. They puffed up beautifully when rising. Sadly they did not get as big as the ones on the site, but  I have since discovered that is because the top heating element on my oven has broken, so they are rather on the pale side and not as golden brown as they could be. But they still tasted wonderful. I will definitely be making more the second my new oven arrives.

Ingredients

Beetroot dip

2 beetroots

2 – 3 cloves of garlic

50g of feta (I used about 10 small cubes)

A squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Pita Bread

1 tablespoon yeast (I used instant)

1 1/4 cups of warm water

1 teaspoon of salt

31/2 cups of flour (450g)
Directions

To make the pita bread dissolve yeast in water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour and with the dough hook or with a whisk, beat to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead  with your hands for 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. I make all sorts of sizes to suit different snacks and meals. Form dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Try and keep an even thickness as this is what helps them ‘puff’.

Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed.

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Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden. Stick around for the first five minutes of baking when the pitas perform their magic and puff up from flat pancakes to proud, four inch high pitas.

These store for up to two days well wrapped or frozen for three weeks.

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To make the dip, you need to roast the beetroots for about an hour at 185 degrees Celsius until they are soft in the middle. If they are small to medium you can keep them whole, if they are large cut them in half. If you like you can drizzle a little olive oil on the beetroot first to stop it drying out, but its not 100 % necessary if you are looking to keep the calorie count down. When the beetroots have roasted they should be easy enough to peel, be mindful of pink hands though! Chop the beetroot into pieces and put it in the blender and blend with the garlic. You can roast the garlic first to take the edge off of it or keep it raw, it’s up to you. When you have a beautiful beetroot paste crumble in the feta and blend again. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste and maybe a little more feta. Voilà roast beetroot and feta dip with home-made pita bread.

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Broccoli Cheese Bread

Posted in Recipes by

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After another afternoon browsing Pinterest I came across this recipe for a broccoli cheese bread. I instantly wanted it, and I am glad I did, because it tasted even better than I imagined. I made several changes to make it more suitable to what I could find easily here in Korea but the basic principle was still the same. After discovering how easy this is to make, I have thought of various other varieties I will be able to try in the near future.

Ingredients

250g of pizza dough(recipe here)

1 head of broccoli

100g of cream cheese

200g of grated cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)

Directions

Boil your broccoli for about 5-8 minutes so it’s softer, but still has a little crunch. Then leave to drain before chopping up into very small pieces. Roll out the pizza dough into a a large rectangle. Mine was roughly 35cm by 20cm. Then top with cream cheese or ricotta. Sprinkle on the grated cheese, then top with the broccoli.

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Roll the bread up like a big sausage then cut into 7 pieces. Place the pieces into a round buttered tin.

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Bake in the oven at  180 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until the dough has cooked and the cheese has melted and is golden brown. If the top is catching, then cover with foil after the first 15 minutes. Pull off each piece and serve. Voilà, broccoli cheese bread.

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Hummus in Korea

Posted in Shopping by

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Ah hummus, there is nothing like a big tub with pita bread or chips while watching a movie. Sadly too many people in Korea, are living a life without hummus. I can’t bear to think about the suffering that some of you have to bear, constantly longing for this delicious yet healthy dip. For those living in and around Itaewon, finding hummus is no problem at all. You can even buy my hummus if you are lucky enough to live in Hae Bang Chon. But what about everyone else? You can make your own of course, check out my recipes here or here. But for some, all that soaking and blending is just too much hard work. You shouldn’t  be deprived  of all that chickpea goodness just because your lazy. Don’t worry salvation is here in the form of Hummus In Korea.

Hummus in Korea, delivers hummus directly to your door. Luckily for us delivery companies are setting up all the time, bringing us more and more of the foods  that we miss from home. So now you can have your hummus delivered, and eat it too. So it was about time I got to try some of this fabulous hummus. Coming in 6 delicious flavours (garlic, red pepper, olive, egg plant, jalapeno and spicy),  there is something for everyone. Prices vary between 5,550 – 7,000. You can buy packs of 4 (24,000) to save money or just choose your favourites.

I’m not going to lie, I tried five. After all, fat girls don’t get fat by just choosing one flavour. They were all good, but here are my favourite 3.

My top spot is a close call but I would have to give it to the roasted red pepper. A glorious orange colour and delicious taste of roasted red peppers throughout. Couldn’t get enough of this one. It was just as tasty as I hoped it would be.

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Second place was surprisingly jalapeno heaven. It was the one I was least looking forward to, and thought I could just palm it off on my boyfriend. However after one fingerful, I knew he wouldn’t be getting any. It had the essence and flavour of jalapeno without being too hot or spicy. It was perfectly mild and delicious. In fact I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this one since and will have to try having a go at making my own. Be sure to add this one to your order.

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My third favourite was probably the crazy for garlic. The regular hummus we all know and love with extra garlic. It was well balanced and the garlic was not at all over bearing, like some can be.

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To make things even better for you, hummus in Korea sell pita bread too. Sold in packs of 1 for 1,500 or 3 for 4,000 don’t forget to add a few to your order.

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Fat girl I hear you cry, how can we get our hands on this wondrous hummus? Well here’s how. Click here to get to the website, fill out the form and click place order. Do a simple bank transfer to pay and sit back and relax while you wait for your delicious delivery. Delivery costs 4,500 and they deliver  Tuesday- Friday and it generally takes between 24-48 hours. Pretty cool right. Visit the website for more details and to place orders.

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Suji’s Deli

Posted in Restaurant Reviews by

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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This sandwich is the holy grail of grilled cheeses. It requires a lot more effort than a regular grilled cheese but boy is the pay off worth it. The spectacular taste of French onion soup all contained in sandwich form. It was so good that the second I finished mine I looked over to my boyfriend to see that he had half of his left. I almost ripped it right out of his hands it was so good. Now sadly this sandwich doesn’t come cheap as the Gruyère and proper bread can set you back a fair whack, about 20,000. It also takes a good 30 minutes to caramelize the onions, but every second spent by the stove will be worth it when you bite into this glorious creation.

Ingredients

4 slices of really nice bread

2 onions

120g of Gruyere cheese

1 glug of olive oil

1/2 a stick of butter

1 tablespoon of white sugar (optional)

Directions

Start by chopping your onions into thin slices. Heat your frying pan to medium then add a glug of olive oil and a a knob of the butter. When the butter has melted add the onions.They will take around 30 minutes to caramelize so be patient. Never leave your pan’s side even for a second. Stir them regularly to make sure they are getting an even coverage. They should be golden brown when they are done but not burned. While your onions are cooking, grate your Gruyère. I find that the Korean onions don’t brown as much as I would like, so if you want add a tablespoon of white sugar about 20 minutes in to help them out a little. When the onions are done remove them from the pan and place in a bowl. Butter one side of each piece of bread Then put two slices of the bread butter side down in your frying pan. Then top each slice with a quarter of the grated cheese.

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Then add the caramelized onions.

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Finally add the last of the cheese and place a slice of bread on top butter face up. Heat your pan to medium, and cook for a few minutes on one side before carefully flipping it over to cook the other side. The bread should be golden brown and the cheese should have melted. When they are ready, serve and devour. Voilà the best cheese sandwich you are ever likely to have.

Deli Heinzberg

Posted in Restaurant Reviews by

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Fat Girl’s French Toast

Posted in Recipes by

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In France they call it pain perdu, in America French Toast, and in England the far less glamorous eggy bread. A few days ago I  discovered that I am absolutly amazing at making French toast.  I have to confess that I haven’t really eaten my fair share of french toast over the years but it is now one of my favourite foods. In England we’re not really a fan of sweet things for breakfast. We like a savoury start to the day. A bowl of crunchy nut corn flakes is as crazy as we get. However when my bestest friend in the world came to visit  me last week, she introduced me to this fabulous phenomenon. We had some pretty amazing French Toast at the W in Taipei and some hideously awful dry crap at a well-known restaurant in Itaewon which will remain nameless. After tasting that dried up piece of cardboard I knew I could do better. So I set upon making my first batch, and suffice it to say, I nailed it. It almost makes me want to set up a restaurant just to sell my own Fat Girl French Toast to the masses. You too can make amazing French Toast, all from the comfort of your own home with little to no cooking skills needed. It’s so easy a monkey could make it, so wow your friends the next time you have them over for brunch. The key is using good bread. I picked up this loaf of morning toast from Paris Baguette (3,000). It’s half way between a croissant and bread and is perfect for French Toast goodness.

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Ingredients

1 loaf of bread (Morning toast bread)

300ml of cream

300ml of full fat milk

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of sugar

Half a stick of butter (for frying)

Directions

Cut your loaf into 3/4 of an inch thick slices. I made mine using a fresh loaf but if you let it go stale for a day I am told it’s even better. In a large bowl beat together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla until mixed together. Heat your pan to a low/medium temperature and throw in a knob of butter. Dip a slice of bread into the custard mixture, let it soak up those juices, then turn it over to do the other side and throw it into the frying pan. Depending on the size of your frying pan you will be able to cook 2-3 slices at a time. After a few minutes it should be golden brown on the bottom side. Flip it over and do the other side for a few more minutes. Making sure that the custard has set in the middle, remove from the pan and cook the remaining slices. Serve with berries, maple syrup and, if your feeling extra naughty, throw on some whipped cream or ice cream. At this point a bit more cream really isn’t going to hurt. Voilà the fattest French Toast in town!

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Capresa Bruschetta

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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.

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Moules Marinières

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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!

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Mac & Cheese

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I can’t believe I’m actually posting this as it’s such an easy thing to make, however I totally forgot how awesome it can be. I used to make it loads when I was a teenager but haven’t had it in years. I always see the boxes  in the foreign food mart but never end up buying one. I usually have a bag of macaroni in my cupboard that I rarely use for anything other than pasta salad. Macaroni is so easy to find in Korea. They sell it in every supermarket so I though it was about time I made use of it.

It was actually my lovely friends over at Pumpkinface that turned me back on to wanting it. They recently put up some pictures of their vegan Mac and Cheese that looked so good I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Then it dawned on me I could just make some when I got home. So quick and easy but incredibly comforting this was just what I needed on a day I felt a bit down in the dumps. Comfort food at its finest! I also threw in a bit of spinach, just because I love it and it to give it a meager amount of nutrition.

Ingredients

250g of macaroni (no need to precook)

1 litre of milk

1/2 stick of butter

50g of flour

A teaspoon of mustard

200g of  cheddar cheese (grated)

100g of breadcrumbs (빵가루)

200g of spinach

1/2 a chicken stock cube (dissolved in a small amount of hot water)

A pinch of Salt and pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, turn down the heat then stir in the flour to make a paste. Add the milk to the saucepan and keep whisking. After a while the mixture should thicken and become a lovely white sauce. If it’s too thick add a little more milk. Add half of the cheese and the mustard and stir until the cheese has melted. Add the dissolved stock cube to the mixture and keep on stirring.   Roughly chop the spinach and add to the cheese sauce. You can remove it from the heat at this point. The sauce will still be warm enough to wilt the spinach. Put your uncooked macaroni in your oven proof dish, pour in the sauce and and mix it all together. Top with the other half of the grated cheese and then the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes until golden and brown and the macaroni has cooked though. Voilà an easy dinner that will always put a smile on your face.

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