A week or two ago my lovely friend Mat took me out for dinner. He knows I’m a lady who needs to be well fed so he took me out for treat, and what treat it was. I wasn’t sure what to expect as all I had heard was the name, but the food was spectacular. Modern pan-Asian cuisine that took me right back to my days of living in Sydney where everything was fresh and full of flavour just like this. Located near Hangangjin station, this small and cute restaurant, is nestled in a little side street amongst a lot of other eateries. If you are unfamiliar with this side of Itaewon It would certainly favour you to have a little walk around up there. I am sure there are lots of food finds to be had.

The first dish we tried was the Soft shell crab with pink peppercorn (9,000). Neither me or my rather handsome dining companion is particularly fond of crab but we were dazzled by this dish. I had only had the hard shell crabs before, but these were amazing so crispy on the outside while the lovely white meat inside was juicy and tender. The salad that accompanied it was fantastic. I will certainly be back again to try this dish, you must try it .

Next up was the Tom Yum Soup with mussels and mung bean noodles (14,000.) The perfect dish for cold winter nights, the broth was tasty and spicy, and the mussels a nice addition. Throw in some noodles and you have a very satisfying dish that could easily serve two.

Salt and pepper ribs with chili sauce (15,000) . Any rib fans need to try these, especially if you like them spicy. The crisp outsides matched well with the spicy dipping sauce, although I wish there had been a few more of them.

Twice cooked pork belly with sweet and sour sauce (17,000) was probably my favourite dish other than the crab. I love sweet and sour sauce and I love belly pork, so it was like this dish was specially designed for me. Again slightly spicy, the glaze on top the soft and tender pork belly was divine. Served with more salad, pepper and cilantro on top. It was a winning combination.

Last we tried the crispy noodles with tofu and mushroom stir fry (12,000.) This dish was such a surprise, the soft silky tofu, was not the texture I really go for but combined with the crispy noodles and sweet sauce it really worked. I would definitely recommend this dish to any vegetarians or vegans looking to try something a bit different.

On the beverage list they had several imported beers on the menu for reasonable prices. I decided to have my old favorite Chang.

Spicy Bite is located at 104 , 682-12, Hanam 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.  To get there take a train to Hangangjin station (line 6) and come out of exit 3 and walk straight. Go through the archway that announces Itaewon and then take the alley on the left when you get to the Volkswagen dealership. Spicy Bite is about 50 meters further on the left. For more information call 070-4028-8011.

These were a little recipe I came across on pinterest. With always an abundance of chick peas in my house, I thought it would be churlish not to have a go and I was rather pleased with the results. They were crunchy and tasty and made a nice cheap alternative to nuts. 4 of us went through a bowl in no time whilst playing a game of monopoly, so they will definitely be served again some time soon.

Ingredients

400g of chickpeas

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of Mexican seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

If you are using canned chick peas drain them and if you are using dried you will need to soak and cook them first. You need to make sure that your chickpeas are extremely dry. Pat them down with kitchen paper several times. The drier they are the crunchier they will be. Spread them on a baking tray and bake them in a single layer at 190 degrees Celsius for about 20-30 minutes. You will see the steam escaping as they bake. Once they are almost done, take them out and coat in the olive oil, salt, pepper, and Mexican spices. Bake for another 10-20 minutes until crunchy the whole way through. You may want to keep an eye on them towards the end to make sure they don’t burn. Serve straight away or store in an airtight container for a day or two. Voilà roasted spicy chickpeas.

I was compelled to make this after I tried the amazing jalapeño hummus from the fabulous people at Hummus in Korea. We eat a truckload of hummus in our house, mainly because I always have lots left over from my batches that I sell. I’m always looking to make things a bit different, otherwise I would go insane eating the same hummus day after day as a work snack. I haven’t quite mastered this recipe as it’s not as lovely as the one made by the Hummus in Korea professionals but it added a nice kick that wasn’t too hot or spicy. I’d certainly urge you to give it a try if you are in the mood for something a little different.

Ingredients

Hummus

400g of Chickpeas (soaked weight)

10 slices of jalapeño (they come in a jar)

2-4 tablespoons of olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of cumin

1-2 lemons

1-2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper pepper

Tahini

100ml of olive oil

3-5 cloves garlic

100g of sesame seeds

Directions

The first thing you need to do is soak your chickpeas. This can take between 6 hours to overnight. The longer the better in my opinion. After they have been soaked, you need to cook them. This can take a while. I usually cook mine in the rice cooker because you don’t have to top up the water as often and they won’t burn. If not you can cook them in a pan of water, they will take between 2-3 hours. Or you can skip this step and buy a can. When your chick peas are done, drain them but make sure you keep hold of that water, you will need it for the hummus.

The next step is to blend the chickpeas, you may need to do this in a couple of batches depending on the size of your blender. If they are too hard to blend, use a little of the hummus water to get things going. Some like their hummus chunky and rugged others like it smooth and silky, so blend until you get the consistency you’re happy with. If you want want an ultra silky hummus then peel off all of the skins of the chick peas before blending. It’s a pain in the ass so I never do it. Also my hummus is generally made in industrial style batches so it would probably take me a month to do it, plus I’m very lazy.

You can buy tahini in the foreign food mart in Itaewon and on iHerb and various other stores. It’s also very easy to make. Just place the garlic, sesame seeds, and olive oil in a blender and blend for a few minutes until the seeds have been pulverized.

Once the chick peas are blended, place in a large bowl and stir in the tahini and lemon juice. Then the salt, pepper, and cumin. Hummus is a very personal food, so start by adding a little of each at a time until you get a taste you’re happy with. A lot of factors can affect the taste of hummus so you rarely use the exact same amount of each ingredient every time. I always get the best results when the chick peas are warm.

To make the hummus jalapeño flavoured, blend your jalapeños with a little olive oil until you have a paste then stir it into the hummus. Use as much or as little as you need to suit your own tastes. Serve with your favourite dipping apparatus and enjoy. Voilà jalapeño flavoured hummus.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Last Saturday it was once again time for the Seoul vegan Potluck. Although I am not a vegan or even a veggie, I still love to go. Mainly because there is always a large table filled with free food for all to enjoy. I also enjoy making lots of delicious delights and being told how wonderful they are. This time I decided to take these crunchy spicy tofu bites. They are a new and improved version of the BBQ tofu wings that I made a few months ago. These ones are 100% vegan friendly if made with the balsamic vinegar or vegan Worcestershire sauce. They went down a storm at the potluck and I’m sure I will be making them again for dinner some time soon with the vast supply of tofu I keep in my freezer.

Ingredients

2 blocks of Tofu (squeezed, frozen, then defrosted)

4 tablespoons of Mexican seasoning (you can buy a giant bag at i-Herb for about $8)

2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

200ml of soy milk

100g of flour

100g of nutritional yeast (i-Herb)

150g of  breadcrumbs (every Korean supermarket sells them 빵가루)

200ml of soy bean oil for frying

Directions

The tofu needs to be prepared in advance. Buy your blocks, pour away the water, and then put them on a plate. Top them with a board and put something heavy on top for a few hours. You may need to pour away the water every hour or so. Once they have been sufficiently dehydrated wrap them in cling film and put them in the freezer. They need to freeze at least overnight but you can leave them in there as long as you like. Take it out the day you want to use it and let it defrost. You will notice that the tofu has now become much firmer and spongier. Squeeze out as much extra water as you can. Then cut the blocks into chunks.

Mix together the Mexican seasoning, Worcestershire sauce , sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and a tablespoon or two of the soy milk until it makes a paste. Toss the tofu chunks in the sauce and leave to marinate for an hour or so in a container in the fridge.

Put the breadcrumbs and the nutritional yeast into a large bowl and mix. Place the flour in a second bowl and pour the remaining soy milk into a third bowl. First roll the tofu chunks in the flour, then dip them into the soy milk and finally roll them in the breadcrumb and yeast mixture making sure they are evenly coated. In a frying pan pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, then keep on a low to medium heat. Cook the chunks in batches, cooking for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove them from the pan when they are done and place on a piece of kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Repeat until all your tofu bites are cooked. Serve with with the dip of your choice and enjoy. Voilà a cheap and easy tofu-rific treat.

I have been a fan of the Dongdaemun Mutton Refectory since my very first week in Korea. I also enjoy  the name, there just aren’t enough restaurants that have the word refectory in the title. Back in my Cheongju days it was the restaurant to go to. Every birthday, leaving party, or visiting friend warranted a 20 strong posse descending onto our favourite restaurant. This was long before I had discovered the likes of Ho Lee Chow and it satisfied every craving I ever had for Chinese food. The food at the Mutton Refectory is Chinese style not Korean or Western, though the dishes we chose were always crowd-pleasers. So, after I moved away from Cheongju, I always missed it. That was until I found out that the Dongdaemun Mutton Refectory is actually a chain restaurant.  Shockingly they have one in Dongdaemun! You would have thought that the name would have been a clue, but clearly I missed that (d’oh!)

Nestled in Dongdaemun, on a street practically brimming with Chinese restaurants offering lamb, is the Dongdaemun Mutton Refectory. The menu is almost the same as my beloved Cheongju branch, although sadly they do not offer the amazing potatoes (감자탕수육). Deep-fried battered potatoes in a spicy sauce. You have to have tried them to know how good they are and it is a delicacy all Cheongjuers will remember fondly throughout their lives. Luckily they do have my other three favourite dishes on the menu.

One of the best things about this restaurant is the free side dishes. Chinese picked vegetables, salty sugar peanuts, and my absolute favourite, the tofu ribbons. I have never had tofu as good as this anywhere else in Korea (apart from my BBQ tofu wings.) I’m not sure how they even make these beautifully textured ribbons of tofu. But suffice it to say, they rock!

The first dish we ordered was the mixed vegetables  (삼색야채) 12,000. This dish is insanely good, it’s not just for the veggies and vegans. Potatoes, peppers, and aubergine in a sweet chinesy sauce, they are so soft and tasty. Everyone loved this dish, especially the men. We could never get enough of it.

Their specialty is lamb skewers (양꼬치) 10,000 for 10. Lamb was always very hard to get hold of in Cheongju and is still even considered a specialty meat four years later. Until it is sold on the shelves of Home-plus it will always be a treat for me. BBQ lamb skewers are always a winner for me. Every time I have visited this restaurant there has been a group of ladies sat at the table threading skewer after skewer. They clearly sell these by the truck load. You’re given the coals and you cook them yourself at the table. They also came with a delicious plate of mixed spices that is the perfect accompaniment. I’m not ashamed to say that I took my left over spices in an envelope home with me and will swiftly be using them to make some lamb meatballs.

Last up is the sweet and sour pork Beijing style(탕수육) 13,000. This has always been my favourite dish. Thin slices of pork in a light and crispy batter served with a sweet and sticky sauce. This is as close as you will get to those sweet and sour dishes from home but even better. This hits the spot every time.

The mutton refectory is located in Dongdaemun on the 2nd floor of Dok-il Yak gook(독일약국 pharmacy). To get there take a train to Dongdaemun Station (Lines 1&4) then come out of exit 4. The restaurant is just on your right on the second floor above the pharmacy. The door is located in the alley to the left, just after the restaurant. You can call them on 02-766-9388 if you require any further information.

Also for all you lucky ducks living in the Chungbuk province they have a branch in Cheongju.  It’s at Cheongju University intersection, so in a taxi, say 청주대사거리 (“Cheongju-day sah-guh-ree”). Look for the corner with Pizza Hut, and the restaurant is a few doors down to the right.

I am a bit of a chicken wing addict and I have been eating a bag a week lately. I found an awesome little supermarket near my house which sells 1kg bags for 10,000. They are so quick easy and cheap to make at home that I have been saving myself a whole lot of cash. Just make up your favorite marinade, chuck it on and bung them in the oven. They are a great snack to share with your friends or to eat by the plate-load by yourself.

Ingredients

Spicy Wings

500g of chicken wings or as many as you want

2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning

BBQ Wings

500g of chicken wings

5 tablespoons of BBQ sauce

1 tablespoon of  brown sugar

1 teaspoon of soy  sauce

Directions

Mix the marinade ingredients together for which ever variety you are making. Coat and toss the wings in the sauce. If you can bear to wait to eat them, then leave for up to an hour for the flavours to soak in. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They are done when they are golden brown and the chicken is well cooked and piping hot in the middle. Voilà easy tasty wings.

I have always been quite a big fan of tofu. I enjoy those spongy chunks you always get served at the Chinese restaurants back home. However when I came to Korea I found that the tofu was too soft. I tried several different brands but to no avail. No matter what I did the chunks would always break up when I was making stir-frys. Lately I have been attending the Seoul Vegan Potluck and have finally learned the secret to good tofu. Rule 1 is that you to get all the water out, usually by putting something heavy on it. Rule 2 is freezing it.  I don’t know how, but freezing it turns it back into that lovely spongy goodness I enjoyed back home.  To make my tofu a little unhealthier I decided to batter it first. You will need to prepare the tofu a day or two in advance to make it spongy.

Ingredients

Tofu

2 blocks of tofu

230g of ottogi frying mix

200ml of cold water

A pinch of salt and pepper

Soy bean oil for frying

Sauce

4 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

3 tablespoons of sugar

3 tablespoons of vinegar

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of ketchup

1 baby orange (the juice and zest)

1 tablespoon of cornflour (corn starch)

Directions

Open the two packets of tofu and drain off all the water. Place the blocks on a plate and put something heavy like a frying pan on top of them. This will help to remove a lot of the excess water that is in them. It may take several hours to get out as much water as possible. Once the water is out wrap them in cling film or put them in a zip lock bag and pop them in the freezer. You can leave them in there as long as you like but they need to be in there for at least 12 hours to get the desired texture.

The day you want to use the tofu, take it out of the freezer and let it defrost. Make sure you squeeze out any remaining water that is in the tofu. It will be very spongy at this point. Cut your tofu into chunks ready to be used.

Put the ottogi frying mix in a bowl with a dash of salt and pepper. You could also add any herbs or spices too if you want extra flavour. Combine the dry ingredients then put your tofu into the floury mix and make sure all the pieces are coated before removing. Put the pieces on a separate plate. Meanwhile heat your frying pan and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the water to the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Dip your floured tofu pieces in one at a time then put them straight into the pan of oil. Turning them until they are golden brown on all sides. Once they are all done remove them from the pan and leave to drain on a piece of kitchen paper.

To make the sauce put all the sauce ingredients into a pan and whisk to combine, making sure the corn flour has dissolved. Turn the heat on and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally to dispel any lumps.

Serve on a bed of wilted pak choi and scatter on a few toasted cashew nuts. Place the tofu on the pak choi and top with the sauce. Voilà crispy tofu Chinese style.

To make things fair I ordered the same kebab at every venue. A chicken kebab with everything, a little spicy with extra white sauce. God how I love the kebab white sauce, I could take a bath in it! I was hoping that I would have 5 venues to choose from but Pasha closed down. This was actually my least favourite kebab venue anyway, having only been there once and I had vowed never to return .

The contenders were Mr Kebab, Ankara Picnic, Sultan and the street kebabs.

Street Kebab

First up was the street kebab. There are various vans that tend to set up shop on Friday and Saturday night just on the main crossing in Itaewon by exits 1 and 4. Their kebabs are the most expensive at 5,000 for a chicken and a whopping 6,000 for lamb. I used to be rather fond of the street ones but this was quite a poor offering. The meat was cold and it was also rather thin. They do get bonus points for the spicy potatoes they included. But overall this one wasn’t great, but the quality can vary from van to van. I assume I’m very drunk when I am usually buying these.

Ankara Picnic

Next stop was Ankara Picnic. They are located just by exit 3 of Itaewon station.  Their chicken kebab cost 4,000 and a lamb kebab is 5,000. They were very generous with their tasty white sauce. They also included tomatoes which really helped balance the ingredients. They were very busy though and I had to wait a good ten minutes before getting served. They have seating for about 8 people and serve soft drinks.

Mr. Kebab

Mr kebab has two locations in Itaewon but I visited the branch next to Dunkin Donuts. They also have a branch in Songtan. You find information on all their stores on their website. This kebab was a good size and well filled. However when I unwrapped it to take a picture it unravelled. The meat in this one definitely had the best flavour. The white sauce was also really good and there was plenty of salad. They have now started including potato wedges in the kebab which I’m not sure if I love or not. This location is the biggest with seating for 20-30 and they have a bathroom! Always good after a few too many drinks. They have a wide selection of kebabs, pilafs, drinks, ice-cream, and desserts. They also have a loyalty card which gets you a free kebab for every 11 that you buy.

Sultan Kebab

Last up is Sultan Kebab located near exit 3 around the corner from Ankara picnic, in the little alley way just next to Taco Bell.  Their prices are the cheapest in town with 4,000 for a chicken and 4,500 for lamb. It was also the largest kebab I was given. Usually Sultan Kebab is my favourite but this one was just lacking a little in flavour compared to Mr. Kebab. There were no tomatoes which I think affected the taste. They too serve a variety of kebabs, drinks,  ice cream, and baklava.  They have seating for 10 people and once again have a loyalty card which gets you a free one for every 10 you buy.

Overall on this occasion first place had to go to Mr Kebab! It had the best flavour of all, it’s cheap and they have a loyalty card and a loo. What more could you want? Second place I am giving to Sultan Kebab. Ankara’s kebab was slightly better, but there wasn’t much in it. The queue is always much smaller at Sultan Kebab and they have a loyalty card which makes it better in my book. Fourth place was the kebab on the street, they are too expensive and have no drinks or facilities. Where’s your favourite kebab?

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.