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.

In keeping with my new plan to bring you a few healthier recipes, here’s one I whipped up the other night. We have regular couscous quite frequently for lunch or dinner in our house but I fancied a change. Whilst browsing on iHerb I came across this pearl couscous. It’s very similar but much bigger and has a slightly different texture. It’s quick and easy to make and the perfect side dish to take to all those barbecues you will be invited to this summer. If you are unfamiliar with iHerb then I urge you to check it out, they have all manner or grains, herbs, spices, etc which can be delivered straight to your home. You can also use my code MRV792 for $10 off your first purchase.

Ingredients

1 cup of pearl couscous

1 1/4 cup of water

1/2 a courgette

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 aubergine

8 cherry tomatoes

1/2 a red onion

5 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of mixed herbs

A few fresh basil leaves (optional)

Directions

Chop your vegetables into small pieces, then put them in an oven pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with mixed herbs. Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius. After 10 minutes check if they are done, if not give them a good mix and put them back in for another 5-10 minutes. To make the couscous bring your cup and quarter of water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the cup of couscous to the pan, turn down the heat and put on a lid. Cook until all the water has evaporated and the couscous is soft. Stir in the roasted veg and serve. Top with fresh basil if you have some. You can eat this warm or cold, as a side, or on its own. Voilà pearl couscous salad.

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

Ingredients 

chicken

1 whole chicken

2 tablespoons of mexican spice

A handful of coriander (cilantro)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice

Rice

450g of rice

800ml of chicken stock

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

1/3 of a courgette

1 tablespoon of turmeric

1 1/2 tablespoons of paprika

1 tablespoon of mexican seasoning

A pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

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

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

I have to admit that one of things that makes this fatgirl fat is portion control. Once I make something I have to keep eating it until it’s all gone. Whether that’s a burger, a bag of chips or an entire cake. Restraint is not one of my strong points. I often make up big batches, of stews, soups, curries, etc. But often they don’t last as long as they should. If they stretch for 2 days then I’m lucky.

I am completely and utterly obsessed with Pinterest at the moment. Looking at picture of delicious foods and DIY crafts has actually become an addiction. I love getting ideas from all the amazingly creative people who are out there. Its insane what some people are able to do when it comes to presentation, and its a skill I long to have. On one of my many scrolls I came  across a post for making burritos in large batches. I’m crazy about burritos but only have them once in a while as I usually end up eating them all the same night.

This time I made up a big batch and they are all now proudly sitting in my freezer just waiting to be eaten. This batch made 8, pretty much because that’s how many tortillas I happened to have. But you could double or even quadruple the recipe if your freezer is big enough. I usually buy the 40 packs of tortilla wraps at Costco but always end up using them for different things. Now my freezer is stacked and ready to go with chicken burritos the next time I’m too tired to make dinner. I also made them so they are on the healthy side. It only took about an hour to do everything so it saves time in the long run. If you are a fan of burritos but not of cooking you can always order some from Gringos burritos. Delivered straight to your door you wont even need to get up off the sofa.

Ingredients

8 tortillas

2 chicken breasts

2 red peppers

1 small bunch of spinach

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

300g of brown rice (1 cup)

2 cups of water

4 eggs

3 tablespoons of taco or burrito seasoning

200ml of salsa

1 bunch fresh coriander leaves

200g of grated cheese (I used cheddar)

Directions

Put the cup of rice in the rice cooker along with two cups of water and set to cook. Finely chop the onions and garlic and fry off in a little olive oil. Finely chop or shred the chicken and add to the pan along with the finely chopped red peppers. Cook until the chicken is no longer raw then add the burrito seasoning and fry for a few more minute making sure it is has cooked through. Chop the coriander and add it to the frying pan along with the salsa. Stir the mixture to make sure its fully combined and leave to cool.

Once your rice has cooked, break the eggs into a bowl and beat them together. Pour the eggs into the rice cooker and mix with the rice. Set it back on to cook for a minute or two until the eggs have cooked. Leave this mixture to cool slightly too. In a third bowl grate the cheese.

Take your tortilla and place a couple of tablespoons of the chicken mixture, topped with the rice and then sprinkle on a little cheese.

Roll the burrito and then tuck in the ends. I used a little sour cream on the end of the flap just to make it stick down. Repeat until all your mixture has been used. Roll the burritos in clingfilm and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer . To cook them just pop them in the microwave for a few minutes or remove the cling film and cook them in the oven. Voilà easy chicken burritos to grab and go.

Cauliflower popcorn is a major food trend at the moment. Its all over Pintrest so I thought I would give it a go. I’m also always looking for ways to make my veggies more tasty so I was very intrigued to try this. They are so good that they have now become my latest food obsession. The best part is that they are so simple and easy to make. I could definitely eat a bucketful of these babies instead of a large bag of crisps and not feel deprived. I used Cajun seasoning for mine but feel free to use whichever spices you like to jazz it up.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning

A pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Put the florets into a bowl with the oil, spices and salt and pepper and coat evenly. Then bake in the oven for about 25-40 minutes until they are golden brown. Voilà the perfect healthy snack!

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.

It’s getting pretty damn cold outside at the moment and there’s nothing like a nice bowl of hearty stew to warm you up. I’m really loving pumpkin at the moment so I decided to make a pumpkin version. It really adds a good flavor to the broth.  All the taste in this stew comes from the homemade stock. Stock is insanely easy to make and practically free as all you do is boil up the leftover bones and carcass in some water. You can add a bit of onion, carrot and celery too if you have some extra lying around. But I find the bones work fine by themselves. I usually make my stock in the rice cooker since you have to check it much less frequently as it cooks on a lower heat. You need it to cook it for about 3-4 hours to get all the flavor out of it. I fill my rice cooker pot almost to the top with water then throw in the bones and let it do its magic. You should come out with a good pint or two of stock at the end. When it’s done taste it, to see how much flavor it has. If it’s not all that tasty you can add a stock cube to punch it up a bit. If it tastes good on its own leave it as is. The quality of stock is generally down to the quality of chicken, but even if you have a cheap one it’s still worth making. I must note that my picture is a bit iffy here because I couldn’t find the charger for my camera, this soup is insanely good so be sure to give it a go.

Ingredients

1 chicken (whole, roasted)

1 pumpkin (small Korean green one for 3,000)

2 red peppers

1 onion

5 cloves of garlic

200g of green beans ( I used frozen ones from the foreign food mart but canned would be ok)

2 red peppers

1 chicken stock cube

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

Directions

Remove your cooked chicken from the bones and set aside. Use your bones to make the stock above. Cut your pumpkin into chunks and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes so you are able to remove the flesh from the skin. I like to cut half up as chunks for the stew and mash the other half to thicken the stock. In a large saucepan fry your onions and garlic for five minutes or until they have softened. Add your chicken, stock, and pumpkin, and bring to the boil. When the stock is boiling, add the chopped red pepper and green beans, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the green beans are done. Serve with delicious homemade bread. Voilá an easy and tasty stew to warm your winter.

I can’t actually take credit for these, I’m nowhere near creative enough to come up with an ingenious idea like this. I saw the picture on allrecipes.com and decided to set about making my own version. However I think they are so cute that everyone needs to take a look.

Cut the top off your pepper like you would a pumpkin then carve a cute little face out of it. I must confess that I didn’t even do that bit either , I got niall to do it for me. You can stuff your peppers with anything that takes your fancy, I used spicy rice and vegetables with some grated cheese but anything will do, let your imagination run wild.

So chickens are on sale this week in my favorite supermarket a bargain a 3,000 each. I considered it to be such a bargain that I decided to buy two and eat twice as much, saving myself no money at all (boy am I smart). I must state that chickens here are rather on the small side, to stay the least . It’s certainly not beyond the realm of possibility to eat a whole one (or two). I must confess though that I didn’t eat all the meat, I had some left over which I used to make Thai Chicken noodle soup the  recipe coming later this week. Most of my roast chicken recipes are more of a winter theme, so to summer it up I served it with rice salad. The left overs also made a great lunch to take to work. My schools dinners are poor at best, unless boiled bean sprouts and kimchi float your boat? They do not float mine!

Ingredients 

Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken

1/4 of a lemon

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 cloves of garlic

1-2 table spoons of olive oil

A pinch of salt and pepper

Rice Salad

200g of brown long grain rice (I used brown as that’s what I prefer but white would be ok too)

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

15 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cucumber

A bunch of spring onions

1 lemon (or just use the 3/4 left over from the chicken)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

A pinch of salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

Directions

Put the two sprigs of rosemary, the wedge of lemon, and the garlic inside the chicken. Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with tin-foil and roast for about an hour at 200. Cooking times may vary, it may need longer depending on the size of the chicken. To check it’s done, cut into the thick part of the thigh,if the juice runs clear its ok. Once the chicken is done, cook for a further 10 minutes without the foil just to crisp up the outside.

For the rice salad, cook your rice and then run it under cold water when it’s done. Leave it to drain. Chop the peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and spring onions into small pieces and mix them in with the rice. Add the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Feel free to add some fresh herbs if you have some on hand. Voilà my easy roast chicken and rice salad!