mung bean porridge | 녹두죽

mung bean porridge 

a cup of split mung beans (whole are okay too but cooking time will be longer)
half an onion, minced
two cloves of garlic, minced
two teaspoons of salt

들기름 (perilla oil) or good quality olive oil
toasted sesame seeds
chopped chives or scallions

a pot of prepared brown rice


wash the mung beans well and pick over to make sure any small stones are removed. cover with water and boil about fifteen minutes, skimming foam off the top if necessary.

drain the water and give beans a rinse. cover again with fresh water, adding salt and boiling again with lid slightly askew until beans are soft and most of the water is absorbed, about another twenty minutes.
you want a soupy porridge so add water as necessary to avoid beans from drying out.

serve mung in a bowl with an equal portion of cooked rice and drizzle generously with perilla oil and a healthy sprinkle of sesame seeds. add some chopped scallions or chives to the bowl and a bit of purple cabbage salad for color.


purple cabbage salad

a cup of very thinly sliced purple cabbage
half an onion
a pinch of salt
a squeeze of lemon

in a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients well, using your hands to massage the cabbage until soft. as it begins to wilt, it will take on a beautiful shade of pink. set aside, allowing cabbage to marinate in it's own juices. serve with mung bean porridge or as a colorful side to any dish. 

market bibimbap and doenjang soup

after a long relaxing holiday weekend, i’m ready to enjoy this beautiful fall weather browsing the open air markets for my next bibimbap. here’s the recipe for last week’s bowl, served ‘round Mama’s Table at SPACE.

MARKET BIBIMBAP

a serving of brown rice 

(I also like to mix brown rice with a little black, red, and white for a beautiful bowl of colorful grains)

a handful of purple cabbage, very thinly sliced

fresh soft tofu - 순두부 (best served warm, fresh from the market)

a handful of seasonal greens (I used green leaf lettuce), roughly chopped

a handful of chives, roughly chopped 

a sprinkle of sunflower (or pumpkin) seeds, lightly toasted

toasted sesame oil

sea salt

for the dressing, combine the following in a small bowl…

a splash of soy sauce

a splash of brown rice vinegar

a splash of sesame oil

a clove of finely minced garlic

a green onion, finely minced

a sprinkle of red chili powder

cook rice and keep warm.

in a small bowl, massage the thinly sliced purple cabbage with a sprinkle of salt and just a bit of vinegar. use your hands to break down the cabbage and release its water causing it to soften. it will turn beautifully bright pink. set aside.

if necessary, heat the soft tofu just a bit to warm it.

toast the sunflower seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden in color. remove from heat.

scoop warm rice into a serving bowl. layer with massaged cabbage, fresh greens, tofu and chives. sprinkle with the toasted seeds and a few spoonfuls of dressing. finish with a drizzle of sesame oil for deep umami flavor.

for the doenjang soup…

2-3 thumb-sized pieces of dried kelp (다시마), rinsed well

a few spoons of doenjang paste (miso also works)

seasonal greens (I used mallow - 아욱), washed well and roughly chopped

a splash of soy sauce

boil a pot of water with the kelp while preparing other ingredients (about 20 minutes).

lower the heat to a simmer and ladle a spoonful of hot kelp stock into a small bowl and add the doenjang paste, mixing until smooth. return to the pot and stir. if you prefer a saltier broth, add another spoon of doenjang, mixing in a separate bowl first before adding to the pot.

when the broth is to your taste, toss in the greens and simmer for just a minute until wilted.

remove from heat and stir in a splash of soy sauce to round out the flavor.

serve with market bibimbap or have a soothing cup of doenjang soup to start your morning.

bibimbap

bibimbap with sauteed sauerkraut, winter greens and toasted pumpkin seeds…

from HIBERNATE, the winter edition from the kitchens of pinch and dash

wild mountain greens

nature’s bounty from the hills, wilted in boiling water for a quick minute, given a cold rinse and tossed with sesame oil, sea salt and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds…

yellow date tomatoes

look at what i found! they translate from korean to yellow date tomatoes but clearly they are orange and they are beautiful!

balsamic poached eggs with purple rice, mushrooms, chives, and my new tomatoes…

detoxify...

the recent tragedy in japan has raised concerns about radioactive material in our air, food and water. although the amount of radiation we are being exposed to is probably very slight, it is never a bad idea to protect your body from all of the toxins to which we are exposed every day. some very wise ladies at GOOP (yes, it’s gwyneth paltrow’s blog and it’s fantastic) and midnight apothecary have given us some tips that i think are worth sharing. here are some things we can incorporate in our lives regularly to keep our bodies toxin-free and feeling great.

1. SEAWEED: the iodine in sea vegetables helps protect your thyroid and other glands from radioactive uptake and in general is one of the most medicinal foods on earth. buy some nori and host a sushi or kimbap party, or dress up plain brown rice by wrapping it in toasted nori (trust me, it’s delicious!)

2. MISO/DOENJANG: fermented soybean paste is full of live cultures, amino acids, minerals, and protein. japanese and koreans have a bowl of miso or doenjang soup almost every day and it’s easy for you to do too. make a big pot of vegetable stock this weekend and use it throughout the week as the base for your soup. boiling miso or doenjang paste destroys essential nutrients so, while you are reheating your stock, put a spoonful of the paste in a bowl and pour the hot stock over to mix. add a few cubes of tofu and a handful of scallions and share the love with your family and friends. 

3. MUSHROOMS: strengthen your immune system with shitake mushrooms, sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper or in a simple soup. mushrooms are the healers of the forest, knowing how to bring everything (on earth and in your body) back into balance.

4. Eat lots of vegetables, especially DAIKON radishe and BURDOCK root. throw them in soups or make a shredded salad or slaw. cooling and detoxifying daikon has been used for drawing out radiation.

5. FERMENT: make homemade sauerkrauts and kimchi or find someone who does (or just buy some of good quality). have a fermentation celebration and fill your empty jars or tupperwares with crunchy apple and cabbage kraut or spicy kimchi. it’s fun to massage vegetables with friends and these foods have the probiotics your gut needs and wants and are deeply nourishing and restorative. 

6. HERBS: some great herbal allies are nettle tea, cilantro (it helps draw heavy metals out), and milk thistle (helps your liver process toxins). 

7. WATER: DRINK lots of it. take baths. go to the sauna. sweat. cry. detox.

8. IMMUNE support: do the things you know boost your immune system. sleep well, limit sugar and processed foods, eat garlic and vitamin C rich foods and be happy!

rice bowl

food this good can (and should) be quick and easy. i love cooking but rarely do i feel like putting together something elaborate that takes more than an hour to cook. so most nights, i make a big pot of brown rice (enough for morning leftovers!) and top it with whatever fresh veggies i have in the fridge - steamed, stir fried, or roasted.

i have a shelf full of spices but i prefer to let the vegetables’ natural flavors work on their own so just a bit of salt and pepper and maybe a dash of nutmeg - my current favorite - is all that’s needed. top with chopped scallions for a fresh twist or add some toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and a drizzle of olive or sesame oil for protein and good omega fats and your dinner is complete.

korean tea

korean tea is different from what we commonly regard as tea because it can be made by using fruits, grains, and roots... much more than just leaves.

korea's commitment to eating seasonally extends beyond fruits and vegetables. it has been said that by ingesting the season's bounty as tea, our bodies assimilate the season's vital energy (chi). traditional teas embrace centuries-old wisdom used to link human life to nature. just as we naturally desire water after eating salty foods,  teas made with seasonal ingredients provide elements our bodies crave at particular times of the year.

autumn's tea is omija. in korean, 오미자 (omija) means 'five taste berry'. the five flavors of this berry - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent - are uniquely distinct but can be somewhat compared to a cranberry.

our region of mungyeong is said to be the finest omija-producing region in the country. the pristine conditions deep in the mountains provide the perfect environment to cultivate the berry prized by epicureans and herbalists alike.

the omija harvest has just come in and i was oh-so-pleasantly surprised to receive a gift of the idolized berry from one of mayo's co-workers. i delightedly washed my three kilos of omija, layered them in a large glass jar with equal parts white sugar and sealed the lid to start the 100 day fermentation process. i'm thrilled to observe my berries as they ferment into the sweet and sour fruit extract i will be using to make omija tea to keep me warm in the new year!

an unexpected salad

at our slow food retreat, we learned about the process and sampled many of the fermented sauces and extracts. we learned a traditional salad dressing recipe of the region that was fantastic. if you can find korean doenjang, i highly recommend giving it a try! mix the following together and serve over your favorite fresh greens...

6 tbs doenjang (soybean paste)
3 tbs strawberry extract (made by fermenting equal parts strawberry and sugar)
1 cup of soymilk
1/2 cup of chopped peanuts
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vinegar
1-2 tbs honey

fermentation

in korea, fermented foods were traditionally stored underground when most homes didn't have refrigerators to keep things cold. the below ground temperature was natures refrigerator. now, fermented foods are kept above ground in earthenware jars that keep cool in the heat.

neighborhood charm

yesterday, i didn’t rush home to make dinner.  i took my ride home slowly, taking photos of my favorite spots along the way.  i felt a strong connection to my path and saw things i somehow missed before, even though i pass them everyday.

i stopped to say hello to my dog friends that live outside a tiny and very rustic farmshed. the owner, a toothless old woman whom i’ve never seen before, came outside and i apologized for bothering her and told her i couldn’t resist taking photos of her cute puppies. she smiled and said “no problem! come in, it’s dinner time.” i entered the clay and concrete shed to find six old men (probably farmers) taking a break to have dinner and  some drinks together. the woman’s small stove was aflame with pots of boiling stew and rice. i couldn’t believe what i thought was a shed is a restaurant! the old men were delighted to see me and invited me to sit with them for some steamed squid and makgoli (rice wine). i fared well with my korean conversation skills and, after a glass of mokgoli and a new excitement for life, i said goodbye, promised i’d come back soon with my husband, and hopped onto my bicycle... smiling all the way home.