Mandu Guk (만두국)

I decided to try and make some Korean food, mainly because I really wanted mandu guk (dumpling soup) and the place where I normally go is closed on Sunday. So I went to the grocery store bought some mandu and green onions (among other things I needed). I didn't have a recipe before I went to the store, but mandu guk is comprised of very simple ingredients. Traditionally mandu guk is eaten on the New Year and also during colder weather. Today was chilly and seemed a perfect start of fall dinner. Anyway, I found a very simple recipe:

1/8t. sesame oil
1/8t. soy sauce
6c. water
1 egg, mixed
2 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper
Mandu dumplings

I added sliced onion and sesame seeds (as a garnish) as well because the place I eat at has onion in their soup and tops it with sesame seeds and pepper. I omitted the gim (seaweed) because I forgot to pick it up from the grocery and 4oz of beef. Essentially you make an egg drop soup and add the mandu.

Anyway, start by heating a pot and when it's hot sautée the beef and sesame oil. Add the water and bring to a boil. Drop the dumplings in (I used 6, but you can use as many as you wish) and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the green onions and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute or until onions are soft. Spread the egg, but don't stir right away. When the egg is cooked, serve the soup in a bowl and garnish with the gim (seaweed), pepper and sesame seeds.

The soup was pretty good. Very easy. However, it needs a little bit of tweaking and I am looking for other recipes to compare and possibly change it to try again. If you are looking for something quick, easy and tasty then I would suggest trying this.

Random

I can't believe it's Wednesday night already, this week has gone by quickly. Last Saturday I met up with some people for a Spanish group and while I didn't speak nearly enough Spanish, I met some really cool people. In fact, this coming Saturday I will be going to a Latin American art exhibit with a few of them. I'm pretty excited about that.

As many of you may know, I have healthy obsession/addiction to gum. I have been an avid gum chewer since 2003 and I show no signs of stopping. Until now. I came to Korea with a box of Stride gum from Sam's Club and I have one piece left. A whole box lasting almost 2 months is a HUGE accomplishment for me, I have cut down considerably. However, with one piece left I have to find a Korean gum to chew. Today I bought my first pack of gum and while it holds it flavor for quite some time, the taste resembles that of a mentholated cough drop (the Halls kind). It's not unbearable and maybe if I have a sore throat or a cough it will be suppressed by a single inhale. I miss my Stride already, but my brother is coming in November and he knows to bring me a box of gum.

While sitting down to my usual bowl of mandu guk yesterday, I encountered a man who spoke to me in English. Something was on TV about Cambodia and he was translating for me and then he told me the history behind my mandu guk. Thanks. Anyway, he also mentioned that the area I live in is really nice, things are close and also that there are many gyms near us. Normally, I wouldn't think anything of it, but since he is the 5th Korean to tell me about the proximity of gyms in my area I began to think. My students have no problem pointing out that I am not of normal Korean stature (i.e. I'm fat), but maybe the adults while thinking the same thing like to point out that I can work out. It's pretty subtle, when only a few people tell you that, but once the number starts to increase it's a hidden message. Anyway, I know I have a free gym in the basement and I do plan to use it. However, I am lazy and I have no problem admitting that, but I do want to start working out again, not to quell the snickers or the comments, but so I can be fit and healthy. I don't mind how I look right now so I figure I should just get in and stay in shape.

On another food note, I tried kimchi bokkumbap (kimchi fried rice) the other night and it is the spiciest thing I have eaten so far. It was delicious, but like I said, spicy. I think by the time I leave Korea I'll be a pro at eating spicy food.

Dinner

Tonight after work Lindsay and Jesse (two of my co-workers, the engaged couple), invited me to dinner with them. We went to a place I go to for kimbap two or three times a week. However, I didn't have kimbap this time. I decided to try mandu kuk. Mandu is a Korean dumpling and kuk means soup. The soup was loaded with mandu, six I think. It was fantastic. The mandu had pork and some other stuff in it and the soup was very light and also had egg in it. It was delicious. I didn't bring my camera, but I found this picture on the internet. Of course we also had kimchi and other side dishes. Pickled radish, some other type of radish and green onions. I just had kimchi though. I knew this before, but kimchi is the healthiest food on earth. It has 80% of your daily Vitamin C and carotene and also is high in fiber while being low in calories. The kimchi I had tonight was spicier than the last time I had it, but I am proud to say that I love it. Plus, it can slow cancer growth. You can't say that about America's favorite side dish (I don't know what that would be, but still...). Anyway, my dinner was a whopping 3,500W ($3.50) and the total for the three of us came to 10,000W ($10). I am quickly learning that eating out is far cheaper than making food at home. I am glad to be branching out in the food department and the more I eat out, the more confident I am about going places on my own and trying my Korean skills.