Soun Goreng

I was craving for noodles today but since I had instant noodles just couple days ago, I thought soun will do. Soun is another kind of noodle made from sweet potato starch which has less calorie than usual wheat noodle. It often used as carbo in bakso dish or as soun goreng in Indonesia.

When I had my trip to supermarket, I saw soun but Korean style, Dang-Myun. It has wider diameter and more loosen after cooked than usual soun I used to have back in my hometown, but I thought it would do just as good.

After I finished cooking this dish, I realized that it's quite similar with the Korean Japchae. I never had Korean Japchae, been wanting to, but I like browse through Korean recipes. I didn't measure any of the ingredients, so only pictures this time for you guys!

This is my version of vegetarian soun goreng with cucumber, carrot, zucchini, shiitake mushroom, and green chilli. Yummy! My husband and I ended up eating 2 portions each. Burp!

 

Trip to the playground

Andra and I have moved in to Seoul for almost 2 months now. So far we enjoy the weather, the surroundings, our tiny but cozy apartment, and our weekend outing routine. Most of the days we just spend the day in the apartment, reading, build a LEGO house, drawing, playing hide and seek (which he always finds me, well there's nowhere to hide anyway!). He even loves to do the laundry! I think he likes the idea of helping me with anything.

But sometimes when it's sunny outside, we like to go to the playground nearby. He's the happiest toddler when he hears me saying, "let's go to the playground!". If I say it, I better be ready in a second because if not, he would ask me a hundred times when it is time to go until we are really going. 

Yesterday, we went there with Andra's friends from the apartment. The weather was perfect for a walk to the playground, and we brought our beach ball and bubble gun. The kids has so much fun! I am loving it.

my favorite shot of the day

someone's sneaking!

Tteokbokki

 I've always been an adventurous person when it comes to traveling and food. Back when our family was still in Jakarta, Indonesia, I often blog-walking through food blogs, some of them are Korean food blogs. And I had always been curious about the taste. It said it was spicy, how hot could that be? Was it really good as it was said?

But I never tried to make one, even one recipe. Simply because I didn't want to spend extra on buying imported ingredients which I was not sure I would last them.

But here we are now in Seoul, and I was like a little girl in a candy shop when I first hit the supermarket (really, that's how I LOVE to do my groceries!). And here it is, one of my first gochujang experiences which I like so much, Tteokbokki.

I got the recipe from here but I modified a bit to fit my liking.

Ingredients

2 1/2C water
5-6 dried anchovies
1 piece of dried kelp
400 gr rice cakes
2-3 T gochujang (Korean red chilli paste)
1/2 T sugar
2 slices of fish cake sheet, diced
1/4 cabbage, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1-2 cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 leek, cut diagonally

Directions

1. Make the stock first. Boil the anchovies, fish cake and kelp, remove the scum using a strainer, and reduce the heat to medium low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the fish cake, discard the anchovies and kelp to reserve 2 cups of stock.
2. Boil water in a large pot, and blanched the rice cake for 30 minutes to get them ready to soak the sauce.
3. Put the stock in a non-stick pan and add the red chilli paste and sugar until well mixed. Add rice cake and cabbage, bring to boil over medium heat until the cabbage gets soften and sauce thicken.
4. Add fish cake, garlic, leek, and tomatoes. Continue to simmer over medium low heat until the sauce gets real thick to your liking.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

 As new comers in Seoul, South Korea, we were planning on exploring as much as we can here. One of the places to explore is this palace. Gyeongbokgung Palace located in the downtown Gwanghwamun neighborhood. Quick history fact : the palace was built in 1394 but burnt down during Japanese invasions in 1592-1598 and the restoration still continues until today.

 

  

It has this beautiful pond in the center of the palace

First post

Hello there!
This is my very first post on this blog, and I am so excited! Well, this isn't my first blog, actually it is the third (or maybe the fourth? Can't count) and I hope this one would last long. I would try my best to keep the blog update.

This blog would be my own personal journal, reflection of my thoughts, some random things I just want to share, etc.

So, I hope you enjoy your visit!

Cheers.