Scallion Pancake

Harvested some spring onions from my garden pot to make these Scallion Pancake (pajeon).  This is one of the snack that we would sometimes order when eating out at Korean restaurant.

I've added a medium onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced very thinly into half-moon slices.

Served with spring onion dipping sauce. These pancakes makes for a perfect light lunch. Yum!

Scallion Pancake
(Seoul Food Korean Cookbook, Naomi Imatome-Yun)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups water
6 scallions, cut into 2-3 inch lengths
1 medium onion, peeled, and sliced thinly into half-moons (my addition)
1 teaspoon salt
vegetable oil for cooking

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except for the vegetable oil, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Check the consistency before cooking. The batter should be  little bit runnier than American pancake batter, so the pajeon cooks quickly and evenly.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil.
3. Pour the batter into the skillet, coating the bottom of the pan in a thin layer (about one-third of the batter should fill a medium skillet).
4. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the batter is set and golden brown on the bottom. Turn over the pancake with help of a spatula or plate and finish by cooking 1 to 2 more minutes, adding more oil of necessary. Transfer the pancake to  warm plate. Repeat, to cook the remaining pancakes.
5. Before serving, cut into triangles (like a pizza). Serve with seasoned soy sauce or spicy dipping sauce.
   

I've used my favourite dipping sauce from another cookbook, the recipe can be found here.

Join us at Cookbook Countdown #39

Soy Sauced Potatoes

A simple potato dish, yet quite tasty, and especially good, as a side dish to eat with rice along with some meat dishes and vegetables, perhaps a bowl of soup. This dish is called gamja jorim in Korean and it is from the cookbook which I have used at Cookbook Countdown #11, last month. According to the author, this dish can be spicy if you use Korean chiles or jalapenos with a lot of heat, and for milder heat, use red or green bell pepper. 

I have used jalapenos for this dish. This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of sugar, but I do not like sweet dishes, so I have used only 1/2 teaspoon.

The family enjoys this dish very much. It is very tasty and one that I would cook again.

Soy Sauced Potatoes
(Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices or small cubes
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar (1/2 tsp)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 small green Korean chiles, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
pinch of toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the potatoes and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes
3. Add the sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, water, and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the chiles and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
5. To serve, add the sesame seeds and toss to mix (if using).

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I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #12 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Tofu with Sauteed Kimchi

My selected cookbook for November's Cookbook Countdown #11 is Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun. The next recipe I've made is Tofu with Sauteed Kimchi.

A simple dish but nevertheless quite delicious. Here I have used my Homemade Napa Cabbage Kimchi. The kimchi is chopped into 1-inch pieces which is sauteed with some thin slices of soft pork fillet, chopped garlic and is seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Firm white tofu is simmered in boiling water for just a few minutes until cooked, then drain, and sliced to rectangles or cubes. Place the sauteed kimchi in the centre of the serving plate and place the sliced tofu all around.

Really easy and simple, we enjoyed it with rice, along with other dishes.


Tofu with Sauteed Kimchi (Dubu Kimchi)
(Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced pork (or bacon), cut into1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Napa Cabbage Kimchi, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 block (12 to 14-ounce package) firm tofu

1. Coat a large skillet or wok with the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork and saute until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain off excess oil if necessary.
2. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the kimchi and saute for about 5 minutes, or until it becomes a darker reddish brown. Add the sugar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and sesame oil to the pan and cook, stirring, for about 1 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a gentle boil. Add the whole tofu block and boil for 3 minutes. Drain the tofu well and pat it dry with a paper towel.
4. Gently cut the tofu into rectangles or squares.
5. To serve, arrange the tofu on a serving platter and top with the sauteed kimchi. Alternatively, you can place the sauteed kimchi in the center of serving plate and arrange the tofu around it.

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I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #11 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Grab a  cookbook and join us!

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

Stewed Chicken with Mushroom

My selected cookbook for November's Cookbook Countdown #11 is Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun. The next recipe I've made is Stewed Chicken with Mushroom.

This braised chicken dish starts on the stove and finishes in the oven.

Onions are sauteed in some oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the mushroom and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes more. Remove veggies to a plate, and brown the chicken pieces about 2 to 3 minutes each side. Add the veggies to the ovenproof saucepan and pour the seasoning mixture (whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, salt and pepper), stir everything to combine. Cover saucepan and place in a preheated oven at 350F, bake until the chicken is cooked and tender, about 30 minutes. Serve, eat with rice. 

Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms
(Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun)
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and cut into thin slices
6 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken brith
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons chopped fresh peeled ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in an ovenproof skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, another 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Move the vegetables to the side of the skillet and brown the chicken, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, salt, and pepper until well combined.
7. Pour the seasoning mixture over the chicken in the skillet, stirring the ingredients to combine thoroughly.
8. Bake, covered, stirring a few times, until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife, about 30 minutes.

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I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #11 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Grab a  cookbook and join us!

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

Seasoned Eggplant

My selected cookbook for November's Cookbook Countdown #11 is Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun. The second recipe I've made from this book is a delicious dish of Seasoned Eggplant.

A simple and easy dish to prepare. The only cooking involved is to steam the sliced eggplants until cook and tender. I use my homegrown brinjals, harvested when they are young and tender. The brinjals are not very big in size, about 5 to 6 " in length, so I have cut the brinjals in half lengthwise and cut into 2-3 inch lengths. Since they were young and tender, it took only about 5 minutes of steaming time until cooked and fork-tender. Transfer the eggplants to a large bowl.

The sauce is prepared by mixing scallions, minced garlic, sesame oil, sugar, gochugaru, sesame seeds, salt and pepper to taste, in a small bowl. Stir this sauce mixture into the bowl of the steamed eggplants, mix gently to combine so that each piece is coated with the sauce. You may taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Leave to cool and serve at room temperature.

I served this with rice as part of a dish at dinner time and the family loves it. Tender brinjals seasoned with the sweet, salty, not so spicy sauce, is very delicious indeed! Makes a great side dish and would be good as an appetizer too.

Seasoned Eggplant (Gaji Namul)
(adapted from "Seoul Food Korean Cookbook" by Noami Imatome-Yun)
2 medium Asian eggplant
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon gochugaru
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Wash and cut the eggplant in half and then crosswise into quarters. You might have to cut it again if you have long eggplant. Then cut into 2-inch strips.
2. Put the eggplant in a steamer basket set over boiling water and steam until fork-tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, gochugaru, sesame seeds, and salt, and season with pepper.
4. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Brinjals from the garden pot

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I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #11 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Grab a  cookbook and join us!

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

Braised Chicken and Potatoes

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown #11, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

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My selected cookbook for this month, 

Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun

A lovely book on Korean food, recipes are simple and doable by any homecooks. I like the simplicity of the recipes with delicious results. 

The first dish I've made from this book, Braised Chicken and Potatoes

I have made braised chicken and potatoes many times. I first got to know about this dish from maangchi.com website, my favourite Korean food blog. Maangchi calls this dish as Spicy Braised Chicken, which I cook very often at home. The main ingredients for the braising sauce are similar, with just minor differences in the veggies used in both recipes. Maangchi has sliced green chillies added in, and this author has added carrots. But both have potatoes, and I would usually add lots of potatoes to the pot. Also, Maanghi's recipe has a little sugar added in, but I have always omitted the sugar, preferring it without. The gochujang paste is savory yet a little sweet with mild spiciness, and I absolutely love it! I used to buy a 500gm pack of gochujang paste, but now I always buy a 1 kg pack. 

This is a very easy dish to cook and the flavour is so delicious! Mix everything together and braise until the chicken and potatoes are tender! Note : I've added the potatoes during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time.

I have cook this dish using half a large chicken chopped to bite-sized pieces, boned-in, and skinless. In the recipe below, it was listed as 2/3 cup of soy sauce with 1/3 cup water. I'm not sure whether is this correct, but I have used 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 1-1/2 cups of water. I've added more water, gochujang paste and gochugaru, because we wanted more gravy to go with rice, adjusting the amount of each ingredient to taste. With the 1/4 cup of soy sauce, it was salty enough. 

We love this dish, I have cooked this many times, and will be cooking it many more times! I have even cooked this dish with pork shoulder cut to bite-sized cubes cooked till tender. It was even better with pork! Of course if using pork, you got to adjust the cooking times a little longer and the potatoes to be added in later. Either with chicken or pork, this is one dish that you will enjoy with white fluffy steamed rice.

Braised Chicken and Potatoes (Dakdoritang)
(adapted from "Seoul Food Korean Cookbook", by Naomi Imatome-Yun)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into large pieces (half a large chicken, cut to bite-sized pieces, bone in, skinned)
1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, cut into large chunks
2 large potatoes, cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2/3 cup soy sauce (I use 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup water (I use 1-1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons gochujang (more, according to taste)
1 tablespoon gochugaru (more, according to taste)
1 chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)

1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine the chicken, carrot, onions, and potatoes.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, soy sauce, water, gochujang, and gochugaru. Whisk to combine.
3. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. (I've added the potato chunks during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking).
4. Add the scallions, if using. Serve hot.

Grab a  cookbook and join us!

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #11 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray