Discover Korean Food #51: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Gungjung-tteokbokki, Rice Cake Pasta and Vegetables, Royal Style"

Gungjung-tteokbokki is a dish made of white rice cakes, beef and various dried and raw vegetables stir-fried with soy sauce for seasoning. Tteokbokki was not spicy and only made with soy sauce until the 18th century. But nowadays, it is cooked with a spicy red bean paste, which had been seen in recipes since the 1950s.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
300 g white steamed rice cake, 13 g (1 tbsp) sesame oil
100 g beef (top round)
15 g (3 sheets) brown oak mushrooms
20 g dried pumpkin strips
50 g (⅓ ea) onion, 15 g (1 ea) green pepper, 20 g (1 ea) red pepper
60 g mung bean sprouts, 400 g (2 cups) water, 4 g (1 tsp) salt
60 g (1 ea) egg, 13 g (1 tbsp) edible oil
Seasoning sauce ① : 9 g (½ tbsp) soy sauce, 6 g (½ tbsp) sugar, 4.5 g (1 tsp) minced green onion, 2.8 g (½ tsp) minced garlic, 0.3 g (⅛ tsp) ground black pepper, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
Seasoning sauce ② : 18 g (1 tbsp) soy sauce, 6 g (½ tbsp) sugar, 6 g (1 tsp) honey, 4.5 g (1 tsp) minced green onion, 2.8 g (½ tsp) minced garlic, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil, 50 g (¼ cups) water

Discover Korean Food #50: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Tteokjjim, Braised Rice Cake Rod Stuffs"

Tteokjjim is a dish of rice cake rods, beef, and vegetables braised with seasonings. It is said that in olden days, the court kitchen ladies prepared tteokjjim for the king, who lacked physical exercise and sometimes suffered from indigestion, because it was thought to ease stomach troubles.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
300 g white rice cake rod, 40 g beef (top round)
60 g carrot, 400 g (2 cups) water, 1 g (¼ tsp) salt
60 g (4 ea) chestnut, 5 g (1 sheet) brown oak mushrooms
3.5 g (1 tsp) pine nuts, 16 g (4 ea) jujube, 25 g (12 ea) gingko
60 g (1 ea) egg, 15 g watercress, 2.3 g (1 tsp) wheat flour, 4 g (1 tsp) edible oil
100 g beef (shank), 800 g (4 cups) water
* Sesame soy sauce : 3 g (½ tsp) soy sauce, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
* Seasoning sauce ① : 6 g (1 tsp) soy sauce, 2 g (½ tsp) sugar, 2.3 g (½ tsp), minced green onion, 1.4 g (¼ tsp) minced garlic, 1 g (½ tsp) sesame salt, 0.1 g ground black pepper, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
* Seasoning sauce ② : 27 g (1½ tbsp) soy sauce, 12 g (1 tbsp) sugar, 7 g (½ tbsp) minced green onion, 5.5 g (1 tsp) minced garlic, 2 g (1 tsp) sesame salt, 6.5 g (½ tbsp) sesame oil

[Preparation]
1. Cut the white rice cake rod into 6 cm-long, and put knife slits on 4 places, taking care not to apart both ends. Season them with sesame soy sauce (280 g).

2. Clean blood of beef (top round, shank) with cotton cloths. Mince the top round finely and season with half of the seasoning sauce ①.
3. Cut the carrot into 2.5 cm-square and trim the edges (46 g). Skin the chestnuts (40 g). Stir-fry the gingko and skin. Soak brown oak mushrooms in water for about 1 hour, remove stems, wipe water with cotton cloths and cut it into 2~4 pieces (12 g).
4. Remove tops of the pine nuts, wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloths. Wipe the jujube with damp cotton cloths, cut the flesh and roll up (14 g).
5. Panfry egg for yellow/white garnish. Pan-fry watercress after coating with wheat flour liquid and beaten egg, then cut into 2 cm-long of diaper shape.

[Recipe]
1. Insert the seasoned beef into the slits of the rice cake rods.
2. Put the shank and water in the pot and heat it up on high heat. When it boils, reduce the heat to medium, simmer it for 30 min. Take out the meat and cut then into 2 cm-wide, 3 cm-long and 0.7 cm-thick. Mix them with remained half of the seasoning sauce ①. Strain the broth through cotton cloths (300 g, 1½ cup).
3. Pour water in the pot and heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald the carrot with salt for 2 min.
4. Put the shank, carrot, chestnuts, brown oak mushrooms, broth and half of the seasoning sauce ② in the pot. Boil it for 5 min. on high heat, add the rice cake rods, jujube and remained seasoning sauce ②, reduce the heat to medium and boil it for 13 min. Put the gingko and pine nuts.
5. Place in a dish, garnish with yellow/white egg strips and fried watercress.

[Tips]
* If the rice rod is dried hard, scald it in boiled water to be soft.
* Do not put the rice rods in the pot from the beginning, or it may be burst.

Oxford University Korea Society “Soul of Seoul” at Oxford Union

Date: 23/02/2011, 19.00 - 23.00pm
Venue: Oxford Union Chamber, Oxford

Every year, the historical Oxford Union Chamber, having been graced with the presence of the most eminent scholars, politicians, and celebrities over the years, hosts an unforgettable Korean night, SOUL of SEOUL.

On 23rd February 2011, the Chamber will again be filled with the cultural landmarks of Korea, from the immensely popular bibmbab and traditional alcohol to taekwondo and hanbok showcases.

SOUL of SEOUL is “THE” Korean night in Oxford, aimed at promoting awareness of Korean culture amongst the future leaders at Oxford. It is truly an extravaganza, featuring the very best of Korea: Bibimbab, Korean snacks, Taekwondo, Korean alcohol, Korean B-boy, K-pop, Korean Calligraphy, Traditional Costumes, Traditional Music... and so much more.

The event is indeed a celebration befitting of our nation’s beautiful culture and has been serving as a milestone in entrenching the presence of Korean community.

Last year’s festival was a great success, with the tickets selling out well before the event. This year, the Oxford University Korea Society aims to make it even better.

Discover Korean Food #49: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Dasik, Traditional Pressed Sweet"

Dasik is a traditional pressed cookie, made by kneading fried grain powder, Oriental medicinal herbs or flower pollen with honey. The dough is pressed with dasik molds that have carvings of birds, flowers or Chinese characters. Dasik has a unique taste that harmonizes well with the sweet honey and other ingredients. It was named ‘dasik,’ which means tea and food, because it is usually served with tea.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
20 g green bean flour, 13 g honey
20 g yellow bean flour, 13 g honey
25 g black sesame powder, 9 g honey
10 g pine pollen, 13 g honey
25 g mung bean starch, 13 g honey
25 g mung bean starch, 11 g honey
Strawberry liquid : 7.5 g (½ tbsp) water, 3 g strawberry powder
13 g (1 tbsp) edible oil

[Preparation]
Dissolve strawberry powder in water to make strawberry liquid.

[Recipe]
1. Add honey to the green bean flour, yellow bean flour, black sesame powder, pine pollen, mung bean starch respectively.
2. Add 1.7 g of strawberry liquid to the mung bean starch, rubbing by hand and sieve finely, then add honey.
3. Knead each stuff strongly.
4. Oil over the press mold, put small amount of the dough into the mold and press down (48 ea).

[Tips]
*The amount of the honey for the dough will be varied upon the moisture level of the ingredients. Knead the dough neither too hard nor too watery.
*Traditionally, Omija water (Omija : water = 1:2) has been used for pink color.

Discover Korean Food #48: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Mandutguk, Dumpling Soup"

Mandutguk is a soup made of dumplings simmered in beef broth, often served in the winter. The dumplings have wheat flour wrappers stuffed with fillings such as meat, tofu, Kimchi and other vegetables. People enjoy mandutguk on lunar new year’s day because it represents fortunes wrapped in the dumplings.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
Broth: 300 g beef (brisket·shank), 2.2 kg (11 cups) water
Fragrant seasoning : 50 g green onion, 20 g (4 cloves) garlic
Dough for dumpling skin : 143 g (1½ cups) wheat flour, 2 g (½ tsp) salt, 75 g (5 tbsp) water
160 g minced beef (top round)
160 g cabbage kimchi
160 g (⅓ cake) tofu
200 g mung bean sprouts, 1 kg (5 cups) water, 4 g (1 tsp) salt
10 g watercress, 7 g (1 tbsp) wheat flour, 13 g (1 tbsp) edible oil
Seasoning : 4 g (1 tsp) salt, 9 g (2 tsp) minced green onion, 5.5 g (1 tsp) minced garlic, 6 g (1 tbsp) sesame salt, 0.3 g (⅛ tsp) ground black pepper, 13 g (1 tbsp) sesame oil
9 g (½ tbsp) clear soy sauce, 4 g (1 tsp) salt
vinegar soy sauce : 18 g (1 tbsp) soy sauce, 15 g (1 tbsp) vinegar, 15 g (1 tbsp) water

[Preparation]
1. Clean blood of beef with cotton cloths. Wash and clean fragrant seasoning. Put the beef and water into the pot, heat it up for 10 min. on high heat. When it boils, lower the heat to medium, continue to simmer it for 30 min. Add fragrant seasoning, simmer for another 20 min. Take out the beef from the broth, cool the broths down and filter through cotton cloths (1.6 kg).
2. Sprinkle salt on the wheat flour and knead with water. Wrap it with damp cotton cloths and let it sit for 30 min. (220g).
3. Remove the inside stuffs from cabbage Kimchi,, chop the Kimchi finely, squeeze the Kimchi juice out (85 g). Wrap the tofu with cotton cloths, mash by squeezing (100 g). Wash the mung bean sprouts.
4. Panfry the watercress after coating with wheat flour and beaten egg. Panfry egg for garnish, cut them into 2 cm diaper shape.
5. Blend vinegar soy sauce.

[Recipe]
1. Pour water into the pot, heat it up for 5 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald mung bean sprouts with salt for 2 min. chop it into 0.5 cm-long, and squeeze water out (100 g).
2. Mix minced beef, Kimchi, tofu, and mung bean sprouts all together, and season with seasoning (460 g).
3. Roll and press dumpling dough into 0.2 cm-thick and 7~8 cm diameter round disk.
4. Put the filling stuffs (23 g) onto the dumpling skin, fold it into half. Pinch the both edges together roundly.
5. Pour the broth into the pot, heat it up for 6 min. on high heat. When it boils, season with clear soy sauce and salt to make dumpling soup. When it boils again, add dumplings, boil it for 4 min. When the dumplings float on the surface of the broth, lower the heat to medium, continue to boil it for another 4 min. Fill the dumpling soup in a bowl, garnish with watercress and egg strips. Serve with vinegar soy sauce.

[Tips]
*Pork may be an another good meat for dumpling filling stuffs.
*Squeeze the dumpling filling stuffs slightly, or it may become too hard.

Discover Korean Food #47: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "JIN-PI JANG-JO-RIM"

Jin-Pi Jang-Jo-Rim is a shredded Beef (Eye of Round) dish, boiled down with soy sauce and Citrus unshiu Markovich.
The skin of Mandarin is called “Jin-Pi”. The taste is bitter and it keeps the body warm. Jin-Pi contains Vitimin E and it is good for a cold, for digestion, and stopping hiccups. It also prevents from Arteriosclerosis and accumulating cholesterol.

Ingredients
* 200g Beef (Eye of Round), 4cups water, 10g spring onion, 20g garlic, some coriander
* Sauce: 2tbsp soy sauce, 1½tbsp sugar
* 15g Jin-Pi

Recepie
1. Wipe the beef. Cut it 5cm in width and 6cm in length.
2. Place the beefs in a saucepan. Pour water. boil them for 5 minutes at high temperature. Leave it for 15 minutes at a medium temperature. Soak the coriander for 15 minutes. Take out the coriander.
3. Boil them for 15 minutes after adding the sauce. Add Jin-Pi. Boil them for 5 minutes.
4. Shred the beefs 5cm in thickness. Place them on a dish with Jin-Pi. Pour the soup on them.

Tips
1. You can use a Pork filet instead of the Beef (Eye of Round)
2. Add the sauce after boiling the beef, otherwise the beef will get tough.

Discover Korean Food #46: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "DANG-GUI SUK-JI-HWANG TEA"

Dang-Gui Suk-Ji-Hwang Tea is a Korean herbal tea made from Korean angelica root and Rehmannia glutinosa. Drinking this tea three times a day is good for ladies who suffer from Anaemia. The root of Rehmannia glutinosa is used for herbal medicines; dried one is called Gun-Ji-Hwang while the raw one is called Sang-Ji-Hwang; the alcohol-steamed one is called Suk-Ji-Hwang.
The taste of Rehmannia glutinosa is bitter and it keeps the body warm. Therefore, it is good for Backache, Irregular Menstruation, and Dizziness.

Ingredients
20g Korean angelica root
10g Rehmannia glutinosa
7 cups water
Some honey

Recepie
1. Boil the Korean angelica root and the Rehmannia glutinosa for 7 minutes at high temperature, Leave it for 5 minutes at medium temperature. boil them for 30 minutes at low temperature.
2. Strain them.
3. Add some honey before you drink.

YU-GEUN-PI
An elm is called “Yu” in Chinese; the skin is called “Yu-Pi” and the skin of the root is called “Yu-Geun-Pi". The taste is sweet and it does not contain any poison. Yu-Geun-Pi is used as a herbal tea and it is good for Insomnia, its Diuretic Effect, Tumefaction, and Big Sore.

Discover Korean Food #44: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Insamcha (Ginseng Tea)"

Insamcha is a tea made with tiny ginseng. It has a strong fragrance and taste. Ginseng is a special product of Korea, and is good for physical strength. Certain studies have found saponin in ginseng to have anti-cancer properties. Korean ginseng has been identified with the highest saponin content and the best effects.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
100 g ginseng (fresh wet ginseng)
40 g (10 ea) jujube
1.4 ㎏ (7 cups) water
3.5 g (1 tsp) pine nuts
38 g (2 tbsp) honey

[Preparation]
1. Trim and wash ginseng cleanly, remove the head part.
2. Wipe the jujube with damp cotton cloths.
3. Remove tops of the pine nuts and wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloths.

[Recipe]
1. Put the ginseng, jujube and water into the pot.
2. Heat it up for 7 min. on high heat. When it boils, lower the heat to medium, boil it for another 1 hour.
3. When the ginseng and jujube soaked fully, sieve, add honey and mix well.
4. Put the tea in a teacup, top with pine nuts.

[Recipe]
* More sugar and/or ginseng may be added upon taste.

Discover Korean Food #43: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Seolleongtang (Ox-Bone Soup)"

Seolleongtang is a soup made by simmering ox bones, intestines and shank for a long time. The name of the soup comes from a story in which the king held a memorial service at the seonnongdan (an altar) with his officers, and offered an ox as a sacrifice and shared ox bone soup afterwards with the attendants.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
1 kg ox-knee bone, 600 g gristle, 700 g ox-tongue, 5 kg (25 cups) precleaning water
200 g beef (brisket), 200 g beef (shank)
7 kg (35 cups) boiling water
Fragrant seasoning : 30 g green onion, 65 g garlic, 20 g ginger, 50 g onion
Seasonings : 40 g green onion, 8 g (⅔ tbsp) salt, 0.3 g (⅛ tsp) ground black pepper

[Preparation]
1. Wash and clean ox-knee bone, gristle and ox-tongue, soak in water for 5~6 hours to draw out the blood.
2. Wipe blood of brisket and shank with cotton cloths. Wash fragrant seasoning cleanly.
3. Trim and wash vegetables for fragrant seasoning and green onion cleanly. Chop green onion finely.

[Recipe]
1. Pour water in the pot and heat it up for 10 min. on high heat. When it boils, add ox-knee bone, gristle and ox-tongue, and boil it for 5 min. for precleaning, then discard boiling water.
2. Put water, ox-knee bone and gristle in the pot, boil it for 1 hour on high heat. Then lower the heat to medium, simmer it for 5 hours while skim the foam and fats. Add ox-tongue, brisket and shank in the pot, boil for 1 hour. Add the fragrant seasoning, boil for 1 hour, then boil it for another 30 min. after reduce the heat to low.
3. When ox-tongue and beef are well-done, take them out from the broth, cut into 3 cm-wide, 4 cm-long and 0.2 cm-thick. Cool down the broth, skim fats, and boil for 10 min. on high heat.
4. Place the cut beef in a bowl, pour broth and serve with seasonings.

[Recipe]
* Ox-head meat, ox-hooves and/or breast meat may be added.
* Large size onion and radish in the soup may be more tasteful.
* Ground red pepper may be added upon taste.

Discover Korean Food #42: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Yong-An-Yuk-Seol-Gi"

Yong-An-Yuk-Seol-Gi tteok is a steamed rice cake dish mixed with steamed rice cake powder and a Longan. The taste of the Longan is sweet; it does not contain any poison. It relaxes the body and helps the function of the internal organs. It is a useful supplement for Aeremia of the Heart and Spleen. Therefore, it is especially good for Stroke, Arterial, Insomnia, and Anaemia.

Ingredients
* 30g Longan
* 260g steamed rice cake powder
* 3 tbsp sugar
* 3/4 tsp salt
*3 tbsp water

Recipe
1. Wash and dry the Longan. Chop it.
2. Season the steamed rice cake powder with salt. Strain them.
3. Pour water into the steamed rice cake powder. Strain after rubbing them. Add the Longan and the sugar into them.
4. Lay a piece of cotton inside the bottom of a steamer. Place a rice-cake-frame on it. Spread the powder evenly.
5. Steam it for 15 minutes after boiling.

Longan
Literally, Longan means an eye of a dragon as its fruit looks like an eye of an animal; Aril is thick like animal skin.
The taste of the Longan is sweet and it keeps the body warm. It is good for the stomach. It is Anti-biotic, Anti-cancer, Anti-ageing, and Anti-oxidant. It, also, boosts robustness. Therefore, it is especially good for shortness of memory, heart trouble, and digestion problem.

Discover Korean Food #41: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Hot Sauce Sea Bream Jorim"

Hot Sauce Sea bream Jorim is a fried sea bream dish boiled down in a hot Chinese matrimony sauce. The sea bream is also called a “dom”. The taste of the sea bream is sweet and it keeps the body cool. It is good for digestion and thirsty. It contains rich Vitamins and calcium. It helps keep strong muscles and bones. Therefore, it is especially good children and elderly people.

Ingredients
* 1 sea bream, 1/4 tsp salt, 0.1 g black pepper powder, 1/2 cup starch powder
* 150g Dioscorea batatas, 5 Chestnut, 10 Ginkgo, 5 Dates, 5 Shiitake,
* Chinese matrimony vine liquid: 5 cups water, 30g Chinese matrimony vine, 1/2 tbsp whole black pepper, 10g spring onion, 25g garlic, 1g ginger
*Chilli oil- 5 tbsp vegetable oil, 1½ tbsp chilli powder, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
* Chinese matrimony vine sauce - 1½ cups Chinese matrimony vine water, 3 tbsp chilli oil, 3 tbsp refined rice wine, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp black pepper powder

Recipe
1. Wash the sea bream after removing scales. Take out the meat. Season the head and bones with salt and black pepper. Put on starch powder and fry at 150℃.
2. Cut the meat in 4cm widths and 5cm length. Season them with salt and black pepper. Put on starch powder and fry at 170℃.
3. Remove the skin of the Dioscorea batatas and cut it into the 1cm of the semicircular shape. Peel the chestnut and divide it into the 4 sections. Peel the dates and divide it into 3 sections. Take out the pillar of the Shiitake after soaking in water for an hour. Divide the Shiitake into 2~4 sections. Stir-fry the Ginkgo.
4. Boil the Chinese matrimony vine with the spring onion, ginger, garlic, whole black pepper for 6 minutes at high temperature. Leave them in at a medium temperature for 20 minutes. Strain them.
5. Make the chilli oil: Pour the vegetable into a hot frying pan. Put the garlic into the pan then turn off heating. Put in the chilli pepper powder and leave for 2 minutes. Strain them.
6. Chinese matrimony vine sauce: Pour the ingredients with the chestnut into the Chinese matrimony vine water. Boil for 3 minutes at a high temperature. Reduce the heating to the medium temperature. Add the meat, Dioscorea batatas, dates, and ginkgo into them.
7. Lay the bone of sea bream on the pate. Place the meat on it with the rest of the contents of the frying pan.

Discover Korean Food #40: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Sikhye (Rice Punch)"

Sikhye is a punch made by fermenting steamed rice in malt water. Chilled sikhye has a unique sweet taste and is beloved by Koreans. Sikhye is usually served on national holidays because it is believed to help digestion and stimulate blood circulation.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
115 g (1 cup) malt powder, 2.4 kg (12 cups) water
360 g (2 cups) non-glutinous rice, 480 g (2⅓ cups) water
160 g (1 cup) sugar
10 g (1 tbsp) pine nuts

[Preparation]
1. Put the malt powder in warm water which is around 40 ℃, and let it sit for 30 min.
2. Fumble the soaked malt powder with hands, sieve through a strainer. Discard the solids after squeezing, sink the malt water. When the sediments settle down, pour the top clean water out gently for malt liquid. (1.8 kg)
3. Wash the non-glutinous rice, soak in water for 30 min. Then drain water through a strainer for 10 min.
4. Remove tops of the pine nuts and wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloths.

[Recipe]
1. Put the rice and water in the pot, heat it up for 4 min. on high heat. When it boils, continue to boil for 4 min. Lower the heat to medium, boil for 3 min. When the rice become sodden, lower the heat to low, steam it for 10 min. (880 g).
2. Put the steamed rice, malt water and sugar into the thermo-pot (60~65 ℃), keep in there for 3~4 hours.
3. When 7~8 of rice grains floated up, take out the all rice grains from the pot.
4. Rinse the rice grains in cold water until sweet taste is soaked out. Pour the fermented water into the pot, heat it up for 5 min. on high heat. When it boils, skim the foam out cleanly.
5. Cool down the rice punch, fill in a bowl, top with rice grains and pine nuts.

[Tips]
*If the rice grains taken out from the pot after lots of grains are floated, rice punch may be soured.
*When the rice punch volume is so much, boil it for 20 min. more.