Kimbap Recipe: A College Try

For the record this was done a while ago, and poorly. I'm hoping to get my vacation blogs up by the middle of the week or possibly tomorrow on my billionth train ride to Seoul. 

Anyways, I really like wraps and the Korean version of a wrap is kimbab (김밥). At first glance it looks like sushi and justifiably so since it's rice (bab) and other things (NOT raw fish) wrapped in seaweed (kim). Typical fillers include spam, (artificial) crab, these brown stick things, thinly sliced vegetables, pickled things and egg. Not knowing what some of these lip-curling fillers are made me want to try and make my own. I started by making a 춤치 김밥 (Tuna Kimbab). If you live in Korea it's really easy to find all of these ingredients and pretty cost effective too. On the Western side of the world somethings might be a little tougher to find especially considering kimbab is "exclusive" to Korea. 

     

Behold my ingredients and supplies: (clockwise from the left) match stick carrots, yellow pickled stuff, stick things (not used), plastic wrap, all beef salami, tuna mix, and kim. Rice, pickles and lettuce not pictured. 

The all-beef salami comes in a loaf (it happened to be on sale) so I just cut it up length wise. The tuna mix has a little bit of mayo, pepper and Sriracha sauce in it for a little bit of a kick. Before putting the tuna into the kimbab I was advised to wrap in something so the rice doesn't get soggy. Here's how my first on looked before I rolled it up.  

*It's important not to cover the kim entirely with rice. You'll need so use an edible/tasty adhesive to hold the roll together. Sesame oil or water are both good choices. 

I made this after dinner and stored them in saran for my lunch the following day.  

This one has a pickle in the wrap too. Yes, a homemade pickle.

My desk-warming snack the following day accompanied by yet another narrow Leafs win.

Cooking has always been a really adventurous interest of mine ever since I started watching the food network. Travelling to another country with a completely different diet is really awesome and I hope to try more variations of kimbab and also other neat and original takes on Korean recipes.

Bon apetit!

Through the Eyes of the Waygook: Korean Pizza

I know. I've already written about pizza having some weird ingredients and cooking processes in certain Korean eateries. However, it has come to my attention that there is a food that my co-teachers refer to as "Korean Pizza." I give you cheesy pajeon! Also known as cheesy kimchi pajeon and the best drunk food on the peninsula (unless those Northerners have some well-kept secret).

Pajeon looks like an omelette and just as delicious maybe more if they added bacon. In the flat flour-based savory pancake you'll find green onions, other vegetables kicking around, and obviously cheese. It's fried in a skillet, the crispy outsides are the best. Also though there's the soft, warm, gooey, cheesy middle which is a close second. Some have enough of a kick that you have to let it sit on your tongue and embrace this gift from the heavens.

It goes best with Makgeolli (막걸리) and because this is Korea it's dirt cheap in a restaurant. With winter coming and comfort foods and oven-warmed kitchens in high demand I'm going to try my hand at some Korean dishes this being one of them. I've done this with Kimbab (김밥) and now I can only eat my kimbab because I hate certain veggies and roots(?) that I find inside something that I'm coining as the Korea's Burrito.

Blog to be made. Possibly weekend event. Roadhouse.

Anyways eat (or dream about eating) some glorious cheesy pajeon. Settling and eating regular cheese is also a very acceptable alternative.  

Korean Kids: Unlikely Duo

Still in the thick of camp and enjoying my time teaching children. Co-teaching is a different story but that goes without saying. Anyways there are two kids I've always liked as students and as individuals.

Mr. Tae Young is in Grade 5 and he's a really goofy and creative kid. He is the definition of a class clown. He's a gangly kid with thin black hair and thick-rimmed glasses. He's always willing to participate in camp and class. Like all Upper Elementary boys, he thinks girls are crazy. Throughout the year he always gets his class laughing by ridiculing the other boys in his class which warrants a couple shots in the arm for the comedian. Whenever we do an activity he always puts a clean and creative spin on it making marking his work a pleasure. He's very well-behaved but he's leaps and bounds above the curriculum so he has some fun with it and I'll endorse whatever keeps him interested. 

Im Young is in Grade 3 and he's very soft spoken. He always has a question to ask me, I always have to lean towards him to hear it, and they always intrigue me. My first encounter with him was on his class' trip to the library and one moron thought he could climb a bookshelf. The bookshelf slipped out from underneath this neanderthal with books tumbling all over he floor. I'll admit I yelled at him for climbing the bookshelf. Im Young told me to "Relax," It caught me off guard and I almost started laughing until I saw the pile of books on the floor. Im Young is built like a house with broad shoulders (for an 8 year-old) and has a very serious demeanor. With his fair skin and thick hair I couldn't imagine he's Tae Young's younger brother!

Im Young was reading the attendance list from last week on my desk and plainly stated that Tae Young was his brother. It does make sense. They have the same last name and Young in their name first name. But seriously, they look and act in two completely separate ways.  I want to meet their parents so badly. I'm wagering one is a monotone game show host and the other is some wacky philosopher or vice versa and each one has a parent to invent something hilarious or ponder the meaning of life in their study. Both are great kids I expect they have amazing parents. Need a roommate?   

House of Epic Sandwiches 2

I really like food and I like it when kids build the most obscene and hilarious sandwiches ever. So I implemented a lesson from summer camp that I posted about and here it is: a collection of sandwiches. See if you can tell which works are done by boys and which ones were drawn by girls. Or which students were hungry.

The Monster Sandwich: Daring to mix mustard and peanut butter with onions in between: hop on the flavour express.

The All Sandwich: The two main ingredients are meat and crap. Don't worry, I'm sure he meant crab. 

The All Sandwich: Another copy cat, with no cats inside.

This is the nice sandwich. It has a whale in it. The whale is the size of a steak. Enjoy pooping that out. 

Cheese & Mushroom: It's the Whopper of Grade 4 Winter camp restaurant.

The Love Sandwich: I'd be down to eat this if the cheese wasn't as blue it was a tenth of the price. Some people are in it just for the money.

Delicious Sandwich: Need I say more?

The Good Sandwich: Steak and Spam. Together at last.

The Show Sandwich: More olives than you know what to do with.

The Burger Sandwich: A big'ol burger with a tiny'ol umbrella.

Egg-Love-Bacon Sandwich: I've always dreamed about eggs and bacon getting it on. This excites me a lot.

Korean Kids: Santa Clause is Coming to Town in Style

When I'm working English winter/summer camp I try to be less of a teacher and more of a camp counselor. I like doing fun things and, because I don't have a translator, my philosophy is "So long as I'm speaking English they're learning new words and improving their listening skills." I found this awesome worksheet through a friend where you get to give Santa some new threads. Some kids decided to do their own thing and others gave Santa the usual red suit. Here are the results. Mine's in here too see if you can spot it. Happy Holidays from Winter Camp!   

The second Bee-Santa.

  

 

 

 

 This was one of the first ones to be finished and it                                                                                       threw me to say the least. She clearly stated it was witch-

                                                                               Santa which is exactly what it looks like.

 

This was the original bee drawn in the first class. I posted them on the board to offer examples. I never expected one as peculiar as a bee costume, down to the pail, to be copied. The other one is not really Santa but what Santa looks like now and the happy-go-lucky kid beside him is actually Santa after plastic surgery. Oh Korea. 

 
     

 
These are by far the wackiest ones. But when your self-proclaimed English name is the letter "J" abstract thinking is probably one of the things you have going for you.

I really like the teletubby Santa and the fact this kid signs his name as "Mr. TaeYoung."