korean food

[GoodbyeGirl]

here is another food thread that i noticed was conspicuously absent. korean food has so many great healthy vegan treats. i make myself a meal of the little dishes of banchan that is served before your meal in a korean restaurant. they have so many great grain dishes also. i'll share some of my favorites with all of you. since i had to get rid of Dok Suni: From My Mother's Korean Kitchen here are the good vegan recipes from it.

[Klutz]

They also really like to use fish broth in just about everything....including their kimchi. Ask very specific questions. Don't just say "meat". They tend to think that pork, ham, sausage, fish, seafood, duck, chicken, etc. is NOT meat. Oh, and eggs. Be very, very, very specific.

[GoodbyeGirl]

this easy-to-make soup has medicinal qualities, ideal when you have a cold or a hangover. along with some red pepper flakes, the spiciness will help you feel restored. and if you're experiencing a loss of appetite this soup is light and quenching.

CHONG-NAMUL GOOK (Soybean Sprout Soup)
1/2 lb soybean sprouts; or bean
-sprouts
3 1/2 c cold water
1 tb soy sauce
1 1/2 ts garlic; minced
1/2 ts coarse sea salt or kosher
-salt
1/2 sm onion (about 2 ounces);
-minced
1 ts korean red pepper powder
1 bn scallions (about 5 ounces);
-green part only,
1 cut diagonally
1 into 1-inch lengths
1 ts sesame oil
1 ts ginger, minced
1/4 ts vegetable stock
If using soybean sprouts, which have distinctly larger,
greenish-yellow heads and a crunchier texture than bean sprouts, snip
off the root end and remove any bean skin that might still be
attached to the sprout.
Clean the sprouts, drain and place in a pot. Add the water, soy
sauce, garlic, salt, onion and red pepper powder. Cook, covered, for
7 to 10 minutes over a medium flame. Add scallions and return to a
boil. Stir in sesame oil and ginger, simmering an additional 2-3
minutes. Serve hot.

[GoodbyeGirl]

this cold cucumber soup is great to serve as a side dish for something heavier because it aids digestion. clean, light, and refreshing, it is wonderful in the summer. it also activates your taste buds when you are feeling an appetite loss.

OYE-NENG GOOK (cold cucumber soup)
4 fresh cucumbers, shredded long and thin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced scallion
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup of ice
In a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the ice. Add the ice and mix again. Pour in 3 cups of water. Serve cold.

[GoodbyeGirl]

just as american moms make chicken soup, korean moms make seaweed soup. this soup, so simple and light with a very warm aroma, has healing power. the nutrients in this sea vegetable are known to help counteract the toxins in your blood. high in calcium an low in calories, this soup is good for hangovers and preventing blood clots.
traditionally favored by mothers after giving birth, this soup is consumed ritually for a week to nurse back the robust spirit of the korean mother. more generally too, seaweed soup is frequently craved in the korean household and eaten all the time. complement this soup wiht a bowl of white rice and some spicy side dishes.

MIYOK GOOK (seaweed soup)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 pound tofu, cut into cubes
1 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups water
15 ounces dried miyuk seaweed, soaked in water for 20 minutes and torn into 3-inch strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
In a large saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Fry the tofu for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry 1 minute more. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes and serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

DANGOON GOOK (carrot soup)
3 large carrots, diced
1 cup shredded Chinese cabbage
5 cups water
1 clove garlic, minced
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons denjang paste
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan, add the carrots, cabbage, and water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the carrots and cabbage are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, green onions, and denjang paste. Stir until the denjang paste dissolves. Add salt and pepper and serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

DENJANG CHIGAE (bean paste & tofu soup)
6 cups water
2 tablespoons denjang paste
1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into bite-sized cubes
3 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the denjang paste, stirring to thoroughly mix. Add the tofu and onions. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, then serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

MALGUN SIGUMCHI GOOK (clear spinach soup)
1/2 pound fresh spinach
1 scallion
1 clove garlic
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon salt
dash pepper
Wash the spinach thoroughly and trim off the thick stems. Chop the scallion. Mince the garlic. Bring the water and stock to a boil. Add the spinach, scallion, garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Lower the flame and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

[GoodbyeGirl]

NANG KUKSU (cold noodle soup)
6 cups vegetable broth
2 inches of fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced
2 cups kimchi juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 pound buckwheat noodles

GARNISHES
1 small seedless cucumber, ends trimmed, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil plus a few drops of sesame oil
1/2 Korean pear, peeled and shredded
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced lengthwise

PEPPER SAUCE
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt

MUSTARD SAUCE
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons water

In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable broth, ginger, kimchi juice, salt, vinegar, and sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the ginger from the broth, and discard; set the broth aside to cool. In a large pot, cook the noodles in boiling water until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside. In a small skillet over medium heat, add the oil and fry the cucumber slices for 1 minute. Transfer them to a serving dish, and set aside. Divide the noodles among four deep soup bowls. Arrange the slices of cucumber, pear, and egg on top of the noodles. Ladle about 2 cups of the cold broth over the noodles. To make the sauces, mix the ingredients in small bowls or cups. Serve the coup with the sauces on the side.

[GoodbyeGirl]

JAT JUK (cream of pine nut porridge)
1/2 cup pine nutes
1 cup water
4 dried jujubes (Korean dates), soaked in water 2 hours
2 teaspoons barley malt syrup or agave syrup
1/4 cup rice flour, dissolved in 1/2 cup water, left 5 minutes
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Grind the pine nuts in a processor with 1/2 cup water for about 1/2 minute. Add the balance of the water and process the mixture until smooth. Pour through a metal strainer and rub the particles through, preferably with a wooden spoon. Discard the small amount of residue, which is mostly the "eyes" or buds of the pine nuts. When the jujubes are ready, cut out and discard the pits. Cut the jujubes into thin slices and mix with the syrup. Set aside. Simmer the rice flour paste in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture just starts to bubble. This is the soup thickener. Add the pine nut mixture, the sugar and salt to the rice flour and bring to a low boil for 2 minutes. The lightly thickened porridge, smooth and creamy, is now ready. Pour it into individual bowls and garnish with a teaspoon of the jujube and syrup. Serve warm.

[GoodbyeGirl]

KOREAN BEAN CURD SOUP
3 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons denjang (Korean bean curd paste)
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1/2 tablespoon dashi granules
1/2 tablespoon gochu jang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 zucchini, cubed
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 (12 ounce) package soft tofu, sliced
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine water, denjang, garlic paste, dashi and gochu jang. Bring to a boil and let boil 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini, potato, mushrooms and onions and let boil 5 to 7 minutes more. Stir in tofu and cook until tofu has expanded and vegetables are tender.

[GoodbyeGirl]

BOSOT GOOK (mushroom soup)
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
2 1/2 tablespoons denajng paste
In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly brown and slightly limp, about 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. In a large saucepan, heat the water and denjang paste to boiling, stirring constantly, until the denjang paste is dissolved. Add the mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat and simmer 4 minutes. Serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

BAECHU GOOK (nappa cabbage soup)
12 ounces Nappa cabbage
4 ounces white radish
4 ounces scallions
2 tablespoons miso paste
6 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon red pepper sauce
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
Clean the cabbage and shred with hands as desired, but in a wringing motion that will help soften the cabbage. Thinly slice the radish. Cut the scallions into 1-inch lengths. In a pot, dissolve miso paste in the stock. For a smooth consistency, use a fine-mesh strainer with handle to remove the chunks of soybean paste floating in the soup and discard. Add the red pepper paste, cabbage, radish, scallion, and garlic and cook for 7 minutes over a high flame, then for 3 more minutes over a medium flame. Serve hot with white rice, kimchi, and other banchan.

[GoodbyeGirl]

HOBAK JUK (pumpkin soup)
4 cups water
2 cups Chinese cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons denjang paste
2 cups cubed, steamed pumpkin
4 green onions, green and white parts, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat the water to boiling. Add the cabbage and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the denjang paste, stirring until the paste dissolves. Add the pumpkin, onions, salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into four soup bowls, and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds before serving.

[GoodbyeGirl]

MOO GOOK (radish soup)
1 large Korean or daikon radish, thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, green and white parts, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups water
Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the radish is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

[GoodbyeGirl]

TUBU JUK (tofu stew)
2 tablespoons denjang paste
2 cups water
1/2 pound tofu, cubed
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut in half, then sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
6 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
Mix the denjang paste and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the tofu, green peppers, garlic and zucchini or yellow squash. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the onions and simmer 3 more minutes; serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

these are sooooo..... delicious

P'AJON (green onion pancakes)
1 pound small or medium-size thread green onions, white and pale green part only, cut into 7-inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup ice cold water
Pinch of salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 hot red Korean pepper, or 1/4 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and finely diced
Pinch of sil koch'u (hot red pepper threads) or hot red pepper flakes

Wash the green onions and pat dry with a towel. reserve four pieces for garnish. To make the batter, in a chilled bowl, combine the flour and ice water and lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Season with the salt and pepper. In a large cast-iron or non stick skillet, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Working quickly, add half of the green onions to the skillet and, using a spatula, form them into a rectangular shape, about 7 inches square. Add half of the pepper, red pepper and sil koch'u. Quickly pour half of the batter over the green onions, spreading the mixture evenly between them and maintaining the rectangular shape as much as possible. With the spatula, lightly flatten the green onions. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until the pancake edges turn golden brown and crusty. Shake the pan to loosen the pancake. Flip it over and add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet. Using the spatula, flatten and shape the pancake, making it as thin as possible; cook for 2 minutes. Flip again and cook for 1 minute, to restore crispiness. Slide the finished pancake onto a bamboo tray. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Transfer both pancakes to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces. To serve, arrange the pancakes on 4 individual plates. Garnish each piece with 1 piece of the reserved green onion.

[GoodbyeGirl]

SAE ME DUK (steamed buckwheat cakes)

2 cups buckwheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water (approximately)

Prepare a firm dough with the flour, salt and as much water as necessary to create a manageable dough. Roll out the dough into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cut it into six squares and put them on an oiled perforated tray in a Chinese style steamer. Cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes.

[GoodbyeGirl]

KAMJA BOKUM (fried red pepper potatoes)

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large or 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Korean red pepper powder or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and bell pepper. Stir-fry until the potatoes are a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and sesame seeds, and cook 1 minute more. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, Korean red pepper powder, and salt. Add to the potato mixture, and stir. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 or 2 minutes. Serve warm.

[GoodbyeGirl]

SHIGIMCHI MOOCHIM (seasoned spinach)
1 pound fresh spinach
1 teaspoon coarse salt

SAUCE
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoons minced scallion
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Prepare the spinach by cutting off the roots and separating the leaves. In boiling water, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt and blanch the spinach for no more than 1 minute. Turn the spinach over once in the boiling water and strain immediately. Rinse thoroughly with water. Keep aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients for seasoning the spinach. Then add the spinach and toss with your hands in a massaging motion.

[GoodbyeGirl]

KONG JANG (marinated soybean sprouts)
1/2 pound fresh soybean sprouts
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pan, boil the bean sprouts in the water until pliable but crisp, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt. Pour this mixture over the bean sprouts, and gently mix. Marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.

[GoodbyeGirl]

BOSOT BOKUM (mushroom stir-fry)
2 teaspoons sesame tempura oil, or 2 teaspoons vegetable oil with 2 or 3 drops sesame chili oil added
1/2 pound fresh, large shiitake mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small fresh green chili pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients, and stir-fry 2 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.

[GoodbyeGirl]

GAMJA BOKUM (potato saute)
3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cleaned
1 green chili pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon sesame salt
pinch of black pepper

Chop the potatoes into julienne, keeping the strips thin. Soak in water for 7 to 10 minutes. Strain the potato and use a paper towel to pat the potato dry. Halve the chili pepper, remove seeds, and slice the pepper into thin strips. In a frying pan, sauté the potato with oil, salt, and garlic for 7 to 10 minutes over a medium flame. The potato should be cooked, but not so soft that it crumbles. Add the sesame salt and black pepper and sauté for about a minute. Ready to serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

SEASONED BEAN CURD
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds firm tofu
1/4 cup vegetable oil

SAUCE
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced scallion
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sesame salt
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Cut the tofu over a sheet of paper towel to absorb the water. Gently press down on the tofu with your free hand as you cut. Halve the tofu horizontally and cut into three sections vertically. Then make two cuts through sideways, leaving 1/4-inch thickness. Over a medium flame, heat a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Arrange the tofu in the frying pan without any overlapping and flip over once or twice. Try to handle tofu so it does not crumbled and avoid stirring it around in the pan. Cook the tofu until it browns. Continue with more oil until all the tofu is cooked. Stir together all the sauce ingredients. Serve on a plate in a neat arrangement and smear on the sauce before it goes to the table.

[GoodbyeGirl]

MIYUK BOKUM (sauteed seaweed)
1 generous handful of dried seaweed pieces, soaked in water for about 10 minutes, washed and strained
1 1/2 tablespoons salad oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sesame salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Mix together all ingredients in a pan. Cover and cook over a medium flame for about 7 minutes. Remove lid and sauté for 5 minutes over a medium flame. Ready to serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

GAGI MOOCHIM (seasoned eggplant)
2 medium Chinese eggplants, approximately 8 ounces total, unpeeled
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon minced scallion
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame salt

Halve the eggplants and steam for 15 minutes, until well cooked. Allow to sit in covered pot for 5 minutes. Remove from pot and, using your hands, shred the eggplant coarsely. In a mixing bowl, add all seasonings to the eggplant and mix together in a massaging motion using your hands. This salad will keep for 2 days.

[GoodbyeGirl]

MOOSANG CHE (seasoned radish)
1 1/2 pounds white radish, chopped very fine or shredded with a food slicer
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons red pepper powder
1 teaspoon crushed garlic

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients using your hand. Then strain the liquid from the seasoned radish before serving or storing. Too much liquid dilutes the spicy flavor of seasoned radish. Serve chilled for maximum flavor

[GoodbyeGirl]

WU-UNG BOKUM (gobo turnip saute)
1 pound gobo turnips
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Shave the turnip using a carrot peeler. Cut into slender strips about 1 inch long. Cook in boiling water. Bite into a piece to test if the turnip is done; it should be chewable. Strain and keep aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and water. In a cooking pot, mix the sauce in with the gobo turnip. Without using a lid, cook over a medium flame until the liquid evaporates and the turnip seems to have absorbed most of the sauce. Sprinkle on sesame seeds. Tasty served cold or hot, and will keep for up to a week refrigerated.

[GoodbyeGirl]

HOBAK BOKUM (zucchini saute)
4 medium-size zucchini
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon sesame salt

Clean zucchini thoroughly. Halve the zucchini and slice into thin semi-circles. Use a shredder to make it even easier. In a pan suitable to sauté, mix together the zucchini with salad oil, salt, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes over a high flame. Sauté for 2 more minutes over a medium flame. Sprinkle with sesame salt. Immediately remove to a plate to prevent the zucchini from getting soggy. Serve hot or cold; it's tasty both ways

[GoodbyeGirl]

BORI BOP (barley & rice)
1 1/2 cups barley
3/4 cup white rice

Soak barley in water for 24 hours. In a heavy pot, combine 3 cups of water with the drained barley and rice. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over a medium flame. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes. Cover the pot once again and simmer for 25 minutes over a low flame. Serve hot

[GoodbyeGirl]

Prepare the chestnuts in this manner: Chestnuts that have been well dried by leaving them at room temperature for a day or two are easier to peel with a serrated knife. Sometimes the peel can be broken off with your fingers. To remove the inner and outer skin, cut off about half of the thick outer shell and drop the chestnuts in boiling water. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, cool enough to handle, then pull off both skins.

BAM BAP (korean chestnut rice)
2 cups rice
6 chestnuts
3 1/2 cups water

Rinse the rice in cold water and drain. Peel the chestnuts of their outer brown skins and the inner, thinner skin linings. Cut them into halves, if large, or leave them whole if they are small. Combine the rice, chestnuts and water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir once or twice toward the end of the cooking. The water will have been absorbed and the chestnuts softened. Serve warm.

[GoodbyeGirl]

JAHT-GOKE BOP (rice with grains)
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup small red beans
1 cup barley
1 cup brown rice
1 cup sweet rice

Soak the black beans, red beans, barley, and brown rice for at least 24 hours. Reserve the water in which the black beans and red beans were soaking to use as a natural colorant when cooking the rice. In a heavy pot, combine all the grains and beans. Measure in 3 cups water using the reserved water, adding fresh water if it falls short. Cover and cook over a medium flame for 15 minutes. Then cover and simmer over a low flame for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

[GoodbyeGirl]

OL KIMCHI (korean cucumber pickle)
6 cucumbers
2 tablespoons salt
2 scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried ground chili peppers
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon chopped candied ginger (optional)
2/3 cup water

Scrub the cucumbers thoroughly. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut into pieces 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Wash and drain the cucumbers. Chop the scallion coarsely. Add the garlic, chili peppers, ginger, and remaining salt. Combine these ingredients with the cucumbers and place in a bowl. Add the water and stir.
Cover and place in a warm spot. Marinate for at least 48 hours, although if the weather is cool it will sometimes take several days longer to become pickled. In order to prevent the pickle odor from spreading, either place in a secluded spot or cover well with several layers of cloth. Chill and serve cold as a relish.

[GoodbyeGirl]

DANGOON BAP SANGCHAE (rice and carrot salad)
3 cups cooked rice
3 carrots, shredded
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
5 to 6 leaves leaf lettuce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

GINGER DRESSING
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 taespoon shredded fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, mix together the rice, carrots, and onions. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the rice mixture, and lightly toss the salad. Cover a platter or salad plate with the lettuce leaves. Spoon salad onto the lettuce, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, and serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

They also really like to use fish broth in just about everything....including their kimchi. Ask very specific questions. Don't just say "meat". They tend to think that pork, ham, sausage, fish, seafood, duck, chicken, etc. is NOT meat. Oh, and eggs. Be very, very, very specific.

all the more reason to learn to cook these simple and delicious foods for yourself and your friends at home.