Archive for December, 2008

The root of this species (radix platycodi) is used extensively in as an anti-inflammatory in the treatment of coughs and colds. In Korea the plant is known as DoRaJi (도라지) and its root, either dried or fresh, is a popular ingredient in salads and traditional cuisine.
This has bitter taste, so you have to soak in water several hours (fresh one) or at least overnight (dried one) before you use them for cooking.
Read more from Wikipedia…

  • Use:
    For Cold, Sidedishes, Soup, Salad, BiBimBap

  • Storage:
    Dried Bellflower roots: Keep in the cabinet. Long term storage: Keep in the freezer
    Fresh Bellflower roots: Keep in the refrigerator

  • Types:
    Dried, Fresh

  • Short Korean lesson: *^^*
    DoRaJi (도라지)=Bellflower Root

Strawberry Sandwich Cookies

Posted by: Aeri Leein Other Food in Other Food
20
Dec



Nowadays, I’m learning how to make American food and desserts. It’s fun to bake. Unfortunately, one weird thing about me is that I don’t like sweet things: ice-cream, candy, cake, pie, or cookies except fruit flavor candy. But I love cooking, baking, and eating. Good grief, if I liked to eat desserts, my belly will be 10 times bigger than now. hehe … Plus, my honey loves desserts, so I can enjoy baking desserts and he can enjoy eating them. :D Anyway, I tried a cookie recipe from a baking book that I got recently. It is a 500+ page heavy duty book that got on sale for only 5 dollars. ASSA!!! :D The recipe was called “Raspberry Sandwich Cookies.” Since I didn’t have any raspberry jam, I used homemade strawberry jam that my sister-in-law made instead. It worked pretty good. Maybe it was because of her yummy strawberry jam? hehe ;) My husband gave 4 stars out of 5 for this recipe. Here is the recipe for you, if you want…hehe

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Almonds
  • 1½ Cups Flour
  • ¾ Cup (1½ Sticks) Butter, at room temperature
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Egg White
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • ⅓ Cup Chopped Almonds
  • 1 Cup Raspberry Jam (or Strawberry Jam)
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Yield: About 30 Cookies

Directions:

  1. Place the almonds and 3 Tbsp of the flour in a blender and process until finely ground. Set it aside.
  2. Mix the cream, butter, and sugar together in an electric mixer until they are light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Add the ground almonds and remaining flour. Mix well to form a dough. Gather into a ball, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerator for about an hour.
  3. Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper.
  4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out one piece of the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch on a lightly floured surface. With a 2½-inch round cookie cutter (or a glass,) stamp out circles. Roll out the leftover dough again, and stamp out more circles. Continue until no dough remains.
  5. Find something to stamp out the centers with – about ¾ inch. I used a tip used for icing. Only cut out the centers from half of the cookies. Place dough rings and circles ½ inch apart on the cookie sheets.
  6. Whisk the egg white with the salt until frothy. Brush only the cookie rings with the egg white, then sprinkle the chopped almonds on top. Bake until very lightly browned – about 12-15 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring them to a rack.
  7. In a saucepan, melt the jam with the lemon juice. Brush the jam over the cookie circles and then put the rings on top.

Kelp (다시마=DaShiMa)

Posted by: Aeri Leein Ingredients in Ingredients
20
Dec

DaShiMa (다시마) also called Kombu (konbu in Japanese or haidai in Chinese) are edible kelp from widely eaten in East Asia.
Read more from Wikipedia…

  • Use:
    To make broth for soup, Fried Side-dish

  • Storage:
    Keep in the cabinet.

  • Short Korean lesson: *^^*
    Dashima (다시마)=Kelp


Red bean paste or Azuki bean paste is a sweet, dark red bean paste originating from China. It is used in Chinese cuisine, Japanese confectionery, and Korean cuisine. It is prepared by boiling and mashing azuki beans and then sweetening the paste with sugar or honey. The husk of the beans may be removed by sieving before sweetening, which leads to a smoother and more homogeneous paste.
Red bean paste is used in various Korean snack foods and desserts; including: Baram Dduk, BungEoPpang (붕어빵), HoTteok (호떡), PatBingSu (팥빙수), PatDanJa (팥단자), PatJuk (팥죽), PatTteok (팥떡)
Read more from Wikipedia…

  • Use:
    Dessert (Filling, For rice cakes), Porridge

  • Storage:
    Once it’s opened, keep it in the refrigerator.

  • Types:
    Smooth paste for: filling
    Paste with red bean chunks for: PatGingSu, Porridge

  • Short Korean lesson: *^^*
    Pat (팥)=Red Bean
    AngGeum (앙금)=Paste

Tofu (두부=DuBu)

Posted by: Aeri Leein Ingredients in Ingredients
20
Dec

Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds. Although pre-made soy milk may be used, most tofu producers begin by making their own soy milk, which is produced by soaking, grinding, boiling and straining dried (or, less commonly, fresh) soybeans.
Read more from Wikipedia…

  • Use:
    Soup, Stew, Side dish, Ingredient for dumplings

  • Storage:
    Keep in the refrigerator.

  • Types:
    Soft: for salad, soup (SunDuBu)
    Normal: Soup
    Firm: Frying

  • Short Korean lesson: *^^*
    Dubu (두부)=Tofu