Monthly Archives: March 2020

Kimchi Tofu Stew (Jjigae)

Posted on by
Reply
COVID-19 Movement Control – Day 11
During this COVID-19 Control Movement Order, I started cooking more as we cant eat out and didn’t really like the food delivery.
I used Tefal Expertise wokpan to cook this Kimchi Stew as the wokpan is spacious enough for me to put all the ingredients and with the right depth. I didn’t put green onions as I don’t have it at home and didn’t want to go out to buy during this MCO period.
Tips:
  1. For higher protein, replace meat with chicken breast. Put more tofu.
  2. The quality of kimchi is important in making a good kimchi jiggae. Buy those with brine.
  3. My foodie friend told me another secret ingredient is to add a teaspoon of “dwenjang”, a Korean preserved bean paste. It adds another layer of complexity to the flavors.
  4. To be authentic, use anchovies stock.
  5. You can get all these from Korean supermarket.

Glad that my family enjoyed this simple meal. Stay in, eat in, stay safe.

Ingredients:
Meat
  • 300g of chicken, skinless pork belly/shoulder, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 tbsp rice wine
  • Dash of ground black pepper
Kimchi & Others
  • 2 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 454 g of kimchi (1 cup), cut into bite size pieces
  • ¼ cup kimchi brine
  • 4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups of broth (anchovy, chicken, beef, etc.)
  • 1 block of medium firm tofu (Japanese pressed tofu), sliced into 1cm thickness rectangles
  • 2 stalks of green onion, thinly sliced diagonally
  • 1 stalk of green onion, thinly sliced for garnishing
Jjigae sauce (mix in a bowl)
  • 1 tsp Korean chili/hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) – can omit if don’t want too spicy
  • 1 tsp Korean preserved bean paste (dwenjang)
  • 1 tbsp Korean chili/hot pepper paste (gochujang)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Dash of ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Marinate meat with rice wine and ground black pepper for about 15 mins.
 
2. Saute garlic and onions in a wokpan (or in a pot where you will make this jjigae) until fragrant. Add in the marinated meat.
3. Add kimchi, kimchi brine and mushrooms.
4. Add in the Jjigae sauce and pour in the broth. Let it boil.
5. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
6. Lay tofu over top.
7. Cover and cook another 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.
8. Add green onion on top of the stew.
9. Remove from heat and serve with rice.
Sometimes, I served it as hotpot on dining table.

One pot dish for dinner with meat (chicken, pork belly and pork shoulder), vegetables (kimchi, onion and green onion) and protein (tofu). I like to use 3 different types of meat to give varieties to this one pot dish. Kimchi Jjigae reminds me of our bak kut teh… also one pot dish and with few varieties of pork meat.

Pan-fried Salmon with Quinoa and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Posted on by
Reply

COVID-19 Movement Control – Day 7

Lunch: Pan-fried salmon with quinoa, roasted cherry tomatoes with parsley

The Universe received my vibration and sent more guardian angels to me. We received more food supplies today from brother in-law and sister. The fridge is full now. The leeks are for me to make fish stock that the TTDI seafood auntie taught me. Oh Yes … the stranger from FB group chat messaged me just now and offered her masks to me. I am so grateful for these beautiful people.

  Salmons given by brother in-law yesterday. This is so, so yummy

Quinoa

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups of water
  • Minced garlic
  • Chopped parsley
  • Olive oil
  • Lemon

Method:

  1. Rinse the quinoa before cooking
  2. Put in a rice cooker, add in water and cook. The quinoa will be ready in about 30 minutes.
  3. Put minced garlic and chopped parsley. Season to taste with drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice.
  4. Scoop quinoa onto a serving plate.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Minced garlic
  • Chopped parsley

Method:

  1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add olive oil
  3. Sauté garlic till fragrant. Add in chopped parsley.
  4. Put on a side of serving plate

 Pan fried Salmon

Ingredients:

  • Salmon filets, deboned with skin on
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tbsp. olive oil
  • 20g unsalted butter
  • ½ lemon

Method:

  1. Use a knife to score the skin of salmon about half an inch deep. Keep the cut closer together and the skin will be crispier.
  2. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
  4. Add olive oil and butter.
  5. Gently place the salmon skin-side down to the pan. Leave the salmon to cook till the colour change and rise 2/3 of the salmon.

6. Flip over the salmon and cook for another few minutes.

Remove the salmon and place the salmon on top of cooked quinoa, skin-side upMy friend said I have good food to eat during this MCO, so many variations. I only have the time to cook 1 dish meal, food high in protein and what I like to eat. At least, they get me excited to cook, take pictures and post them on my blog. Hopefully, it will give you some inspiration on what to cook during this MCO.