Things I found amusing today: at a business luncheon, the gentlemen stood up for me when I went to use the restroom. Tickled pink, I was! It’s so rare to find organic gentlemen anymore and my friend calls a replacing phenomenon as “overt chivalry,” where now, when men display manners, they also bring with them a neon green highlighter, nearly screaming “look what I did!!” I found more amusement when I went to refill my prescription. I don’t know about you, but I just don’t own a fax machine so, in the end, I was actually able to text a picture of my prescription and it sufficed. They even sent a “thank you, have a great day” reply text. The thing I find even more amusing is the fact that I’m amused. My friends who are much more tech savvy than I’ll ever be are on digital clouds, streaming music that came out tomorrow and I’m not even sure what streaming is, exactly which is all the more funnier considering The Squishy Monster lives on the internet. All I know is that her house is pink. Last thing I found amusing today: I woke up mighty perturbed having been jolted out of my slumber by a dream of pops being chased by a vicious dinosaur. Random much?
Ok, enough random nonsense, let’s talk about Kimchi…
What is Kimchi?
Spicy, fermented Napa cabbage. It is on every Korean table for every meal.
We grew up poor. No bones about it. Many immigrants breathlessly arrive in the States with little more than a dream in their left pocket, a photo of their loved ones in the other. Often times, meats lined in tin cans served as our main protein. Spam, vienna sausages, tuna? We had it all. Both pops and mama had a knack for making things stretch. I attribute my resourcefulness to them. We never threw anything away, certainly not food but they had a way of making it so delicious, we were fain to devour it.
This jjigae (stew), is a vibrant marriage of old kimchi, scraps of veggies, and whatever potted meat that’s been left lonely in your pantry. I hope y’all can appreciate it for what it is. To us, kimchi is as primary as the rice that we eat it with.
- 4 strips of chopped Bacon
- 2 ts minced Garlic
- ½ tb Korean Pepper Flakes
- ½ sliced Onion
- 1 c roughly chopped well fermented Kimchi
- 1 can Tuna (packed in Olive Oil)
- 1½ c Water (or Chicken Broth) + 1 c Kimchi Broth
- ¼ block of cubed Tofu
- Green Onions (to scatter)
- Optional: Glass Noodles
- Fry your bacon.
- Stir in your onion, garlic, and pepper flakes.
- Add your kimchi and allow it to soften a bit.
- Tumble in your tuna.
- Tip in your liquids. Allow it to bubble.
- Top with tofu and sprinkle with lots of green onions.
How to make Kimchi
How to make a different kind of Kimchi
How to make Radish Kimchi
How to make Kimchi Braised Chicken
How to make Kimchi Fried Rice
How to make Kimchi Pancakes
How to make Kimchi Sausage Potstickers
How to make Kimchi Soba Noodles
Love & lots of Kimchi!
Your Squishy Monster ^.~
I love kimchi so much.. it’s so delicious.
Me too…we should make a “I love Kimchi club”
My mom makes kimchi fried rice with tuna, and this post is making me crave for it!
oooh, another fave =)
Must have been a T-Rex! You see, despite being very familiar with vicious dinos of all kinds, thanks, to my ds, I refrained from showing off and went for dear old Rex! Mmm, or did I just show off?! Can I do a chicken here instead of tuna?
Chicken would be delicious in this!
What a well written post…So true in every aspect from gentlemen to immigrants.
And Kimchi…I think that I am totally and absolutely hooked on Kimchi. Have to have it in my fridge and made it several times both napa and cucumber. Love it! Speaking on hooked on..I am hooked on your videos..I am loving them too. You are so natural! Now i am hungry…:/
lol, thanks Sandra! I love kimchi in all forms (though perhaps I’m a bit biased, lol). Thanks so much for watching, Sandra!
I love kimchi! This dish with tuna looks lovely! I can almost feel the heat from the spices!
On dull days, Kimchi Jjigae, really boosts your mood too.
I love your observations of immigrants
They are so true! I also grew up eating ‘canned goods’ (Spam, fried dace, corned beef, hotdog, sardines). Imagine if we ever fed our friends and kids those today! All hell will break loose! We, too, did a lot of stretching…like adding water to dish soap or shampoo to let them last longer…Hehehe…
Anyway, delicious kimchi! My mom-in-law’s neighbours are Koreans and they even have a special fridge for their kimchi! Love ‘em!
I hate to admit it, but spam still holds a nostalgic place in my heart…imagining such reactions today makes me LOL. It’s something I would never consider giving my kids but for you and me, we ate so much of it, I wonder how I developed properly, haha.
That’s so hilarious Angie….overt chivalry!!!! And kimchi has lately becoming a favorite of mine.
REBECCA
http://www.redtagchiclosangeles.com
Yay! I’m glad to hear it =)
you’re funny, squish ^^ and why do you do this to me? you’re killing me! i’ve been craving kimchi jjigae with tuna again, but there’s someone in the house who can’t take fish.. so it’s off-limits for the time being! this is too cruel!!!
Nom nom nom! So many flavours. Something I think i’de have to taste to imagine!
bring dessert, I’ll bring the spicy =)
A wonderfully delicious sounding recipe Angie. I had something similar last year . It was GREAT@@@ YUMM@@
There are a few of us gentleman left. Along with a few Ladies like you Angie that appreciate us and do not think we are being sexist or have a hidden agenda 9 THANK YOU. Dear Lady) Pass the good word lol, please?
Have a great day Angie.
Love Kimchi Jjigae, especially on cold nights =)
I laugh about goofy stuff all the time. In fact I’ll tell you one
I was texting my daughter-in-law the other day (verbal texting by the way). I meant to write “Would your son like one of those fake dogs that look likes it breathing?” Well, breathing came out as freezing and I could not quit laughing. I still think it’s hilarious…lol!! The stew looks and sounds really good. I see kimchi on Food Network all the time and it looks so good. I really do have to try it 
My auto correct goes a bit nuts too sometimes and I often send things that are way inappropriate but I laugh about it later so it serves as a daily comedic reminder, I suppose =) I love that you and your daughter in law are close though, I bet you’re a rockin’ mom-in-law!!!
Not sure if I am a fan of Kimchi, but definitely a fan of polite gentlemen.
lol—yes, yes.
It’s always the little things that are the most amusing. That kimchi dish looks amazeballs
Thanks, Kim!
Kimchi is awesome!
I think I’ll turn into Kimchi I eat it so much, lol
Hi my cute squishy chipmunk,
I like your mention of organic gentlemen, indeed it’s hard to come by a real organic. It’s almost extinct like dinosaur. Being chased by dinosaur in your dream…. LOL
Your KimChi look good, after so many decades now only I learn how to eat kim chi.
Have a lovely day ahead, regards.
Crazy dream, huh? I’m happy to hear you enjoy it now! =) Have a wonderful week, Amelia!
I LOVE the super crazy intense flavor of kimchi! so I have a feeling I’d absolutely adore this!!
So funny you mentioned your crazy dream, as my TT today is (will be) on dreams. I have wanted to make my own kimchi for years and knew it would be good if I made it but I just haven’t got the courage yet. I know it’s not complicated, I think it’s just that it’s something I’ve never done and it feels like such a huge undertaking to face something so unfamiliar. I finally got to try good kimchi at a restaurant (before I only tried jarred stuff which I did not like) and I’m in love. I knew it would be good if done right. This soup sounds sooo so good and healthy too!
all I know is dinosaurs rock!
even big purple ones? =)
AAAAH you met an organic gentleman!!!!! That’s just exciting
))
Love your kimchi dish today!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
You’re like the road runner, uru! =)