Korean Food

  1. A Collection of 5 Minute Fixes

    October 23, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    Banchan aka Side Dish, and to begin our collection, here are a few Korean Side Dishes, that along with this beautiful crunchy Broccoli Salad comes up in mere minutes.

    Squid Jerky

    Stir Fried Anchovies

    Whelk Salad

    Drinks that can be whipped up in 5 minutes:

    ‘Otai, Tropical Drink

    Blueberry Kale Smoothie, my favorite!

    Even Rice Cakes can be made in just 10 minutes.  {Not bad for something that used to take hours}!

    To make this beautifully crunchy and flavorful Broccoli Salad, you don’t even need 10 whole minutes.  You’re just 5 minutes away from a unique salad that can be eaten as is or tumbled into Bibimbap!

    Korean Broccoli Side Dish {Banchan}

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    Broccoli Salad, A Korean Banchan

    Broccoli Salad, A Korean Banchan

    Ingredients

    • 1 Head Broccoli, cut into Florets
    • 3 tb Gochujang (Korean Hot Pepper Paste)
    • 1 tb Sesame Oil
    • 1 tb Sesame Seeds
    • 2 ts Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 2 tb Brown Sugar
    • Black Pepper
    • Green Onion Garnish.

    Instructions

    1. Boil your water and salt it well.
    2. Toss in your florets and cook for no longer than 3 minutes.
    3. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and retain their vibrant green color.
    4. Tumble in all of your ingredients and mix well. Garnish with Green Onions.
    5. Serve immediately, at room temperature, in Bibimbap, or keep in the fridge.
    http://www.thesquishymonster.com/2012/10/broccoli-salad-a-korean-banchan.html

    Cheers to eating your Veggies!  {Mom would be so proud} ;)

    Love,

    {and 5 minute fixes},

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Health/Healthy Health/Healthy Korean Food Korean Food Spicy Spicy Veggies or Vegan Veggies or Vegan Videos | 67 Comments

  2. A Little Bit of Fusion

    September 28, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    When I was young, Daddy used to submerge an entire 10 lb roasting chicken in bubbling hot water, proceed to shred it and squeeze a huge mountain of ketchup for us on the side with rice and Kimchi to eat as supper.

    There are things that stay with you from childhood that you carry with you well into your adult years that you tenderly reflect back on (no matter how weird it was).  This is one of them for me.  Mama used to do it with Beef and to this day, I have a strange fondness for boiled meat + ketchup but that’s how we grew up back then.  In our household, Spam was once legitimately viewed as a “protein” source.  Of course, we all laugh about it now but it’s that age of innocence and simplicity that we remember that encourages the laughter to continue.

    This is a dish that I came up with on the fly (much like how many of my personal dishes are born) on one of those days that me and my brothers were gabbing back and forth about the good ole’ days.  It can still be hailed as a simple dish with humble roots but with a slight makeover.  I hope you give it a try.

    Korean Food: Kimchi Braised Chicken

    Kimchi Braised Chicken
     
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    Ingredients
    • 8 Pieces Bone-in Chicken
    • 1 ts finely minced Ginger
    • 2 ts finely minced Garlic
    • 1 tb Sesame Oil
    • 2 tb Brown Sugar
    • 1 tb Sesame Seed
    • 2 c Chopped Kimchi + its Liquid
    • 4 Chopped Potatoes
    • 2 Chopped Onions
    • S & P

    Instructions
    1. Rinse your Chicken and set it down in a deep casserole dish.
    2. Sprinkle in the rest of your ingredients minus your Potatoes and Onions.
    3. Massage this mixture well into your Chicken.
    4. Topple in the rest of your Veggies, cover, and allow to marinade to penetrate for at least an hour or two in the fridge.
    5. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.
    6. Garnish with extra Sesame Seeds or Green Onions.

    Cheers to great memories!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Fusion Fusion Korean Food Korean Food Meats Meats Spicy Spicy Videos | 52 Comments

  3. Korean BBQ

    August 22, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    Why LA?  It’s said that this dish originated in Los Angeles.  Or it could be that it’s cut differently than how they do it in Korea.  Here, it is a thin flanken/LAteral cut (like bacon). Why Galbi?  It means “Ribs” in Korean. (Or delicious!) ;)

    Korean BBQ Galbi

    Korean BBQ Galbi
     
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    Ingredients
    • 3 lbs Beef Short Ribs (thin, flanken/lateral cut Ribs)
    • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    • 1 c Soy Sauce
    • ¼ c Soju or Coke
    • ¼ c Sesame Oil
    • 1 tb Sesame Seeds
    • ¼ c Brown Sugar or Honey
    • ¼ c grated Asian Pear (or Bosc)
    • 5 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 ts grated Ginger
    • 1 Onion
    • 3 stalks Green Onions/Chives
    • Salt (as needed)

    Instructions
    1. Make sure to rinse your ribs well. There are lots of tiny bone fragments that are not good to eat.
    2. Drain and set aside on a bed of Onions and Green Onions/Chives. Pepper both sides well.
    3. Blend all of your marinade together and pour it over your ribs. Massage it into your meat with your hands.
    4. Allow the marinade to penetrate into your meat for at least a few hours. Overnight is best.
    5. Bring to room temperature and cook over a hot grill.
    6. Best served with Perilla/Butter/Bib/Romaine Leaves, Hot Pepper Paste Sauce, and grilled Garlic and Mushrooms.

    If you’re ever so lucky to have any left over, these are great made into burritos/tacos the next day.  I take a steamed tortilla, lay down my meat, rice, sriracha or chopped up Kimchi, maybe some pepper jack, avocado/guac and tons of cilantro and it’s absolutely delish!

    Since baby brother has been here, we’ve had it 3 times (if that’s any indication of how yummy it is)!

    So, you could just have boring ole’ hot dogs at your next outing, or you could do it up like we do and mesh old with the new, Korean with American.  (Tonight, I’ll be making a traditional Korean dinner with Tiramisu for dessert–more on that later).

    Love & Lettuce Wraps

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Korean Food Korean Food Meats Meats Videos | 40 Comments

  4. Cake & Lightning

    August 2, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    …bc that’s just how we roll in this house, lol.

    The first of August always marks Mama’s birthday (that is, if you conveniently ignore the fact that technically, her Korean Birthday is selected on a new and different day each year according to the Lunar Calender).  Koreans consider the gestation period as the first year and age is referred to in terms of Sal 살.

    Yesterday was also subject to one of the craziest lightning storms ever.  Of course me and my friends thought it’d be brilliant to go swimming.  (Mind you, right after a large meal + the baby stages of a booming lightning storm).  Needless to say, we hung out by the lounge chairs and allowed mosquitoes to dine at an all-you-can-eat Squishy buffet.  I think there was conversation and music in the background.  I can’t say because I was waging a futile battle with the mosquitoes and I lost… my poor arms and legs look like sheets of angry red button candy.  Remember those?

    Ah, I digress.  I can’t help it.  Currently, I’m scratch-scratch-scratching, making the situation worse and as I peer into a mirror, my suspicions are confirmed HAHA.

    …but as I was saying, let’s rewind a bit.  We fused east with west and had the traditional Korean Birthday Soup and afterwards, Mama had her cake and ate it too!

    On the left, you’ll find it in it’s dried form.  Rehydrate and about 15 minutes later, you have glossy, streaky ribbons of Seaplant/Sea Mustard/Seaweed for soup OR, this salad.

    I will definitely be making a video on this but until then, here’s how I made mine for last nights dinner:

    Korean Seaweed Soup
     
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    Ingredients
    • 5 c soaked Miyuk (re-hydrated dried Seaweed)
    • 5 quarts of fresh, filtered Water
    • 3 tb Sesame Oil
    • 4 cloves of crushed Garlic
    • 3 tb Fish Sauce
    • 1 large sliced Onion
    • ½ c Clams/Mussesl/Shrimp
    • Kosher Salt
    • Freshly Ground Pepper

    Instructions
    1. Plunge your dried Miyuk in room temperature-warm water for 15-20 min. Drain and cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
    2. In a large pot, heat up your Sesame Oil and begin to soften your crushed Garlic.
    3. Slowly add in your Seaweed, sprinkle over your Fish Sauce, S & P and stir. Then, pour in your water with Onions and allow it to come to a bubble. Cook at medium heat for about 20 more minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
    4. Lastly, add in your Seafood.

    Notes
    You can sub out the Seafood for any other protein if you’d like. Beef Brisket is a traditional choice as well.

     

    Pulling the flavors of Summer together, I decided to bake Mama a Lemon Layer Cake, stuffed with macerated Strawberries, frosted with a fluffy, Lemon scented Whipped Cream.

    This is this Cake revamped with Meyer Lemons, instead.  There’s a lot of Lemon lovin’ going on.  I pulled back a half cup with my dairy and made up for it with fresh Lemon juice and sprinkled in a heavy dose of Lemon zest.  I opted out of a heavier Buttercream and infused the Whipped Cream with plenty of Lemon zest too.  I created a bit more height and a refreshing and summer-y layer with macerated Strawberries (I used 2 tb Sugar + 1/4 c Limoncello)

    and the big bang to the night….!

    I think I must have sat there in between bug bites, starring at this silent and wondrous sky for at least an hour.

    Crazy, huh?

    Cake & Lightning,

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster

     

    Categories: Health/Healthy Health/Healthy Korean Food Korean Food Life Soups Soups Veggies or Vegan Veggies or Vegan | 23 Comments

  5. An Early Father’s Day

    June 14, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    As most (not all) distinguished gentlemen of a certain age, Daddy likes what he likes.  He bites into raw Onions like Apples and grins as he dips his extra large dried Anchovies into Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste).  His favorite foods include Maeuntang, Oreos, Fig Newtons, anything with Fish, and this Sujebi.  I used to sit and watch him tear dough to float into simmering broth to make these dumplings and never understood what the appeal of that was.  Mama told us that it was a meal that Daddy used to have a lot with his family because they were so poor.  Flour was inexpensive, water was free, and all sorts of scraps could be tossed in.  I think that last point is where Daddy gets his habit of pairing things that just do not go together from but, I love Daddy with all my heart and since it’s Father’s Day on Sunday and I won’t be here, I wanted to make this just for him. Happy Father’s Day Daddy.  I love you with my entire heart (craziness and all)!

    So, if you’ve got some random bits lying around and some Flour, why not give this a try?

    Sujebi, Korean Dumpling Soup 수제비
     
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    Ingredients
    Dumplings
    • 2 c Flour
    • 1 ts Sugar
    • ½ ts Salt
    • 1 tb Oil
    • ½ c Water
    Stock
    • 8 c Water
    • ¼ c Dried Anchovies
    • 2 pieces of Kelp
    • 2 tb Fish Sauce
    Veggies
    • 5-6 cloves of Garlic
    • 1 Medium Onion
    • ½ c Carrots
    • ½ c Potatoes
    • ½ c Zucchini
    Optional:
    • Chopped Kimchi
    • Shrimp
    • Mussels
    • Eggs

    Instructions
    1. Begin by heating up your water with your Anchovies and Kelp.
    2. Simultaneously, work on your dough. Sift together all your dry dumpling ingredients and slowly add in your oil and water. Mix to combine and finish off by kneading with your hands. You want to produce a smooth dough ball. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
    3. When your water has boiled for about 20 minutes, extract the Fish and Kelp.
    4. Add your Veggies and Fish Sauce to the pot, keep in mind your Potatoes will take the longest and the starch will help thicken the soup.
    5. After your dough has chilled, smooth it out with both thumbs and begin breaking off bite size pieces. They are done when they begin to float to the surface (but double check by testing one).
    6. Salt and Pepper to taste and serve with Kimchi.

    I will be back from Florida on Sunday.

    Love & Dumplings,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.^

    Categories: Korean Food Korean Food Seafood Seafood Soups Soups Veggies or Vegan Veggies or Vegan Videos | 32 Comments

  6. Meat Meets Spicy

    June 2, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    After the classic Mandu/Mandoo video I posted awhile back, I’ve gotten several requests for variations on it.  You and wonton skins can have a bff set up, if you wish.  They will provide you with hours of endless entertainment if you only you allow your imagination to run wild.  Sometimes, when I’m feeling extra kooky, I fill them with Nutella and Strawberries, deep fry them and dust them off with powdered Sugar.  Does your next question pertain to “how does that taste?”  Um, it kicks ass.  I recently bid baby brother goodbye for his solo adventure in Canada (hopefully, I will get to visit him next week) and sitting very lonely I might add, was the sausage I’d picked up with dreams of some sort of breakfast casserole involving hash browns, cheese, and sausage.  The running joke with my friends is that I can eat just about anyone under the table at a Buffet.  For the record, I’d be quite ok if I never ever had to go to another one.  Even so, an entire casserole dish is a bit much for me to polish off by myself.  It only doesn’t have calories if my brothers are here with me to share.  Oh, I miss them :(

    So, I bring to you Kimchi & Sausage Potstickers (between this and the dump dish, I award her as the beauty contest winner, anyways).

    Kimchi & Sausage Potstickers

    Kimchi & Sausage Potstickers
     
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    Ingredients
    • 1 lb uncased, natural Sausage
    • 2 c finely chopped Kimchi
    • ½ tb Soy Sauce
    • 1 tb Sesame Oil
    • 2-3 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 ts fresh, minced Ginger
    • 2 stalks Green Onions
    • 1-2 tb Red Pepper Flakes
    • 1 Egg
    • 1 package Wonton Skins
    For the Dipping Sauce
    • ¼ c Soy Sauce
    • Juice of half an Orange
    • 1-2 ts Agave or Honey
    • ½ tb Sesame Oil
    • 2 ts Sesame Seed

    Instructions
    1. In a large bowl, pile all of your ingredients in, save the Wonton Skins.
    2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes for it to gain a chance to come together.
    3. Brush an Egg Wash on all four sides of your Wonton Skins and take about 1-2 ts of your filling mixture and place it in the center. How you want them to look is up to you, just make sure all of your edges are sealed tightly.
    4. In a shallow, but broad pot, sit your steam rack above the simmering water (not touching) and in single layers, steam your Potstickers for about 15 minutes, keeping in mind that you want the Sausage to cook through.
    5. For the dipping sauce, whisk everything together in a bowl.

    Notes
    The best Kimchi to use is one that is deeply fermented. Your nose will know! The color will be a deep, dark red and the leaves will be super soft. It’s basically “old” Kimchi.

     

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories 61 Calories from Fat 30

    % Daily Value*

    Total Fat 3 g5.1%

    Saturated Fat 0.95 g4.7%

    Trans Fat 0 g

    Cholesterol 12.7 mg4.2%

    Sodium 210.8 mg8.8%

    Total Carbohydrates 5 g1.6%

    Dietary Fiber 0.54 g2.1%

    Sugars 0.2 g

    Protein 3 g5.2%

    Vitamin A 3.1% Vitamin C 3%

    Calcium 1.2% Iron 2.4%

    *Based on a 2000 Calorie diet

     

    Here’s that first dumpling video I posted:

    Korean Food Dumplings

    For the Garlicky Scallion Sauce:

    • 1/4 c Soy Sauce
    • 1 1/2 ts Sesame Oil
    • 2 ts Sesame Seed
    • 1 clove of finely crushed/minced Garlic
    • 1/4 ts Ginger
    • 2 ts Red Pepper Flakes
    • 1/2 thinly sliced Scallion

    You can serve these steamed (as shown), pan fried or made into a soup.

    Quick Dumpling Soup:

    Bring 5 c Water and 2 ts of Dried Anchovies to a rolling boil.  Add your desired chopped veggies (but make sure you include 2 ts of Garlic in it) I personally like Zucchini & Onions but you can use whatever you like and want to eat.  Salt & Pepper.  Add in your Potstickers and bring all of it to a fierce boil for at least 10-15 minutes.   Before serving, crack a beaten egg into it and gently scramble within the broth with a fork. Add in sliced Rice Cakes if you’d like.  Garnish with Scallions.

    These babies freeze beautifully.  Tip: lay them on a single layer on your Silpat, pop into the freezer for 20-30 minutes and when they’re hardened, tumble them into a tupperware.  I’ve kept mine up to 4 months before.

    I’ve received several messages in regards to where you can obtain Kimchi.  You can make your own Kimchi or purchase it any Korean Market (sometimes Asian Markets) and I found it at my local Health Food Store as well.

    Happy Steaming!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster

    Categories: Appetizers Appetizers Fusion Fusion Korean Food Korean Food Meats Meats Spicy Spicy Videos | 25 Comments

  7. Korean Shaved Ice

    May 29, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    Pat means Sweet Red Bean and Bingsu means Shaved Ice.

    That’s all you really need to know because beyond that, you squish in what fits in.  I tumbled in chunks of fruit that happened to be on sale at my market.  You can literally add whatever you want to.  Chocolate/Peanut Butter, Liquid Cheesecake, Guava Syrup, Crunchy Cereals, Crumbled Cookies, Toasted Nuts/Coconuts, Lychee…whatever!

    It’s such a popular dessert in Korea and maybe so because it gets H.O.T!  Not to mention, there’s so much walking to be done, lol.  Whenever I visit Korea, I gain about 20 lbs because I’m going pretty hard on all the exciting, stimulating flavors happening all over the place and lose it right back because of the heat + active spirit of everyone around you.

    The first thing you’ll want to do is prepare your Mochi.  You can omit the Coffee for Water if you don’t want a “Mocha flavor.”  Also, roll your dough in Powdered Sugar, not Wheat Starch/Corn Starch.  Leave them unfilled and cut them up into bits, instead.  (Cooling your dough helps a great deal in handling it).

    PatBingSu Korean Shaved Ice 팥빙수
     
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    Ingredients
    • 2 c Shaved Ice
    • ¼-1/2 c each of any Fresh Fruit
    • ¼ c Sweetened Red Beans (not paste)
    • ¼ c Sticky Rice Cake Bites or Mochi
    • 2-4 tb Sweetened Condensed Milk

    Instructions
    1. In a serving dish, layer all of your ingredients together.
    2. Finish off with a generous drizzle of Sweetened Condensed Milk.
    3. Mix the whole thing together before eating.

    My Dad had like, 6 servings of this.  Fortunately, I guess we’re wired to be immune to brain freezes.

    Confession #567, I’ve never had a brain freeze and don’t even know what they feel like.

    Hope y’all are staying cool!

    XOXO

    Your Squishy Monster

    Categories: Gluten Free Gluten Free Korean Food Korean Food Sweets Sweets Videos | 19 Comments

  8. Weird, but Delicious

    May 7, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    I brought this over to my friends house.  They wanted nothing to do with it.  I share this recipe with you in hopes that some of y’all will have an adventurous enough spirit to give this a go, at least once…and to be quite honest, I’ve fooled my friends into trying it (unbeknownst to them) before so muhahahah to you! When you dine at any Korean Restaurant, it’s typical for a nice spread of various “Banchan” (side dishes) to be brought out to accompany your meal.  Everything is served in a manner that quite honestly, can’t be separated from one “Muchim” (mixed Banchan) to another.  When lured in by the sight of fatty meats grilling table side, pleasantly sputtering in its own juices, and you and your friends are high on the anticipation of comedically large, steaming bowls of this spicy Soup or that savory Noodle dish, being brought out for the sole purpose of pleasuring you, it’s easy to persuade them to try everything spread at the table before them.  Hence, the trickery!  I distinctly remember them both eating this and liking it so it’s just a situation of mind over matter.

    After spending a weekend with the queen of finicky eaters, I am so not beyond concealing one thing into another just to get someone to eat something.  (I shaved an apple into Princesses Strawberry Milkshake with heaping spoons of ground Flax Seed and she was none the wiser).  I encourage you to set this out with your Kimchi and see how quickly it disappears!

    Korean Food Sea Snail (Whelk) Salad

    Sea Snail (Whelk) Salad
     
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    Ingredients
    • 1 can of Bai Top (Sea Snails), rinsed, drained, cut into pieces
    • 4 Garlic cloves, finely minced
    • 2 ts Rice Vinegar
    • 1 tb Sesame Oil
    • 2 ts Fish Sauce
    • 1 tb Sugar
    • 2 tb Red Pepper Flakes
    • 3 tb Red Pepper Paste
    • 1 tb Sesame Seeds
    • ½ English Cucumber
    • ¼ c shredded Carrots
    • ¼ c cut Cabbage
    • 2 Green Onions

    Instructions
    1. In a small bowl, sprinkle your Cucumber slices with 1 tb of Salt (to draw out the moisture). Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes, drain and squeeze the excess moisture out.
    2. In a separate large bowl, mix your “sauce” together which is everything but your Veggies and Meat.
    3. Toss in your Veggies and Snails.
    4. Take your gloved hands and massage/press everything together. It will produce a vibrant ruby Salad.
    5. Store in the fridge.

     

    Categories: Korean Food Korean Food Seafood Seafood Spicy Spicy Videos | 15 Comments

  9. Papa’s got a Brand New Bag

    April 27, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    The last time I went to Korea, my Cousins took me to “Pizza Hut.”  It seemed like everything had corn on it.  It bothered me then, but I’ve really latched onto the concept since.  It echoes my childhood Breakfasts of canned Beans and Corn, lol.  Now this “Pizza” doesn’t have Corn on it, (but it could)!  It elaborates on the idea of putting things in a dish that, in hindsight make complete sense!  Like one of those Homer Simpson “d’oh!” moments.  Why should Korean BBQ be held to the strict confines of Rice and Kimchi?  Holy cow, next time I make this, I’m definitely adding Kimchi!!!

    Korean BBQ “Pizza”

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    Korean BBQ Pizza
     
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    Ingredients
    • 1 Ribeye
    • ½ Onion
    • 6-8 Mushrooms (any variety)
    • 1 Bell Pepper
    • 2 pieces of Naan (Pizza dough or any Flat-bread works as well)
    • 2 c shredded Mozzarella (any nicely melting Cheese would work)
    • Bulgogi Marinade (Recipe Follows)
    • Gochujang Sauce (Recipe Follows)
    For the Bulgogi Marinade:
    • ¼ c Soy Sauce
    • 1 tb Agave/Coconut Nectar/Honey/Rice Syrup
    • 2 tb grated Asian Pear or Fuji Apple
    • ½ ts Ginger
    • 2 ts Garlic
    • 2 ts Sesame Seed
    • 1 tb Sesame Oil
    For the Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) Sauce
    • ¼ c Hot Pepper Paste (or Roasted Red Peppers/Tomatoes)
    • ½ tb Agave/Coconut Nectar/Honey/Rice Syrup
    • 2 ts Sesame Oil
    • 2-3 tb Water (enough to thin out your Sauce to a spreadable consistency)
    • 1 head of Roasted Garlic

    Instructions
    1. Pepper your Steak and pop it into your freezer for it to firm up enough to cut into thin slices (20 min or so)…add your slices to your Marinade (the longer it sits the better min: 30 min up to 2 days) *Grilling outdoors makes this superb!!!
    2. Cut the top off of your whole head of Garlic, wrap it in a sheet of foil after liberally dousing with Olive Oil, S + P. Mine took about 35-45 min but check on it after the 30 min mark and see if it’s satisfactory to you. Blitz to mix.
    3. To assemble, smear your sauce on your Flat-Bread, drape your toppings and sprinkle with Cheese. The Naan takes literally less than 5 min so bake at 350 until your Cheese gets nice and gooey.

    One day, I want to have a Pizza Party with all of y’all…just like in Grade School with Balloons, Streamers, and Glass Bottle Sodas!!

    Love Always,

    Your Squishy Monster =D

    XOXO!!!!

    Categories: Fusion Fusion Korean Food Korean Food Meats Meats Spicy Spicy Videos | 2 Comments

  10. The Silver Lining

    April 20, 2012 by The Squishy Monster

    I’ve only been absent for a few days now, and I’ve received messages about when a new video will be available.  It’s not that I’ve stopped.  Quite the contrary.  I’ve still been here, crafting together new recipes, polishing old ones to a new shine, editing videos and trying my best to perfect my craft altogether.  It’s a work in progress, but one that I thoroughly enjoy.  No matter how much my feet hurt or how pruned my fingers are, at the end of the day, I experience a strange mix of utter fatigue and happiness.  It’s what I love to do, what I’m passionate about.  I cannot even begin to convey the joy and pleasure I extract from a sugary Facial of Classic Syrup for a Cake or Lavender Lemonade or the incredible thrill I absorb from watching simple Groceries morph into something delicious.  It is the entire journey + reward of yummies that fuel my itch to get into that Kitchen each and every day and roll into a downy bed of Flour or immerse myself entirely in the bath of an intoxicating fermented Soup.

    So I am particularly sad to share the news that I’ve recently been click-bombed several times on my channel.  This typically means that someone purposely and repeatedly clicked on ads with the full intent to disable an account.  I was reinstated for a short while only to fall victim to it, yet again.  I’m fairly certain I know what caused it but this does nothing to impact the decision that falls beyond my control.  Needless to say, the decision stands …indefinitely.  I struggled with it all week and reached the decision that I will continue making videos.  With or without outside help.  This is via encouragement of both my Friends and Family.  I won’t allow something as trivial as this to discourage me from the path that I know that I was meant to be on.  I’ve never been so sure about anything else.  It’s my dream and I know that if it’s meant to be, that it will be realized.  I won’t ever give up.

    So today, I bring to you smiles, energy, encouragement, and a new video!!

    Spicy Crab Soup

    Spicy Crab Soup
     
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    Ingredients
    • 6-8 prepared Crab (Cut into Chunks)
    • 3 tb Fish Sauce
    • 2 tb Sesame Oil
    • 3 tb Red Pepper Flakes
    • ¼ c Korean Radish (Mu)
    • 1 ts Ginger
    • 1 Onion
    • 2 Jalenpeño Peppers
    • 3 Garlic Cloves
    • 2-3 Green Onions
    Broth
    • 8 c water
    • 2 pieces of Kelp
    • handful of large anchovies

    Instructions
    1. Bring your Broth to a boil for about 20 min. A Tea Strainer helps here. (Discard the Kelp as it tends to get a bit bitter but you can reintroduce your Anchovies to the Soup if you’d like).
    2. In a large Pot (the same one you’ll be cooking your Soup in), toss together all of your ingredients, save the Broth and Green Onions. Allow it to sit and mingle (or at least until your Broth is ready).
    3. Pour in your prepared Broth, bring your Soup to a fierce bubble (for an additional 15-20 min or so), then sprinkle with your Green Onions.

    Remember, don’t allow negativity to rent space in your head for free and don’t let anyone stand in the way of your dreams.  If they love you, they’ll provide support and encouragement.  Sometimes, (like this past week for me) things can seem awful, but all bad and dark things eventually come to the light.  I tend to lean on the Melancholy side as it stands so it’s an effort to be mindful of such things, but just keep doing you.  “You only miss the shots you don’t take,” I was told by someone I love who loves me very much.

    Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive, lending me positive energy and allowing me to wallow because eventually, I always get up =D

    Love always,
    Your Squishy Monster =D

    Categories: Korean Food Korean Food Seafood Seafood Soups Soups Spicy Spicy Videos | No Comments

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    Welcome to The Squishy Monster!

    Here, I'll share the stories of my on going love affair with food as well as step-by-step tutorials/cooking videos featuring original recipes. I'm a firm believer that despite our differences, our one commonality as humans? Food.
    I'm 100% Southern & 100% Korean. My name is Angela and my friends call me The Squishy Monster.

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