…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:
- 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
- Plunge your dried Miyuk in room temperature-warm water for 15-20 min. Drain and cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat up your Sesame Oil and begin to soften your crushed Garlic.
- 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.
- Lastly, add in your Seafood.
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
