My Japchae

(above, a closeup of my japchae)

I don't think I could've waited any longer to try my hand at one of Maangchi's recipes. I thought I would give her recipe for japchae a try, despite not having many (most) of the ingredients. The noodle used in Maangchi's recipe is dangmyun, or more commonly known as cellophane noodles. I had to swap the dangmyun for my Assi brand 'oriental style noodle pasta (1),' which I typically eat in a noodle soup. I also had to replace the beef with a fried egg since I have nothing but frozen ground beef in the house (fresh meat being all but unavailable during the strike). With the exception of the mushrooms - both types - I had the remaining ingredients. Though, to still call it Maangchi's recipe is perhaps a stretch.

I was rather pleased with the way it turned out. The noodles were a bit dry; I think dangmyun is inherently more moist. So, next time, I will think about retaining some of the noodle liquid if I use my wheat noodles again. Somebody commented that they used regular spaghetti to great effect, so I might try that too. I think I can get some cellophane noodles in the Asian foods section at Carrefour, so I'll try to look for it once the strike is over.

I think in normal circumstances I would have never felt the urge, nor had the courage to make my own Korean food. I suppose this is the upside of living in a culturally homogeneous island. Either I broaden my culinary range, or I forgo Korean food all together. I don't really see it as a choice.

I suppose that is what living elsewhere is about: the changes that are encouraged and obliged by a wholly different life. Learning to cook Korean food is a small but meaningful gain. That is what my friend A. calls it, a gain. In the immediate past when I had difficulty characterizing my new life other with terms other than of loss, A. told me to try and see the situation in terms of what I had gained. Sound advice from someone who has always shown me the way.



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