Green

It is H-O-T in San Francisco, for once! Stop'd by at one of my favorite spots in SF, Aqua Forest Aquarium in Japan town.  I brought something green home...

Hemianthus Callitricoides (Dwarf baby tears)

Los Angeles

Last minute trip to LA to visit bro...

Thursday dinner - pork fat rules!

Ddukboki and soondae @ School Food

Kimbap Combo @ School Food
My favorite was the one with small anchovies and kimchi.  Drool.

Korean rice wine @ Saekdongjugori

Redondo Beach Crab

Hmmm...can't go wrong with spaghetti with meat sauce.

Last meal -suhlungtang @ Jinjoo Gomtang

Old Photos

I think this picture was taken back in the early 80's in Chicago.  That's my grandma on the right...guess she came to visit us from Korea.  (I bought the photo frame at Goodwill for $1.75)

Left: One of my favorite photos of my brother, mom and me taken at our house in Seoul.  
Right: Grandma and mom.
Hmm..where is my dad? He was probably the photographer? ;-) 

Outside Lands 2010

The Temper Trap - my favorite song is "Sweet Disposition"
(..and of course, I was in the bathroom line when they played this song. sad.)

Spaghetti with Avocado

Recipe from 'it will stop raining'. 

serves 1
Ingredients
1 serving of cooked spaghetti
1/4 mashed avocado
1/2 diced avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
toasted seaweed

Directions
Toss pasta with mashed avocado, lemon juice, ginger, and soy sauce.  Sprinkle sesame seeds and toasted seaweed before serving.

Deconstructed Samgyetang

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samgyetang (Korean pronunciation: [samɡjetʰaŋ]) is a variety of guk or Korean soup, which primarily consists of a whole young chicken and Korean ginseng. The dish's name literally translates as "'ginseng chicken soup" in English.[1] Samgyetang is traditionally served in the summer for its supposed nutrients, which replaces those lost through excessive sweating and physical exertion during the hot summers in Korea.To make samgyetang, a whole young chicken is stuffed with glutinous rice and boiled in a broth of Korean ginseng, dried seeded jujube fruits, garlic, and ginger. Depending on the recipe, other medicinal herbs such as wolfberry (gugija), Codonopsis pilosula (dangsam), and Angelica sinensis (danggwi) may also be added.[2]

Friday Afternoon Sale ($1 per stem)

$5 well spent. :-)

Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk

My 2 cravings are Ice Cream & Uni.  What are your 2 cravings?

Natto

I was never a fan of natto till I got a little taste of it while dining at Sebo last week.  You guessed it, now I'm hooked.  Since I'm nowhere close to eating it plain, I added soy sauce, sesame oil, chopped kimchi, shichimi, and tons of green onions.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Clams

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse. BAM!

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup thinly sliced garlic
1 teaspoons crushed red pepper (I used Japanese chili rings)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch of white pepper
1/4 cup sake (I used Junmai sake)
1 can of chopped clams
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

Directions
In a large pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and return to the pot, and cover to keep warm.
In a large saute pan or pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper, salt and white pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant and golden, 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the sake and clams, cover, and cook, shaking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard any clams that do not open.
Add the cooked pasta, chopped tomatoes, and parsley and toss well to combine and warm the pasta.

...AND for dessert, Three Twin Lemon Cookie Ice Cream! 

Another Sunny Day

This song makes me smile.  Can't wait to hear it live @ Treasure Island Fest .  :-)

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Shrimp and Bacon

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Spaghetti with Shrimp and Bacon

Serves 2

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
1 strip bacon, chopped
4 ounces large peeled and deveined frozen shrimp, thawed and halved horizontally
3 scallions, chopped
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions
1.In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot.
2.While pasta is cooking, fry bacon in a large skillet over medium until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon (I used chopstix), transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
3.Add shrimp, scallions, and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are almost opaque, about 1 minute. Add cup pasta water, and bring just to a boil.
4.Add shrimp mixture and lemon juice to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Thin sauce with pasta water as needed. Serve sprinkled with bacon and parsley.
*I might add 1 tablespoon of capers next time.

Fried Egg Over Rice (계란 밥)

Ingredients

1 bowl of rice

1 egg, cooked over easy

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon  furikake

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well.

Ganmodoki & Odeng In Dashi Broth

Ganmodoki/odeng simmered in premade dashi broth for about 30 minutes.  Thinking about eating the leftover soup with soba noodles for dinner tomorrow...mmm.

Aloha

Just got back from my favorite place on earth, Maui.  Here are some pictures from the trip.  Enjoy.  :-)

  Fried Spam Musubi @ Da Kitchen

Poke from Food Land

Taco Shiokara @ Sansei

Hana Fern & Maui Onion Salad @ Star Noodles

 Turtle Henna

That's me showing off my turtle henna. :-)