Gochugaru Girl used to loath instant noodles.
The reason was because it brought back memories of incompetent cooking during her childhood.
Recipes
Fried Rice Cakes (떡볶음)
Gochugaru Girl has tried her first recipe from the Bibigo Cookbook.
I have eaten this countless times at the restaurant and was keen to make it at home. There is something quite satisfying about the chewy texture of the rice sticks.
Date and Orange Cake
Gochugaru Girl likes bringing home different types of food from her travels.
I was intrigued by a bottle of date and orange jam when supermarket shopping recently.
Strawberry Ice Cream (Gelato Di Fragole)
Gochugaru Girl’s much used and much loved ice cream book* is 19 years old.
I hadn’t realised the now faded receipt was still within its pages. It informs me that the book was bought for £12.99 at Hatchards, 187 Piccadilly, on 24 July 1995.
Samgyetang (삼계탕)
Gochugaru Girl has been waiting for this day since she visited Tosokchon Restaurant* in Seoul this April. This is because she has really wanted to make samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) at home.
Traditionally in Korea, samgyetang is eaten on the three hottest days of the year according to the lunar calendar. I am hoping that today’s predicted ‘hottest day of the year’ will be repeated at least twice before the summer ends.
Pear and Amaretti Cheesecake
Gochugaru Girl loves desserts which make use of everyday ingredients but which look and taste as if it could have been served in a restaurant.
In this case, the recipe did originate from a restaurant – Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café, where Junior Two and I had a joint birthday dinner many years ago.
Yan-Kit So’s Salt-cured Duck Eggs
Gochugaru Girl had to break into her existing cache of salted duck eggs, which did not make it to the required 30-day incubation period.
The reason I did this was because one week ago my father thought he was about to die.
Traditional Devon Scones
Gochugaru Girl celebrated her birthday this year by taking tea at Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
This may be the tallest building in the world, but does it serve the best scones in the world?*
Tonkatsu and ‘Bull-Dog’ Sauce
Gochugaru Girl is in possession of a much loved recipe book which she still uses after 25 years.
Madhur Jaffrey’s Far Eastern Cookery* was a godsend in the early days of my culinary explorations. In particular, I had to rely on it to make my own ‘Bull-Dog Sauce’.