I attempted my first batch of Korean fermented rice 막걸리 in early June. Since then, I've made several batches! So yummy! 맛있어요! I have been using Maangchi's recipe: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/makgeolli, but I only make a half-portion at a time. The halved recipe makes about 2 1/2 24 oz. mason-style jars of brew. It seems that after making the first batch, I can't stop! There is something about Makgeolli that is enlivening and nourishing; I suppose that's why hard-working farmers in Korea drank it while at work. Or, perhaps like me, they learned to increase the alcohol content so that the brew is both buzzy and fortifying!

My first batch turned out great, but slightly "alcoholic" and "acetone" due to the high temps of summer.

I kept the second batch submerged in a water bath, and placed it in a cooler spot on the floor of my bedroom. I made these changes after reading the 64-page Makgeolli primer written by the Korean RDA-National Academy of Agriculture! I loved Chem class at Uni--where I majored in Biology-- so the scientific aspect of this research pamphlet got my geek going! If you enjoy making any type of fermented food in your kitchen, I recommend this read! https://mmpkorea.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/141222-eba789eab1b8eba6ac-ec9881ebacb8ed8c90eb82b4eca780_ecb59ceca2851.pdf. Many people refer to makgeolli as Korean rice wine, but it's not, although one of the products of this process is rice wine, if you siphon of the clear wine portion.

What I've discovered so far is that I can make the brew sweeter and less "acetone" flavored with the addition of extra dry yeast. I've also experimented with adding a few tablespoons of sugar toward the last few days of fermentation. Both of these increase alcohol content and make the brew just slightly sweeter, but not "sweet". I still add water to the final strained liquid, otherwise it's very strong and thick--too filling.

​My most current batch, started last weekend, will ferment a little longer than 7-10 days, because I'm curious to see if I get a richer flavor profile.

My dang web host won't upload my photos in order, so all the photos are not in sequence unfortunately!

PS, believe or not Trader Joe's has pajeon 파전 in their frozen section, and it tastes like pajeon flown in straight from Busan! So make thee some makgeolli and eat it with some pajeon from TJs!

건배!
​

Yummy 한국 음식 (Korean Food) I've been making at home!

Okay, so I went a little Korean Food KRA-KRA at Han Yang Korean Market yesterday; I bought so much they gave me a discount card for my next visit LOL!
Of course, I bought a made-fresh-daily portion of 딱 먹기 tteokbokki (very spicy rice and fish cake dish), 경단 gyeongdan sweet rice cake dessert, a big ol' half gallon of 김치 kimchi, Korean sweet potatoes 물고구마, Korean corn on the cob 옥수수 (boiled and then frozen - street market style-OMG! YUM! Yes, I just bought corn-on-the-cob cooked in Korea and shipped here), 고사리 gosari (a nutritious mountain herb- fernbrake) to make a side dish, Korean Black Noodles 자자명 and some 라면 ramyeon!
​I have way too much fun there, reading all the labels. It took me 20 minutes to go through all the soy sauce 진장 (Jin jang) variations and get the right one!

I made rice flour! It was soooo easy, and took about 5 minutes. You can find the recipe on Maangchi's site www.maangchi.com. For the 잣죽 (Jatjuk - pine nut porridge) I will be making, you simply soak the rice for a few hours, rinse it, drain it, then grind it. My Nutribullet has proven it's worth 10x over with salad dressings, smoothies, soups, and now: rice flour! Yay!

BAM!
I made a soothing red bean porridge with adzuki beans (Dongji Patjuk - 동지밭죽) for dinner; purple rice (흑미찹쌀 Huekmi Chapssal) and kelp side dish (미역 무침) for lunch. Of course, you always have to have kimchi to go alongside!!
Next week I will cook pine nut porridge 잣죽 (Jatjuk).
I used rice disks instead of traditional ball shapes, simply because I didn't have any. I did not realize how easy it is to MAKE your own rice flour, so I will do that next time as well! Soak overnight, grind, and sift! Then mix into a batter and shape into balls for soup, logs for tteokbokki 떡볶이 , or cut into disks for other soups and sides! Whee! I love cooking!
My housemate got so excited over the purple rice and what I was cooking, we are making a trip to the Korean mart so I can show him what to buy! Imagine me, teaching someone else how to eat 한국 음식 (Korean food)!!! LOL (ㅋㅋ) ㅎㅎ

I've been having fun cooking and eating Korean Food lately! The past weeks I have made delicious chilled soymilk soup several times a week; it's perfect on a hot summer day! The first time I enjoyed this soup was two years ago--this month!––in Korea! I really didn't understand what it was until later, though; I just knew it was GOOD. Then I found the recipe on Maangchi http://www.maangchi.com/ and tried it for the first time this summer! 맜싯는!!! (Delicious!)

In English, it is read as Kong guksoo; chilled soymilk soup ( 공국수 ). Fresh, chilled soymilk is poured over cooled, freshly prepared noodles, and then it is topped with cucumber, ice cubes, and optionally, sesame seeds. It is refreshing, low calorie, and full of healthly ingredients!

Today, I'm looking forward to making my own version of 떡볶이 (tteokbokki: pronounced duk-boke-ee)! A very spicy dish with rice cakes, pepper sauce, anchovies, kelp, eggs, and fish cake. I do not have fish cake or pepper flakes, but I have 고추장 (gochujang: hot pepper sauce), so I will wing it. It's usually a little sweet, so I'll either substitute stevia, or leave out the sugar, but I'm not sure, since the sweet balances the heat. It's a popular street food in Korea, and I think the vendors add way too much sugar, but this recipe only calls for one tablespoon. I'll leave it as is.

One reason I love Korean food is that it is soooooo healthy, and sooooo flavorful! Kelp, whole grain rice, soy, lots of veggies... Awesome! I also found another website for Korean cooking http://crazykoreancooking.com/ that has a pancake made with mung beans and veggies (빅대떡 bindaetteok), and a side dish (반찬 banchan or 나물 namul ) made with mountain greens 고사리 ; I can't wait to make those too!

안녕히 가세요!

Click on the images for full-screen version :-)

My recent attempt at making grapefruit-apple cider vinegar was wholly unsuccessful: it smelled like a loaf of sourdough.  Though perhaps I was successful in creating a sourdough starter, who knows?That's what you get for starting with a difficult fruit vinegar (grapefruit), instead of a simpler one (apple).  Today, I read an article in Edible Austin (www.edibleaustin.com) and was reminded of the salutary Turmeric Milk I learned about when I lived at a yoga ashram in 2006-2007.  It's a well known Ayurvedic remedy, and most of you should be aware of the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer powers of turmeric (scientifically documented).  I was lucky enough to receive some fresh turmeric a few months back, and hooboy!, did it change my already delicious chai into spectacularly-delicious-and-now-even-more-super-healthy chai.  I've noticed a change in my skin as well, since I'm eating about a tablespoon or so of fresh turmeric daily, sometimes more when I add it to my smoothies.  [Benign tumor in my shoulder for a decade--gone!  Painful skin growth on my forearm that  I've had for two years--gone!]  Turmeric imparts a lovely golden hue to anything it is added to, and thus the elegant and historical term Golden Milk comes into play.  
     Golden Milk is simple: grate a tablespoon of fresh root into a tiny splash of coconut or plain sesame oil and saute for a minute or so, then add a cup soy, almond, or cow milk and bring to a boil.  Pour it in your favorite mug and add some honey, (strain it if you like, but be sure to eat the turmeric: it's crunchy, healing, and has a faint carrot-y taste).  I love the rich, unique flavor of dark Buckwheat honey.  This is the perfect nightcap, which I will begin drinking instead of a wine nightcap! 
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