A Korean Spin On Vietnamese Spring Rolls

We were fortunate to have three Korean moms teach us how to make kimchi.

When one of my Korean parents at school taught my students and I how to make kimchi, she also taught us how to eat kimchi with bossam. Bossam is basically boiled pork (according to Wikipedia, the pork is steamed) wrapped in lettuce and other condiments.  The combination of flavors from the bossam and kimchi left a strong impression on my tastebuds, and I was eager to make something of it.

Learning how to make fresh spring rolls for the first time in Cambodia.

Soon after that, I learned how to make fresh spring rolls during a cooking class in Cambodia. Almost identical to the Vietnames spring rolls, I have always loved the freshness of this dish, but felt that it needed something more to it. So I combined two of my favorite Asian recipes and came up with a Korean version of fresh spring rolls. Instead of using chicken breasts, as the original recipe suggested, or shrimp, as the Vietnamese would do it, I decided to use spiced boiled pork. I also added a few leaves of Kimchi to each roll, and the result was a piquantly fresh spring roll. When I made Mike try it, he at first, couldn’t figure out whether he liked it or not, but his discriminating palette seemed to want more. Before we knew it, we were stuffed with natural ingredients such as lettuce, carrots, bean sprouts, basil,  cucumbers, and a little piece of heavenly pork.

Being the first attempt, I still have to play around with the ratio of ingredients. Mike suggested that I lessen the amount of kimchi leaves as he found it somewhat overpowering, but I personally love the heat that it gives the fresh spring roll. I also haven’t mastered the art of keeping the rolls in a uniform size. As you can see, some are somewhat bigger than the others. But right now, all that matters is that it is one delicious invention that I am proud to call mine. I call “dibs” on this one.

See the cabbage leaves of kimchi? I think two to three leaves are enough, but one is definitely too little.

All ready for dinner at Mom's tonight.

Here is the recipe from the cookbook given to us at the Cambodian cooking class.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sun

Two sun sightings from my visit to the most populated country in the world.

Beijing city sunset

Summer Palace, Xi’An – Can you spot the sun?

China Food Tour

I’m back from a 6-day field trip to China with my seventh grade students. Here are some of the dishes that we had in Beijing and Xi’an. Very different from the Chinese food that we know of here in Manila.

BEIJING

No meal is complete without tea. Restaurants only serve cold water upon request.

Duck carver. This was taken during our duck banquet where all the dishes had duck in it, but nothing beats roast duck.

Wrapped in Chinese pancake with a slice of cucumber, spring onions and some hoisin sauce - heavenly.

Stir fry duck with vegetables.

Salt and pepper duck. Second favorite, next to the roast duck.

Another duck dish with spring onions, mushrooms, glass noodles, and bean sprouts.

XI’AN

Stir fried beef with cabbage, served with a sweet potato pancake. Interesting dish.

Steamed fish with soy sauce.

Duck over sticky rice. The duck was succulent and the rice was savory and rich. Tea was necessary.

A Buddha made of salt, served with a duck stir fry.

Chinese street food - pancake with spring onions, chillies, lettuce and a crispy filling. It was very savory. I would have added a dash of sugar to add more flavor to it.

Now, how do you say, “bon appétit” in Mandarin?

A History Lesson On Cambodia

I hate to admit it, but I have no genuine interest for world history. It was my least favorite subject in high school and college, and conversations related to this topic bore me. No matter how hard I try, conversations of this kind just don’t flow out of me naturally. I am kind of shallow like that.

When Mike and I decided to spend our Spring break in Cambodia, I didn’t really know what to think or expect. All I knew was that there were temples and really good pizza. I warned you about my lack of depth, didn’t I? So being the teacher that my boyfriend is, he made it a holiday prerequisite for me to watch The Killing Fields (1984). Pardon my insensitivity and ignorance, but it took all my will to not reach for my iPad to play a few rounds of Bejeweled Blitz or Draw Something. The movie left me still ignorant and unaware. All I knew was that I was excited to meet a new city.

Upon arriving in Pnom Penh, I noticed the city’s similarities with Manila’s Chinatown, and felt instantly at home. We headed to our little oasis in the city, settled in, and watched the night life by the Mekong River. Our view from the second floor of the FCC was captivating, and I was thrilled to be taking in the sights and sounds of Pnom Penh. Little did I know that the following day would provide me with one unforgettable history lesson.

I still find it hard to describe our visits to S-21 and the Killing Fileds. It was extremely difficult to see the accounts of inhumanity and cruelty; the portraits of the victims, the cells, torture devices, and the graves. I tried to hide the tears, but soon realized that I wasn’t the only one holding back quiet sobs. Everybody’s eyes were filled with sympathy, regret and disbelief.

Cambodia, I had no idea.

Hearing about these events inevitably changes a person’s world view. It certainly made me put things in perspective, and I am more grateful of what I have. I now constantly remind myself that no matter how demanding life gets, there is REALLY nothing to complain about. I am still no historian, but I now have a better appreciation of how the past inspires and teaches us to be better people.

A Photo Journal Of Siem Reap

Siem Reap, April 2012

Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged

Can you guess where I am?

Confessions Of An Absentee Blogger

I have an excuse! I promise!  Work called for my undivided attention and deadlines had to be made. But I am happy to report that all deadlines have been met. You may now call me the Queen of Time Management. After surviving our recent report card season, I was quickly thrown into finals week for grad school. Yes, Little Miss I Can Do It enrolled in three classes during the last semester and suffered.

It was not pretty. Bless my patient boyfriend’s heart for putting up with several moments of exhaustion-induced tears. I am extremely close to the finish line with just one more requirement to complete – my thesis proposal, which is very apt, by the way.

So please forgive me for disappearing, but between teaching and studying, blogging was really the last thing on my mind.

Thankfully, I was able to sneak in a few breaks.

Top L-R : Dinner for my niece, Angel on her birthday, visiting my brother-in-law’s farm to meet the tiger cubs, Korean dinner with the best friend, and out with my niece Angel. 

My brain is exhausted but I am extremely grateful that the most difficult school year of my life is almost over and that I can take a break from grad school.  

It didn’t kill me, and I am, in fact, stronger.