Travel : First Korean Meal in Seoul

On March 2013, I got a chance to have holiday in South Korea. It is one of my biggest dream in my life, visiting the Ginseng country. The adventure start when I got a return promo flight one year before (2012). Everyone think I'm crazy, because you don't know what will happen next year. So yes! I was gambling to pursue my dream. And the day is coming, March 28th 2013, flight from Balikpapan to Kuala Lumpur at 5 pm and in 9 hours we will be in South Korea! Yay! I make my own connection flight, since there's no connecting flight from Balikpapan to Seoul. The flight to Incheon depart at 1 am, so my sister and I just go around the KLCC. I was glad that our flight from Balikpapan rescheduled, so we only wait like 5 hours in the airport (first plan supposed to be 10 hours ;p).

My hearts beat so fast on that night, still cant believe my self, I will spend two weeks in South Korea. This is first time I fly so far with a big plane. So, 6 hours in plane, I just trying to sleep. We finally arrive at 8 am. Incheon, one of the greatest airport in world, and i have been there! Hehe, super big, super clean, good directions, nice officer, everything just so perfect! 

I was still amazed with the airport and we almost lost, Haha! So we just follow the people from the immigration check, to the airport train. Ow, we meet Indonesian girl, she was standing in the wrong line on the immigration check (for Korean ;p) because one of the officer tell the people to move to other counter so they don't make long line. She was with her friends, and they join a trip from travel agent. She was amazed that we (me and my sister) go alone, backpacking, with no tour guide. Haha! This is not our first time ;p

One hour later, we arrive in Seoul station. The plan was, look for food, then go around to myeong-dong (if I'm not mistaken, i forgot). We got a little trouble, because we can't find free wifi in Seoul Station and my phone about to die. I was trying to contact all my Korean friends, but too bad they not in Seoul. It was freezing, and we both hungry, most of restaurant was full, as we walk around the station, we find lottermart, and finally find warm place to eat. So, this is my first meal in Korea, Seafood Friedrice (Haha! Soo Indonesian). And my sister got a big bucket of seafood noodles.

First meal in Korea!

As you can see, they serve big meal, yeah Korean have big meal. We can't eat all, from this we learn, just order one Korean meal for two of us ;p. After filling our tummy, we go back walking around Seoul station, looking for place to charge our phones. And the only place I see, is lotteria, they have some place to charge the phone, but that place soo crowded. It was around lunch time. We I saw the place is unoccupied, we walk inside to secure the place ;p Haha! And i order food, I guess the waiter will kick us out if we don't order anything. Done charging, we decide to exchange out KR-Pass and get KTX to Busan. We take the 4 pm schedule. And we decided to put our backpack in lockers and walk somewhere. It was only like 1 hour, because we have no where to go to, and decide to change the train schedule to 3pm. And it was like 15minutes before departure, and we almost lost to find the right train. Running with heavy backpack, Haha! But we finally didn't miss the train, and can sit down, relax in warm place, and have wifi all the way to Busan! Awesome!

That was our first meal in Korea, what about yours? I will continue our next trip to Busan soon!

Love, Ninu

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Recipe : Chungmu Kimbap (충무 김밥)

Chungmu Kimbap (충무 김밥), my version

Chungmu Kimbap, i found this recipe on Aeri's youtube channel. Because it looks similar with the one i tried when i was in korea, but i dont know the name :p Chungmu kimbap is a local food from a city called Tongyong. The city was named "Chungmu" when this food invented, so i guess you know why this food name is Chungmu.

So, last weekend, i decide to make it. Let's get started with the  recipe first!

Main Ingredients

• 4 Cups Cooked Short Grain Rice (1//2 tsp Salt + 2 tsp Sesame Oil)
• 2 Generous Cups Korean Radish (10 oz)
• 2 Medium Squids (12 oz)
• 4 Sheets Dried Laver/Gim/Nori
• 1/4 Cup Green Onion
• Some Extra Sesame Seeds (Garnish)

Brine Ingredients

• 1 Cup Water
• 1/4 Cup Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Salt

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup Hot Pepper Powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Water
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp Vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
• 2 tsp Garlic, Minced
• 2 Pinches Black Pepper

Directions 

1. Obtain about 2 generous cups (10 oz) of Korean radish. Cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Combine all the brine ingredients (1 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp salt) in mixing bowl. Stir it until the sugar and salt dissolves. Add and mix the radish into the brine mixture.Set it aside for about 45 minutes to pickle the radish.
3. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in mixing bowl (1/4 cup hot pepper powder, 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 minced garlic and 2 pinches of black pepper). Set it aside.
4. About 45 minutes late, drain the radish. Do not rinse the radish pieces.
5. Obtain 2 medium-sized squids. Cook the squid in boiling water for about 5 minutes on medium-high. After 5 minutes, drain the squid and cut into nicely sized strips for eating.
6. Put the pickled radish, cooked squid and the sauce in mixing bowl. Mix everything to get everything evenly covered with the sauce. Add 1 tbsp of sesame seeds and 1/4 cup green onion and mix gently. If you want some more sesame oil flavor, you can add a little more in this step.
7. Add 4 cups of cooked short grain rice, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tsp sesame oil into mixing bowl. Mix it gently. 
8. Obtain 4 sheets of roasted dried laver/gim/nori. If you laver is not roasted, you can roast it at home. To do so, preheat a pan without oil on medium and then place each sheet in it. Once it is preheated, reduce the temperature to medium-low. Flip the dried laver quickly - only few seconds - several times to roast it evenly without burning. Stack new sheets in the pan, and repeat.
9. Cut the sheets in half lengthwise. To do it easier, stack all 4 sheet together, and gently fold them in half to make a guideline and then cut it by following the line with your scissors.
10. Place one piece of dried laver on the bamboo mat. Spread about 1/2 cup of seasoned rice on the laver evenly. Leave little bit of space at the end of the dried laver, so when you roll the laver with rice, the rice will not come out of the laver. Roll the kimbap with a bamboo mat and gently squeeze it to make it stay firm. If you want, cut a little bit off both ends of the kimbap to get a nice sharp end. Then, devide each roll of kimbap into 3 to 4 pieces, depending on your desired size. 
11. Serve it in place with the squid. Done!

In my trial, i skipped some ingredients (because i forgot to buy it). So i skipped the radish, fish oil and green onion. Also, i use the laver wtih original flavor from snack pack, because i can't find the regular one for cooking.  Oh, and i also use long grain rice :p that's why it's messy. For detail instructions you can see it on the video below, or check aeri's blog.  Happy eating!

Love, Ninu

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