My experimental kitchen - Yubuchobap and Soondubu jjigae!

Elly had a new Korean friend over for supper.  So, thinking soup would not be enough for us all, we all made a second dish  -- a  gorgeous finger food called "Yubuchobap".  The kit I'd bought came with everything except the rice.  

You cook and then mix sticky rice with tiny dried veggies (yellow pickled radish, sesame seeds, carrots and seaweed) and cider vinegar.  Then you tuck this beautiful stuff lovingly into the Yubu, which are slightly sweet pockets of rolled tofu.  

These were so amazing!  No one could say they didn't like Korean food after eating these tasty little bundles.  The next 2 dishes might be a bit more challenging to those who like a more simple diet.

This is "Soondubu jjigae" - soondubu being a very soft tofu and jjigae meaning spicy.  And spicy it is!  You use "gochugaru" (red pepper flakes) in this dish; and even the addition of the so-called mild 2.5 Tbsp measurement is hot, hot, hot! 

The broth is made with anchovies, mushrooms and kelp.  And the soup contains beef and seafood, the gochogaru, dollops of soft tofu and eggs mixed in at the end.  The result may be hot 'n' spicy, but it is truly delicious.  

I love greens; and I'm having wonderful fun trying unusual greens that come from Korea.  They're so good for you and so rustic that they kind of put me in mind of a 1960's "back-to-the-land" type of cuisine with roots and shoots and wild foragings.   

This is "Kkaennap", sesame leaf or also known as Perilla leaf.  

On the left is the soy based Kkaennap that Elly had already opened, and on the right is a spicy version.  Elly wrapped the leaf around a ball of sticky rice, and Sandy popped that sucker in her mouth.  Doesn't it look like Greek dolmas?   But they have a taste all their own -- sort of a licorice taste on the tongue at the end.  Again, delicious!  

Thank you for visiting my experimental kitchen once again.

Now, go out there yourself and EAT!