Pancake Challenge #4) South African Pannekoek

After the disastrous Msemmen incident, when I effectively boiled the poor yeast to its death, I was glad to have gotten such a simple recipe for a pancake. I’m not quite sure what the difference is between the South African Pannekoek.  I mean except for one such as Msemmen – all the ‘traditional pancakes’ do have a common base that usually consists of slightly varying base (egg/flour/milk and sometimes water/butter).

Anyhow, keeping true to the spirit of the challenge, I found one or two ‘South African’ Pannekoek recipes on the internet (here and here).  Both of the recipe was extremely simple (and surprisingly lacked butter/oil) and instead had a spread made up of lemon, cinnamon, butter and sugar to flavour the simple pancake!

I followed the challenge, and mixed the two a little and served them with sliced bananas! Despite the simplicity of the recipe, the cinnamon spread is extremely addictive and delectable and paired perfectly with the slightly savory pancake. Nothing was too overwhelming or buttery but instead a light, si

mple breakfast that leaves you with a delightful afterwtase of cinnamon!

I’ll definitely be making this one again, especially when I’m pressed for time or lacking energy, and top it with frozen bananas or coconut flakes!

South African Pannekoek

(Makles 7 -8 large pancakes, the recipe said 4 servings… but with two boys I barely had enough for myself!)

For the pancake:

1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

1 cup of milk

1 cup of water

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder  

For the Cinnamon Spread:

2 tablespoon of butter (easier if softened)

4 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 table spoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of lemon

1. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients for the pancake until there are no lumps and leave it stand whilst you prepare the cinnamon spread
2. Blend the ingredients for the cinnamon spread until it is well mixed and have it ready next to the plates
3. Heat a non-stick pan in medium-high heat and glaze with either butter or vegetable oil
4. Scoop around 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan and swirl it around to cover the bottom of the pan completely
5. As it is a thin pancake, it’ll be ready to flip in around 1-2 minute (you’ll be able to see as the batter stops being runny on the top)
6. Flip and heat until golden (if the first side is slightly less brown- feel free to flip back and cook a little more)
7. Place the pancake on the plate and spread a thin layer (or thick) of the cinnamon spread letting the butter melt on top
8. Begin to stack the pancakes remembering to layer each time with the amazing cinnamon spread (or you can also roll the pancakes)
9. Top if you’d like with sliced bananas, coconut flakes, seeds & nuts or if you’re feeling really indulgent a big scoop of ice-cream.

Moroccan Night at Sinbad's Kitchen

Sinbad’s Kitchen

서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 127-12 해경빌딩 3층
(서울특별시 용산구 이태원로 18)
127-12 Itaewon 1(il)-dong02-792-0069, Website

Naver Maps

I’ve been dreaming of visiting Morocco ever since my first time I saw Casablanca.  The country, overflowing with exotic spices and silks, was the perfect destination for food and culture.  After my long awaited visit Marrakesh this spring fell apart, I was terribly excited to try Sinbad’s Kitchen after it was suggested by a friend for great Ethiopian or Moroccan cuisine.

Sinbad’s Kitchen is located right outside the Exit 3 of Itaewon station (actually on the crossing on top of Taco Bell). It’s crazy to think I must’ve walked past this place thousands of times without ever realizing that there was such a place above me!

When we went, the place was half-filled with a good mixt of people. There was a big Arabic group that was trying out the buffet  (45,000KRW) but we decided to try our luck with the a la carte menu instead! The buffet did look really good with wide ranges of meat & curry options and everyone seems really happy (and eager) to keep on going back for endless seconds/thirds.  There’s also a separate shisha / hookah section and during our dinner there were several guests who came just for shisha without eating. I’ll definitely be coming back to check it out myself as well!

Overall, the food was really impressive and actually well portioned for the price! The meat, in particular the lamb, was beautifully cooked with no off-putting smells or taste. The curry was also perfectly flavoured and was complimented nicely with the fluffed bread we ordered!

I really don’t have anything to complain about this meal – and I’ll definitely be recommending it to anyone who wants to try Moroccan Cuisine or simply to enjoy a nice alternative to your traditional Indian curries and dishes!

Apparently the place is one of the few restaurants that serve Ethiopian food! I’ll be definitely coming back to try it out and check it off our never-ending list of world cuisines and dishes to try!

Golden Lentil Soup (Service :D)

Lavash/Turkish Bread (5,000won) 

Tabouleh  (8,000won)

Special Sinbad's Curry (17,000won)

Lamb Tajine (21,000 won) 

Finding Bánh mì at Lie Lie Lie

Lie Lie Lie (라이 라이 라이)

서울시 마포구 연남동 227-5

(Google Maps//Naver Maps)

Open from 12PM – 9PM (closed on Mondays)

Despite Bánh mì being well-known and relatively easy to make, it had surprisingly not surfaced in Seoul’s restaurant scene until recently. Bánh mì, also known as the Vietnamese Sandwich, is sandwich that usually comes in a form of simple French baguette with cold cut meat, pate, fresh vegetables (carrots/lettuce/cucumber) and (usually) a huge serving of cilantro/coriander.

That’s why when I heard about LieLieLie opening up across from my favourite coffee shop in 연남동 (Yeonnamdong) that rumour had sold reasonably authentic/cheap (you can’t REALLY compare it the prices/taste back in Vietnam) Bánh mì, I happily dragged a friend all the way up from Incheon for lunch.

The tiny restaurant somehow has that lazy & summery feel of Vietnam with its red peeling walls, basic plastic plates/utensils, piles of baguette on the sides and make-shift tables and boxes everywhere.  I really did feel as if I’m in Vietnam or at least on a holiday leisurely sitting down on the floor eating these amazing sandwiches.

The restaurant serves 4 different types of Bánh mì for 5,550 KRW (+500 for Chicken liver pate).  The 4 options include Cold Cut, Spicy Pork, Vegetarian and Grilled Chicken.  They also sell Chang beer for 4,500 if you want to really go for the whole package

 We chose to share Spicy Pork and Cold Cut sandwiches and they both were fantastic.  The spicy pork is actually quite spicy and has a finishing kick that builds (full of chili sauce) so if you’re not too good with spicy food stay away. We got ours loaded with coriander, but the server was attentive enough to ask whether we wanted them in or not (I heard many Koreans can’t stand the stuff).

I really regretted not opting to add in the chicken liver pate and nearly contemplated sharing another sandwich as the portions are really not that big. I can easily see an adult male (or anyone who’s more than hungry) eating two!  I mean the prices allow for you to easily justify eating more than one.

Despite the temptation, we opted out to take a long walk into Hongdae and find ourselves an afternoon dessert, which actually turned into a beer at Magpie. Either way, I will definitely return to this little joint either to take a cheap vacation to Vietnam or simply to enjoy a good light lunch/dinner without breaking the wallet! 

 It should be noted that the restaurant is right across Coffee Libre, which is my favourite coffe shop in Korea that makes the best latte.  Also it is right across 동진시장 (dongjin market), which is a mini-flea market that opens every Saturday! That's what my friend and I did and we definitely left the place with a huge smile :)

Pancake Challenge #3) Canada Day Red Velvet Pancake

 

Although many (like me) around the world are oblivious of the day, Canadians around the world celebrate Canada Day on July 1^st in celebration of the enactment of Constitution Act of 1867 (thank you Wikipedia). Apparently in Canada, the day is filled with fireworks, festivals and abundant red & white clothing, in Korea the day seems to be sadly over-shadowed by the upcoming July 4^th Celebration.

 

To cheer on my devious Canadian boyfriend, bravely breaking his school’s rule for formal attire and sporting a bright red Canadian T-shirt (I HAVE ONE TOO), I decided to skip my usual morning workout all together and instead spend all morning carefully crafting a red-velvet pancake in the shape of the Canadian Flag.

The original pancake recipe from Food & Wine was originally for Valentine’s Day, but with a maple-leaf cookie cutter, it can easily be adjusted to become the best CANADA DAY celebration brunch. The pancake also had an over-indulgent frosting recipe, but with zero-workout & lack of a sweet-tooth we decided to keep it simple with vanilla powdered sugar & black-berry jam. I followed the recipe pretty closely except for few alteration (one being swapping out dark for cognac)

I never seem to have buttermilk in the fridge, so I substituted it with a  quick milk + white-vinegar, which always works like a charm.

Anyways, without further due, I proudly present our CANADA DAY RED VELVET PANCAKE!  :D

CANADA DAY RED VELVET PANCAKE

(for 3 to 4 servings)

Buttermilk Substitute (yields 1 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 cup of Milk (Skim worked as well!)

1 1/2 tbsp of White Vinegar (works much easier than lemon juice)

Pancake

·         1 cup of all-purpose flour  +  1/2 cup of whole-wheat flour  (or you can just have all-purpose flour)

·         1/2 cup of brown sugar

·         1/2 tsp of baking soda

·         2 tsp of baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon of salt

·         1 medium egg

·         1 1/2 cup of buttermilk

·         2 tsp of Cognac

·         1 tsp of Vanilla Extract 

·         2 tbsp of melted butter * (easiest trick – scoop two tbsp. into a measuring cup and place in a small saucepan & pour boiling water into the saucepan and close the lid for few minutes)

·         2 tsp of red food colouring

Optional toppings include : chocolate sprinkles/shavings, vanilla powdered sugar, black-berry jam,  fresh berries and as it is Canada day – healthy(?) does of Maple syrup.

Instructions:

1. Buttermilk: Mix the Milk and the Vinegar gently and leave in room-temperature for 10 minutes while you get everything ready to make your pancakes! 
2. Melted Butter: place butter into a small measuring cup and place it in a small sauce-pan. Boil water and pour a little into the pot and close the lid
3. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour/ sugar/ salt/ baking powder/ baking soda)  and mix well.
4. In a smaller bowl whisk the egg with melted butter first, then work in the buttermilk and the vanilla
5. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until no lumps can be seen 
6. Gently mix in the food coloring and the Cognac and let the batter sit for 5 – 10 minutes
7.  If using the cookie-cutter like us, butter the sides of the cutter and place it on the pan
8. Warm two pans over medium heat, and melt 1 tsp of butter inside the cutter (or one if you’re pro at flipping pancakes)
9. Gently pour the pancake mixture into the mold and spread it so that it fills the cutter up completely.
10. Fry for 1 1/2 minutes until bubbles begin to form on the top of the batter.
11. The easiest and safest way to flip these pancake is to place the other heated pan over and just flip the pancake over to the other pan (I know it’s time-consuming – which is why we only had one in the shape of maple leaf :p )
12. Heat again for 1 – 2 minutes and then transfer the pancake onto the plate
13. Lift the frame gently and garnish with topping of your choice :)

Despite it looking amazing - making maple leaf shaped pancakes is really time-consuming. So we made one worthy of instagram/facebook and maple traditional round pancakes to be greedily enjoyed between the two of us :)

And come on who doesn't like a little bit of silly celebration from time to time.

Our First Bourbon Meeting in Seoul!

Despite the endless perks that came with growing up in Europe, I recently realized that it had left me rather clueless to a whole world of bourbons in the other side of the world.  I mean it’s not that I’m complaining, having access to your dad’s whiskey cabinet is great especially if he has a taste for Scotch Whisky (and in particular single malt!).  Which is why, I remember when I had my first proper Old Fashioned made with Maker’s Mark, I was surprised to how easily and quickly it became my favourite cocktail. There’s something that’s mischievously silky and incredibly smooth and deep about the Maker’s Mark that you can’t really find in a Scotch that I simply adore.

Things quickly escalated from my first drink and I soon joined a bourbon club (Korea Bourbon Club) on meetup and made it my annual bucket-list item to attend one of their tastings. The organizer, Mark, has events running around once a month at various venues. I’ve been dying to go since the beginning of the year, but my schedule always seemed to clash with the planned monthly events (that and I was secretly terrified of attending alone without much knowledge of bourbon). Which was why when I finally acquired and tested (HE LIKES WHISKEY TOO) the confirmed side kick/boyfriend, who was equally naïve in regards to bourbon, we scheduled in our first ever bourbon tasting.

I was actually really worried I’ll look foolish and silly for my lack of knowledge in between experts and connoisseurs but the event was actually a lot of fun and informative! Mark and his wife was there to greet us at All that Meat (압구정 / Apgujeong) and immediately made us relax with their easy demeanors.  In total 6 of us were there for the meet-up (Mark told us that it usually was 6 – 8 people per meetup). The evening actually was actually really relaxed evening of conversations on various topics ranging from obviously alcohol, politics, Korea etc. with Mark’s instruction/notes on each Bourbon as we slowly progressed through the dinner and drinks.

The menu for the tasting was as following for 70,000 won per person:

Dinner Menu:

• Abalone Shrimp Cevice

• Foie Gras Cranberry Pie 

• Ceasar Salad

• BBQ Combo Platter: Beef Brisket, Pork Rib, Smoked Duck, Smoked Pigs Feet

• Escargot & Mushroom Pizza

• Creme brulee or Brownie with Ice-cream

Tasting Flight: 

• Maker's Mark

• Maker's 46

• Buffalo Trace

• Blanton's 

• Four Roses Single Barrel

The food was terrific, although Lee definitely noticed it more as I was too absorbed in my drinks / various historical and tasting-notes on each drinks.  Rather than it being overly technical, Mark provided us real easy cues to look for in terms of flavours (he even provided us with info-sheet on each explaining the content/flavours etc.) Also he walked us through how we should approach first smelling and then tasting the bourbon (straight).

Having only have tasted Maker’s Mark out of the 5 bourbons, I was delighted to taste and smell such a surprisingly distinct variety of profiles. Nonetheless, my favourite of the night was Maker’s 46, which was much smoother and had stronger scent of Vanilla than Maker’s Mark.  Apparently, there’s currently no major distributor/importer carrying Maker’s 46 (even finding Maker’s Mark is difficult) so it’s definitely an item I’ll be looking for next time I step outside the country. Lee’s favourite was Blanton’s, which I thought had the sharp taste profile similar to scotch whiskey than others. Each bottle’s detail in design and bottling was immaculate and scarily enough I could see myself starting to collect them if it becomes easier to get my hands on them!

What we had feared to be an overly technical and rather ‘difficult’ evening turned out to be one of the best dinner parties I’ve been to all year. I’m definitely looking forward to the next meet up and in the meanwhile upping our bourbon game! (OLD FASHIONED WITH CARDAMOM BITTERS & MAPLE SYRUP)

If you’re interested in bourbon (with or without much knowledge on it), you should definitely come around for a tasting and enjoy the night at what I think is a great –valued deal.

Lazy Sunday Austrian Lunch at Heuriger

Heuriger (호어리거)

서울특별시 종로구 사직로10길 7

7 Sajik-ro 10-gil

Jongno-gu, Seoul

South Korea

Naver Maps // Google Maps

Lunch Set (15,000won)

Main dishes from 20~ 

I can’t quite put into words how dignified (and silly for feeling so damn dignified) I felt when I told Lee about how we “actually need” to check out Heuriger for a review (AND that we’ll get compensated!).  I mean it’s not quite at the level of getting paid to eat (a girl can dream), but still it was definitely a glorifying moment worth gloating over.

Reaffirming his belief that I’m indeed an alcoholic, I explained to him on our way to the restaurant what Heuriger is. It actually refers to an Austrian wine tavern, where you can sample the most recently harvested wine with few simple options for food. I was lucky enough to have visited one during my last visit to Vienna. Despite most of my memories being either “lost” or faded after the shocking amount of wine I managed to squeeze into my body, I still distinctly remember the  friendly and easy-going charm of the tavern that warmed my (already tinted) cheeks.

That’s why as I approached Heuriger, I was surprised to see a familiar looking hanok (Korean traditional house).  But stepping into the hanok, we were left even more perplexed and utterly lost for words in a mini-courtyard covered in grape-vines.  Heuriger, definitely has one of the oddest mix of atmosphere for sure.  We sat down whilst German yodels were being played in the back-ground once in a while accompanied by the sound of mosquitoes being fried in the electric catcher. Oh and then there was a random print of Audrey Hepburn as well.

What a strange place! 

May Lunch Menu Set - which apparently is the same for June 

The lunch-set at Heuriger is a bargain at 15,000 won for a 2-course meal of appetizer and main (with salad) followed by either espresso or a vienna coffee.  The lunch menu changes slightly each month but they still serve normal dishes/mains from the menu as well.  They also seem to have a proper wine-list, and we should’ve totally examined it before blindly following the waitress’s suggestion of the house white. It’s not that we’re bunch of wine-snobs, but I’m pretty sure serving white-wine with ice (which in this heat is basically water) is not the norm… Anyhow I guess it is still a valuable (yet unnecessary) lesson learnt.  We decided to go for Rindgulach mit Nudeln and  Schweinsbraten mit Servittenknodel, or more commonly known as Beef Goulash with Noodles and Roast Pork Neck with bread buddings. 

The appetizer was Mussels with Bread (Cozze de Mare mit Brot). It was a refreshing and light start with the fresh mussels and shrimps going really well with the simple dressing. Despite the strong start, the bread-basket and the green salad was a disappointment. I had really hoped for a hearty rich German bread and a proper (no lettuce) salad, so we were thoroughly disappointed when we were served toasted white bread with lettuce salad in yogurt dressing instead. At least it paired particularly well with our watery wine.

I should've never listened... Wine with Ice in this heat = wine-flavoured water!

Our rather disappointing non-artisan white bread...

After being a little disappointed, I was more than find the two main-dishes to meet our expectations. The goulash was particularly good as the rich and deep tomato flavours really complimented the soft beef chunks. The pork was also cooked perfectly but we found the sauce that it was served with a little bland. I found both dishes a little cold but was thoroughly satisfied with both of my meals.  It was Lee’s first time trying Austrian cuisine, and I think he enjoyed his dishes as well! Funnily enough, our (secretly) favourite part of the main dishes were these amazing homemade spicy pickles that were served on the side. The lunch-portions (may be due to the price) are also not that substantial unlike the country’s reputation for large hearty meals.  This actually worked out alright because we still had enough space for a dessert after our mains.

Schweinsbraten mit Servittenknodel

Rindgulach mit Nudeln

Considering more of a research for a pancake challenge than an indulgence, we ordered the Austrian King Panckae (Kaiserchmarnn Klein) for 7,000 won. Kaiserchmarnn is an Austrian torn pancakes with Raisins covered with powdered sugar and it was definitely our favourite dish of the day. We ate it with so much enthusiasm and endless compliments over the fluffiness, the raisins, the perfectly balanced sweetness. WE are definitely going to make this as part of our challenge!  Later on I found out on the internet that the raisins are often soaked in rum (no wonder why we loved it so much)!

Austrian Pancakes! 

Overall, I definitely enjoyed our lunch at Heuriger! I think it more than delivers its value for the price, but I do want to try out the main-dishes and some of their wines next time during dinner. Oh but no matter when you visit, you really really do have to try their dessert.

 (Here you can see the full menu) 

And to finish it off, here's a photo of us looking rather pleased with our first Austrian lunch together - I mean look at Lee's smirk  :)

ShinShin (신신) - Spicy Beef Stew to sweat out your frustration

신신 辛辛 (ShinShin)

서울특별시 중구 남대문로 64

02-773-4842

64 Namdaemun-ro

Jung-gu, Seoul

Naver Maps// Google Maps

"You sure? It's really spicy" She said quickly glancing at Lee and his full-scale (glittering) paleness. For a minute, I wasn't too sure myself. Could Lee really handle level 3? A level they said corresponds to 3 times the spiciness of Shin-ramen?  Then I thought why not - it would be incredibly racist of me if I didn’t subject my boyfriend to his fair share of spiciness right? Plus he did manage to eat level 2 without weeping or breaking down…

I’ve returned to 신신 (辛辛) – ShinShin (Chinese character for spicy) in myeongdong couple of times, always seeking that thrill and odd sense of release you feel after sweating through a meal. Unlike other restaurants specializing in spicy food, which sometimes I find totally lack any other flavors besides the painful burning sensation,  ShinShin’s beef stew has a good blend of flavors and delicious to eat!

If you choose to go for the spicy beef stew / 매운갈비찜 (M (35,000) for 2-3 ,  or L(45,000) for 4-5), there are 5 levels of spiciness you can choose from  (1 – equivalent to Shiramen, 2 – 3 times Shinramen , 3 – Imagine Shinramen with Extra chili flakes  + Chilies and so forth). Last time we had gone for the level 2, which was still surprisingly spicy but enjoyable for the both of us (although I admit, lee is better than lots of Koreans with spicy food).

The stew come to the table ready to eat with fresh scallions piled on top. Usually the server removed the bones from the beef and even cuts it into bite-size pieces too! I think shinshin's portions are proportionate to the price you pay, as you get a fair share of beef as well as copious amount of bean sprouts, scallions and other vegetables. I usually end up pretty full by the end of the meal (although it may be the beer we chug down as a necessity to alleviate the spiciness). The best way, in my opinion, to eat this is by making a mini sweweed-roll, radish roll (무쌈) or throw it all in roll. The owners refill the seaweed and side-dishes without a fuss so don't worry about asking for more. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can dip the beef into the hot-sauce they give (because... well if you're going to tear up you might as well go all the way). 

By the time we're half way through our table is usually littered with beer and tissues. We usually begin fishing for beef / bean sprouts in the sea of ominously red soup and soon after Lee begins to dive into the path of self-destruction by 'attempting' to drink the soup. Despite the schadenfreude i feel watching him sweat, this is usually when I intervene and ask the owners to take the soup away and make us fried rice. 

After waiting for few minutes during which you partially regain control of your tongue nerves and begin to sweat slightly less, the fried rice arrives (with the big bowl of left over soup). The fried rice is surprisingly not spicy at all (or it may just be our numbed taste-buds) so we usually pour some of the soup back and eat it together.

Shishin is definitely one of my favourite dinner/lunch places around this neighborhood to go to. Despite being centrally located in Myeongdong, it's never really too crowded (but always occupied) and still has that sense of your secret weapon to show off to naive visitors who think they are good with spicy food.

The Aftermath