Feb 1st - Catch up - August 8th - Cold Soba Sweet and Sour Seafood Bimbim Noodle

We had some of the Gumbo I made on Saturday and we still had two lunch portions. Therefore, today is a catch-up day for a meal I didn't have time to blog last Fall during Hell season at work.

I visited home in the summer. I normally try to work out of Toronto for a few days but I've had a pretty rough year at work and so this time felt I really needed to switch off. Well, in the sense of not thinking about work but not my computer. That said, my parents have no internet so I couldn't keep up on the blog. I should have typed in word but it just didn't feel the same. Of course work didn't let up so you'll see I dropped alot of postings in the fall. I'll catch up on our left over nights. :^)

This dish is mom adaptation for us and her general style of experimenting in Korean cuisine and some other asian dishes. She doesn't really experiment outside of Korean cooking and is religious about following recipes if it's an occidental dish. It's quite cute. I've written up recipe cards for Crepes, Waffles, Cornmeal muffins and posted them on her fridge. She has her other recipe books and magazine cut outs as well.

But I don't expect spaghetti when I come for a visit home. Toronto's summer was not that hot this year. It was surprising because our summer in Vancouver was blistering and for more than 1 week. Shocking. This dish is great for hot days. It is spicy but it's cold so it cools you off both ways. It's super easy and you can play with the protein.

The base of any of mom's 'Sweet and Sour Kochujang' dishes, you will need a base.

Sweet and Sour Kochujang

1/2 cup plain Korean Kochujang
1T honey
1T rice wine vinegar
1t mirin (optional)
1T black and white sesame seeds, toasted (in a dry pan until they pop)

Whisk, add more vinegar as you like to get the tartness you like and the ketchup/dressing consistency you like.

Cold Soba Sweet and Sour Bibim Noodle

1 bundle of soba noodles per person, the packs come with a paper band around each bundle.
1/4 c sweet and sour kochujang
1T sesame oil
4 large shrimp, peeled, blanched in water
100 g sliced squid, blanched
scallions
3-4 radishes julienned (matchsticks)
1/2 - 3/4 c curly romaine lettuce, only the leafy ends, no stems, chiffonade (ribbons)
sesame seeds to garnish

Boil the soba noodles as per the instructions. They cook really quickly, usually about 5-6 minutes. Rinse immediately is COLD water and drop a few drops of sesame oil and toss a little with your fingers like you're tossing your hair. Soba noodles can clump up very fast if you're using them right away.

For the protein, as per the instructions. quickly boil them in boiling water. The shrimp should only be until it goes opaque and pink. Don't over cook. The squid, will take a bit extra time but not too long a few minutes. Cut french fry sized pieces from a pre-cleaned squid fresh or frozen-thawed. Set aside in the fridge. If you don't like squid, use a firm white fish or scallops.

Julienne some nice radishes. Use a mandoline or slice and then cut the slices in to match sticks slowly. I would not recommend you use a grater. You'll end up with radish mush. Pile up the curly romaine lettuce leaves, after washing. Roll up like you're rolling up sheets of paper into a tube. Slice into 1 cm ribbons.

In the bottom of the nice large Korean noodle bowl, drizzle in 1 t of sesame oil. Place the noodles on top. Place the seafood on top. Sprinkle the radish on top and the lettuce. Dollop on the Sweet and Sour Kochujang. Sprinkle on the chopped scallions (green onions, white and green bits) on top now or after you mix. Mix thoroughly at the table with your chopsticks or with fork and spoon. Garnish with more scallions and sesame seeds as you like.

Add different veg like spinach instead of lettuce. This is a summer version so think light.