Today, my Korean friend, Eva, invited me over to her apartment for lunch. Not just any lunch, this was a completely vegetarian homemade traditional Korean meal. There was denjang chigae (fermented bean paste soup), biji soup (this consists of the whey produced when making tofu, a.k.a. biji, and kimchi), and there was a rice noodle and vegetable dish that was once a special item only brought out for parties and company. Then there were the ever present Korean side dishes. There were four different types of seaweed, which were all surprisingly tasty. I really enjoyed one large leafed variety in particular called mulmi-yug which is dipped in a spicy red sauce called cho-jang. On top of that there was kimchi-jan (kimchi pancakes), homemade tofu, a kind of crunchy root, and a delicious kind of vegetable reminiscent of ginseng called Nang-i. Tasting Nang-i is like biting into the earthy smell and taste of the forest. It is very refreshing and pleasant. And of course, there was rice to round out the table. To drink, we had homemade corn tea, which had a wonderful aroma.
After we ate our fill, we took a long bicycle ride down the bike path along the Oncheon river. The weather was unseasonably warm, and everyone in the area was outside taking advantage of it. There were people exercising on outdoor equipment lining the park area, people playing badminton and basketball, and people walking their canine companions. It was exciting to be able to enjoy the weather outdoors in a park like setting for a change. On a side note... I'm not sure why, but the phenomenon of adult bikes having wheels not much bigger than tricycle wheels seems to be popular here in Korea. Eva's boyfriend's bike is one such model. I wonder what is the advantage to such tiny wheels?
Once we made it back to the apartment, Eva made a dessert of ho-dduk (sweet Korean rice pancakes) filled with sunflower seeds, brown sugar, and cinnamon. She then proceeded to load me up with samples from the meal to take home, as well as some homemade kimchi and soy sauce. I was really excited and appreciative of such a care package. I'm sure the sight of a foreigner on the subway with parcels of traditional Korean food bewildered not a few onlookers.
All in all, the day was delightful; my compliments to the chef/host. For the first time, I actually enjoyed every item and side dish in a Korean meal! Now I just have to find out if I can replicate them...
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