Recipe All / Soup & Stew

Chickpea Crab Miso Soup

01.06.17

Photography by Selina S. Lee

It’s always sunny here in Caifornia but It’s been cold and chilly around here. Brrr! I’m loving all the layering, scarf wearing, warm tea in my hand but all I think about is making a bowl of soup. This chickpea crab miso soup is so light and comforting. We eat a lot of miso soup around here. It was important for me to find a good miso paste. I tried many different brands available from the market and one that I love the most is chickpea miso from South River. It has a chunky pieces of chickpea in the paste! I also love chickpea miso from Miso Master as well but it’s not as chunky like the South River brand. Both brands are all natural and organic and it’s delicious! If you are local, you can find South River miso at the Preserved store here in Oakland or Miso Master brand at Whole Foods Markets.

Now, Let’s talk little bit about that wooden bowl. Some of you have asked me about the source. I got them online at AliExpress! They are beautifully handmade and easy to maintain. You can find other shapes of wooden bowls at the same shop. Enjoy!

Photography by Lisa Wong Jackson

Here is a lovely scene captured by Lisa at the private workshop I hosted last summer. We started our meal with a warm chickpea crab miso soup and we still talk about it! I added few more details to the recipe but still very simple to make. Check it out!

CHICKPEA CRAB MISO SOUP (칙피콩 크랩미소장국) – 4 Servings

INGREDIENT
1 cup cooked crab meat
1-2 tbsp chickpea miso
6 mini yukon yellow potatoes
1 scallion
1 katsuobushi or seafood stock tea bag
5 cups water
½ cup radish shoots or pea shoots

PREPARATION
Prepare potatoes by cutting them in halves or quarters. Chop scallions finely.

COOKING INSTRUCTION
1. Put the stock tea bag is cold water and bring it boil. Once it starts to boil, take the tea bag out and add miso by sifting through slowly dissolving into the stock.
2. Add potatoes and boil it about 20 mins until potatoes are soft. Lower the heat and add chopped scallions.
3. Serve in a bowl by adding the cooked potatoes on the bottom, add cooked crab meat and radish/pea shoots on top. Pour the miso soup from the edge of the bowl. Serve warm.

Recipe All / Others

Mung Bean Fritters – Updated

01.02.17

Photography by Selina S. Lee

Happy New Year! Happy 2017!

As a new years tradition, I had another great Korean holiday meal with my family last night. It was one of few opportunities where I can pig out on mom’s home cooked meal. My sisters and I brought some dishes to add to the table. I made one of my holiday favorite, Mung Bean Fritters (녹두 빈대떡). It brought back memories of all those years helping mom on the side of the kitchen making these. Not to mention sneaking in a few bites while I was helping her. So happy I can make my own now and to share this recipe. Hope you get to try it too!

MUNG BEAN PANCAKE (녹두 빈대떡) – 4-6 servings
recipe adapted from Korean Bapsang

INGREDIENTS
2 cups peeled mung beans
1 cup mung bean sprouts (숙주나물)
1 cup washed kimchi
3 scallions
1 cup pork belly for shabu shabu
1/2 cup crown daisy leaves or parsley leaves (optional)
1/2 cup thinly sliced seeded red pepper (optional)
cooking sake or white wine
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

DIPPING SAUCE
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp sugar
pinch of black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

PREPARATION
Rinse and soak the mung bean in cold water for 3-4 hours. Drain leaving little bit of water to be used for blending (approx. 1/4 cup). In a blender, grind 2 cups of soaked beans. Adding little bit of water will help blend them smoothly. Add little bit of salt for seasoning. The the batter should be thick and coarse consistency. Prepare mung bean sprouts by boiling it for just 2 minutes to cook but still crunchy. Rinse it in cold water, drain and set it aside. Cut pork belly in small bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper and cooking sake (or white wine). Prepare kimchi by cutting in small bite size pieces then wash it in running water on a strainer, squeeze out excess water and set it aside. Chop scallions and set it aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the mung bean and combine all ingredients by mixing gently so it’s evenly mixed. Prepare the crown daisy leaves and red pepper slices to add. I like to soak the red peppers in cold water to take the heat off a little and to take the seed out easily.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
On a non-stick pan, heat oil on medium-high heat using generous amount of oil. Use the spoon to put the mixture into the pan and spread it down into a thin round shape. Add crown daisy leaves and red pepper on top. Cook until the bottom is golden brown (2-3 minutes), and turn it over. Lower the heat, Gently press it down with a spatula, and cook for another 2-3 minutes then flip it over one last time and cook for 1 min. Repeat the process with the rest of the mixture. Serve hot off the pan with the dipping sauce.