Domestic Goddess

Jamie - are you sure you have durian? Because you might have Jackfruit or called Langka in my language. Jackfruit featured on Marketmanila.com Or another cousin of the breadfruit, the Marang Fruit. See here. Or maybe you like the durian smell already. I find it deliciously fragrant and heady.

Milgwimper - Just for you. Guinataang Kuhol (Snails in Coconut Milk) Ingredients : 1 kilo of kuhol (apple snails or escargot) 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, julienned 1 head of garlic, crushed and chopped coarsely 1 onion, halved and sliced thinly 1-3 hot chili peppers 2 c. of coconut cream 1 tbsp. of cooking oil salt and pepper sliced leeks for garnish Cooking procedure : Soak the kuhol for several hours. Change the water frequently. Tap the tip of the each shell with the side of a knife. Wash several times. Drain. Heat the cooking oil in a skillet or wok. Saute the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the sliced onion and chili pepper. Cook until transparent. Add the drained kuhol and cook over high heat. The kuhol will render water. Cook until almost dry. Pour in the coconut cream. Season with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered over miedium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until almost dry. Sprinkle sliced leeks on top before serving.

Here's how you open a durian. Hold the fruit from the stack, turn it upside down. You should see a crack on the shell (most ripe shells would have a 2-3 inch crack on the shell). Put the upside-down durian on a towel/rag to prevent from slipping. Put both your thums in the crack and start to pull open. A fully ripe durian withh break in two portions. Take one of the half portion, put the edge of your palms at the edge of middle of the fruit and push down. This will break the half portion into more segments. You will see that about 4-5 segments in the whole durian. Sit in a nice airy place, hold a durian segment and scoop the custardly wedges/chunks into your mouth. There is a large pit/stone in the middle of the fruit. Don't throw away the empty sections of the durian. Take one and rinse it with running water. Now fill up the section with water, mix the water a little with your fingers (to make it cloudy a little) and pour water in your mouth to gargle. Swirl and spit. Turn the segment over and do the same thing. Only this time, swirl your fingers in the water and then wash your fingers with soap and water. This will deodorize your fingers and mouth from the durian smell. Trust me, it works! For durian burps, now that I don't have any tip for you.

Sheena - I echo the boiling for over a couple days to get the milky whiteness from the bones. To see if you are done with cooking, take one of the bones and see if you can crumble it with your fingers. If you can do so easily, your milky white soup is done. Me, I just buy ready-made seolleongtang soup from the local grocery. I'll try to ask for the recipe for the soy sauce crabs from my friends. *shudder* Sigh, the things I do for my eGullet friends. Peter - what size of anchovies do you guys like? there are about 5 sizes I can get. I prefer the small ones (about less than 2 inches long). There are really tiny ones to huge 3-4 inch ones. Just specify what you prefer and I'll get a box on the next street market day.

Oops, forgot to describe the side dishes. The dish on the farthest left contained pickled onion wedges with carrots. The long dish on the right contains tiny pickled shallots, crunchy fresh seaweed salad and korean pickled radishes.

Insomniac - try to get the 3-day or 2-day old baluts. The embyo is just as big as your thumb and can be slurped up easily with nary a feather to get lodge in your teeth.

Peter - tell me when you run out of dried anchovies, I'll send you a boxfull for Scud.

I got this in my MSN update. Creepiest, Craziest Halloween Candy Excerpt: The days of homemade candied apples may be gone, but these days kids can rot their teeth with a wealth of weirdo treats. Halloween in the '00s means gross-out gummi creations, candy in the shape of insects (or with actual insects inside) and lots of sugary-sweet body parts. What's the creepiest, coolest candy this Halloween? Vote for the weirdest stuff we found online, or add your own. Ultimate Guide to Halloween Candy Excerpt: It's that time again. Your teeth have just finished recovering from the sugar overload of last Halloween and you're ready to torture them again, right? Well look no further my friends, for I have been collecting a ton o' Halloween candies to show you again this season so you can cut out all the guesswork and go straight for the good stuff! There are nearly 40 varieties reviewed here, so you're bound to find something you like! You won't find a more comprehensive candy listing anywhere else and what my taste buds say is LAW, so you had better listen to 'em. All of the candies featured here are rated on a 1-5 scale: 1 being worse than a vampire draining all of the blood from your body, and 5 being better than a vampire draining all of the cancer from your body and turning you into a super-human who can lay golden eggs worth waaaay more than any of that cheapo Fabergé stuff. Top 10 Grossest Candy Excerpt: There are a lot of gross candies in this world. A lot. I didn’t realize the level of grossness that candy has sunk to. We at Candy Addict decided to compile a list of the Top 10 grossest candy we could find. We searched high and low for gross candy and came up with a long list. We then each ranked the grossness of each and compiled our results to bring you the Top 10. The Most Curious Canned Goods Online Excerpt: Mmm, mmm … gross? In celebration of strange sustenance chowed 'round the world, we've put together a list of freaky foodstuffs for the audacious, fearless gluttons for gourmet punishment. Some of our contenders on the list are international delicacies, like Mexican truffles, or the rich broth produced by a partially grown duck fetus. Others, like canned whole chickens and brains, are capable of turning the appetite of even the most adventurous diner. Most of the items listed are available in specialty markets or can be unearthed for purchase online, so happy hunting and bon appétit! The last link includes bottled balut (boiled duck embryo) and canned bodegi (silkworm larvae). Why am not surprised that a Filipino food delicacy and a korean snack made it to the list? Edited: for clarity and more info.

Hiroyuki, my sushi platter and udon noodles combo pale in comparison to your delightful feast. I will post it anyway. I ordered chobap chongsik which just literally means mixed platter combo. Edited: because I posted the wrong pic.

Here is the shot of the Peppero aisle in our village mom&pop store. The green almond covered ones and white inside-out ones are on sale for 3 boxes for 1,500 won. The red original ones sell for two boxes for 1,000 won.

Thank you Fugu for solving a long mystery for me. Pen Shells - gee they look more like horn shells.

Diplomatic answer (when in Korea): "Pocky? Never heard of it!" ← So the diplomatic answer when in Japan is "Peppero? What is that?"

So the snails in coconut milk is called tabagwan>? Wow! That's one of my favorite lunch items.

Kbjesq - here are some answers to your question: 1. Along the lines of insomniac's question, would it be difficult to find a guide to assist tourists who speak only English? Would it be advisable to ask hotel staff for a reference? I suggest placing a free ad in the local paper like the Korean Herald and you'll find a multitude of friendly koreans who are willing to bring you all over Korea and wouldn't even charge you a cent (it's an opportunity for them to speak English and make foreign friends along the way). 2. What is the proper recipe for Korean pancakes? Your pictures are killing me. I bought a mix (like this), however, I can't read the directions and my pancakes seem too thick, and very gummy. Any help (ratios of mix to water to veggies, etc.) would be very helpful. Sheena, Doddie or anyone? I have the same package in my pantry. My version is to put a cup of the mix in a bowl and add about 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup of water. Mix well until you get a watery batter. Add a little bit water if you thick the batter is too thick. To see if your batter is too thin or thick, dip a spoon in it and see how it coats. If there is a good thick coating on it, thin a little with a tablespoon or more of water. Too watery, add more powder. Not too watery though, or the pancake will not hold. But with some experimentation, you'll get the hang of it. Remember, if you're making plain pajeaon, just add thinly sliced onions, carrots and leeks (or spring onion). If you are making seafood pajeon, you have to add thin slices of squid and whole oysters to the onion-carrots-leeks. I think I don't have to explain how to make kimchi pajeon. 3. Next summer, we may have a chance to attend a music festival (GMMFS) located at the YongPyong Resort. Do you (or any other EGers) have an opinon about visiting this region, or this resort in particular? I realize that it is touristy, but according to the website, it is about 200km from Seoul . . . . All I can say is that, if it is touristy, expect to pay exhobitant prices . From bottled water to snacks.

Milgwimper - was the fish black scaled and meaty? That would be tilapia with a dusting of cornstarch. If the fish was long and round bodied, it would be galunggung (scad). And if they were tiny 3-inch long fish, then it would be the favorite Filipino lunch - crispy fried dilis (battered anchovies). Stew made out of pork bones and bitter melon, I have no inkling. Are you sure it was not Pinakbet? Do you know where your friend is from in the Philippines? North? South? Visayan? Ilocano?

Gotta have sushi tomorrow then!

Peter - please tell Serena that Billy's finger/hand is healing up nicely. He has already picked off the laceration scabs. Seisei - thanks for clarifying what those teapots are (actually lamppots) Hubby and I racked our brains trying to figure out what it was. Unfortunately, we didn't get to bring home any tteok or free rice because of Billy's dogbite.

Imsoniac - it is spelled KILAWIN. My boozy uncles and grandpas would fix this as an accompaniment to beer and gin. To make kilawin, you can use any boiled meat (pork, intestines, pigs ear). Cut into 2 inch slices and marinate in 1/2 cup soy sauce, 2/4 cup vinegar, sliced onions, a tsp of minced garlic, sliced bird chilis (if you like it hot) salt and pepper and set aside for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve and enjoy! Cenedra - here's list of Filipino food to try: Pork and Chicken Adobo stew Kare-Kare stew with sauteed shrimp paste Sinigang Soup (whether is shrimp, milk fish or pork) Bulalo Soup Sizzling Sisig Pinakbet Arroz Caldo Menudo Not to mention our fabulous breakfasts! Tapsilog - Tapa, Fried Rice and Sunny Side-up Egg Longsilong - Longganisa (Filipino sausage), Fried Rice and Sunny side-up egg Tosilog - Tocino, Fried Rice and Sunny side-up egg Cornsilog - Corned Beef, Fried Rice and Sunny side-up egg

Peter - I had the same reaction to the spa/public bath (Like Serena). The first year that we moved to Korea, I went out with my kids to find PC Bang (an internet cafe) to email updates to my family. By some gross miscalculation or maybe my really poor understanding of the korean directions, we ended going to the 3rd floor of this building. The elevator door opened up to a cashier window which was directly beside the spa pools. Nekkid ladies (of various sizes and ages) walked nonchalently back and forth why I desperately tried to cover my sons' eyes (Billy was 3 and Jai 9). We hurried back to the elevator and went to a McDonald's instead. I told the story to my husband who kept laughing when I wailed over and over again "They're all naked!". Insomniac - here's the recipe for Kamja Tang from my korean friend 2 kilos of pork bones (pref. the ribs and spine) enough water to cover the bones in a pot 4 tbsp. of salt (you can halve this if you like) Bring the water to a boil. When it first starts boiling, throw out all the water and put enough water to cover the bones again. Boil the bones until the remaining meat is about to fall off. Skim the fat off the broth. Set the broth aside. 6 tbsp of gochujang 12 peeled potatoes 1 red pepper, seeded and cut with a bias cut 2 stalks of leeks, roughly chopped 1 onion, cut in thick round slices various greens (sesame leaves, chinese cabbage, etc.) Bean sprouts. Place some of the soup broth stock into a large deep dish wok. Place the bones in the center of the wok. Add the gochujang on top of the ribs, arrange the potatoes, red pepper, leeks, onions around the bones. four or five bone pieces (per person) into the center. Finish topping with bean sprouts around the sides. Fill with broth until it is about an inch below the brim. The vegetables will be in a rounded heap above the rim. Don't worry it will boil down and absorb the broth. Place over a gas burner (camp stove) set at the table. Remember that the meat is already pre-cooked so the preparation at the table is mainly "melting" the vegetables into the broth to create a vegetable stew mix. Turn off the burner and enjoy picking the bones and slurping the spicy redhot soup. After all the bones have been picked clean, strain the vegetable broth from the wok into a large bowl. Wipe the wok clean. A: Add cooked rice to the wok. Turn on the burner again and pour the strained vegetable broth back in until it is at the top of the rice. Add sesame seed oil. Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Set this aside as one side dish. B: Clean the wok. Add remaining strained soup broth to wok and add clear rice noodles. (If necessary add more of pig broth.) Allow to boil until all the noodles are tender. This is a soup dish. There you go, kamja tang 3 ways... of course, you can skip steps A and B and just eat rice with your kamja tang while it is boiling happily away on the stove.

Peter - I echo your wimpy fear of the “Bundaeggi”. They just look like smaller wingless cousins of the HUGE roaches in the Philippines. I just can't imaging popping one in my mouth. Those are my waterloo, plus the raw marinated crabs that Sheena is so crazy about. Oh and not to reiterate the point - the mountains and hills right now have a riot of colors. Wish you guys were here to see it. (poke-dig-jab) he he he...

I adore the pic of the eggs on top of the Yatai Hiroshima-yaki rolls. I could probably eat two of them. And what takoyaki balls! Now that's a takoyaki (with humungous tentacles)!

Thanks for a wonderful and informative blog Che. It was nice seeing those fabulous market pics.

Nice blog! I'm looking forward to more (pics and postings).

You want sugar stick packets from Korea?

We come to the end I forgot to mention, there were a place to make your own carved totem poles. A lot of the farms in Ichon had a display stand where they displayed their produce and goodies. This stall had brined tiny shrimp and fermented clams/fish. This stall I think has honey products. (Yoonhi, Peter, help?) Preserved peach chunks... We walked on further and found vegetable stands. This one boasted it got the best dried peppers. Sacks of sweet potatoes Green peppers for munching... These are not that hot. Huge cabbages and daikon radishes for "kimjang" (kimchee making season). Dried black soybeans Apples in gift boxes and dried peanuts An array of farm produce... There was a tofu stand there too. Freshly made tofu blocks were served steaming hot to customers. This genial gent invited me to taste his freshly made tofu. It was fantastic. More dried chili pepper pods. There was a place in the festival marked "Prayer Grounds". I found out that it is a place where one can write down wishes and tie it to the rope in offering to the Rice Gods. Billy ties our prayers onto the rope. There were more sights to see and things to do but we had to cut short our sighseeing. Billy got bit by a dog on his little finger on the right hand. The cocker spaniel was left alone by its owners and lunged at Billy when he ran near it. It was then a frantic trip to the First Aid Booth and then we set off to look for the owners. We finally tracked the dog's owners and they insisted in bringing Billy to the nearby hospital. After another round of meds administration and bandaging, we were driven back to the bus terminal and we went home tired and exhausted. Billy's finger is now healing nicely. I do hope y'all enjoyed my report. I can't wait for the next Rice Festival.