Kitchen Venture #8: 'Bibimbap'

So it is about FOUR months since the last kitchen venture post. Since February and my kitchen experiments with cold soba, I have yet to actually cook or experiment in the kitchen since. No actually, since I moved in here, I don't cook very much. So I find ways to improvise and break the sandwich and cereal rut.

And somehow, I managed and survived. The life of a very lazy student. Lazy when it comes to feeding myself. And also I am impatient. Today doing groceries, I saw a frozen meal I wanted to get and then it said ready in 6.5 minutes, I thought that was too long to myself. Oh boy.

I am pretty easy going when it comes to food. I mean I like fine dining and I totally know what's the difference between for example, otoro and toro; woody undertones and fruity tones. Trust me, I eat enough to know and I am spoilt rotten by Daddy when I am home. Nevertheless, we can't always have good food. And thank god I can live on salads and stuff. But there are days I want something more.

Photo credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com
It came to my attention (after a couple of years) that I can buy microwavable rice. Previously I don't cook rice at home nor do I own a rice cooker. I don't like rice that much unless its sushi or when I get the mood. OKAY, back to the above photo, it is my version of the Korean dish bibimbap which is a signature Korean dish. The word literally means "mixed meal." Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating. It can be served either cold or hot. Vegetables commonly used in bibimbap include julienned cucumber, zucchini, mu (daikon), mushrooms, doraji (bellflower root), and gim, as well as spinach, soybean sprouts, and gosari (bracken fern stems). Dubu (tofu), either plain or sautéed, or a leaf of lettuce may be added, or chicken or seafood may be substituted for beef. For visual appeal, the vegetables are often placed so that adjacent colors complement each other.

I am not a fan of Korean cuisine as I have mentioned before but I make an exception for bibimbap because I love fresh raw vegetables and sunny side ups. So in my version, I use brown rice (microwavable ones if you are as lazy as I am). I shred cucumber, tomatoes, red onions and/or carrots or slice them into round shapes. Because those are my staple vegetables. So easy to eat them, no cooking involved and very minimal water rinsing.

After arranging them above the rice, I add baked beans or canned tuna or canned chicken or ham or pork floss. ANYTHING you like basically. You can be hardworking and fry up some minced meat and stuff. At most, you should put two of the items named in this paragraph. Because anymore would really be overkill to the rice.

After all that, you top it off with a suuny side up with a runny yolk. The yolk HAS to be runny so the rice and meat can properly soak it up when you break it. That's the best part as it adds a new level of flavour to the meal.

There, done in minutes and minimal waiting around for something to cook. As long as I am kept busy, I have no complaints. I really liked the dish being kept fresh with all the raw vegetables. Like a rice salad thing. And filled with my favourite food. You can definitely do it too. Such child's play! I would imagine a kid loading it up with M&M's and chocolate sauce or something HA HA HA.

Till my next kitchen venture, Mayy xo

Kitchen Venture #4: Easy Pasta!

For students studying overseas, particularly those without cooking experience, I understand it is very daunting going through the supermarket shleves not knowing what to do. I mean, I experienced it firsthand myself. I didn't know what to eat. I was thoroughly lazy and when hungry, I want food ASAP.

I don't want to waste time in the kitchen preparing and cooking with my tummy growling. And when NOT hungry, I want to do other things and not spend time in the kitchen preparing for when my tummy is hungry. Food overseas is NOT cheap, so we cannot eat out all the time like in Singapore or Malaysia, mostly Asia.

I spent the early days of my overseas period eating microwave tv dinners. But too much of them really ain't too good for you. What I am recommending in this post is admittedly not very healthy but at least it does make things easier for you. You can also choose to add in healthier foods and make it your own version. All these recipes are just default and the basics anyway.

Photo credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com
This pasta dish is REALLY SIMPLE. And can be done in matters of SECONDS. Perfect for exam periods and satisfying those mad cravings for junk food. Not using those packets of pasta you got to boil for ages, it is CANNED Pasta. Any kind will do, any type that catches your fancy. Normal tomato flavour, ham and cheese, cheese, meatballs etc! From Heinz to SPG or isit SPC? Haha.

What I did here was microwave it for 30seconds. Add chopped ham and cheese and microwave for anothe 10seconds. You can see the googey melted cheese! Slice cucumbers thrown in to balance out the junk. I ran out of tomatoes that day, otherwise there would be fresh round tomatoes slices too!

You don't have to microwave it too, you can pour it into a pan and stir it over the fire. Add tomato sauce if you want the tomato flavour. Throw it chopped tomatoes for a real punch. Cooked chicken pieces, chopped sausages, peas, broccoli (frozen so you can just microwave), anything!

Picture credits: www.checknsave.com
Munchables snack box!!! is my little sceret weapon in my fridge. It has crackers, ham slices and cheese slices with gummi sweets or mini m&m's depending on which colour you get. It is in the chilled section of the supermarket near the yogurt and cheeses. I can keep this box with its ham and cheese slices for a longer period of time. So with my dishes like this pasta one, I can chop the ham and cheese up almost anytime I want. The little sections divided also ensures I don't over-buy or over-eat.

Keep this in mind and stock up on these items in your pantry and fridge. You will never go hungry again during those dreaded exam periods or when you are just plain lazy...

Till my next kitchen venture, Mayy xo

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