Tilapia Gochijang Dooboo Jigae (Hot Pepper Paste soup with Tilapia and Tofu)

Hiyah people!
I haven't been posting for a while because of my diet. But now, since I'm finally off the hook, I get to enjoy cooking again ;)
So this is a pretty light recipe, but will leave you feeling full any day. For the cooler nights of late August.

I don't like to specify amounts because I feel it's subjective (hey, how much gochujang you put in is up to you...can't force you to burn your mouth off ;) ) Anyways, I never cook by amounts unless when I'm baking, that's when I follow the recipe down to the letter.

Ingredients
Water
Tofu (1/3 of a block is good)
Kombu (Or any thick seaweed)
1 Tilapia filet
Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
Dwenjang (Asian soybean paste)

Any kind of vegetables.

Soy sauce (to taste)*

1. Put cold water into a large pot, add dried kombu and diced tofu. Bring to a boil.
2. Add tilapia filet.
3. Add gochujang paste to taste. I usually add 2 tablespoons, I like it to be spicier.
4. Add any vegetables you prefer.
5. Add dwenjang if you think it needs more salt
6. Serve with soy sauce (diners can adjust soup savoriness to taste) and steamed white rice.

Flower Boy Ramen Shop + Recipe

In the spirit of the drama with Jung Il Woo "Flower Boy Ramen Shop"

Ramyun is an integral part of east asian, and college culture. It is cheap, filling, and delicious. Found in all sorts of places: Shops, delis, train snack carts, etc. To eat, just add hot water! I remember during my school days popping by the local deli afterwards to catch a cheap bite to eat when I was almost broke.What more could one want? A slightly smaller waist perhaps.
I have been eating this since.......I dunno. Never got sick of it!
Recipe: Spicy Seafood Ramyeon

Ingredients:
1 pack of ramyun
Cook according to package instructions. Note: For a healthier version, don't add the entire soup base-its filled with sodium and most of the time, msg.
Suggested additives
Shittake mushrooms, thinly sliced
Eggs-hardboiled or poached
Leeks sliced thinly, may be added as a topping
Kimchi :D
Peppers
Carrots
Potatoes
Tomatoes!!!
Green peppers
Cabbage (Bok Choy)
Spinach!
Bean Sprouts
Broccoli
Seafood: Shrimp, lobster, Squid, etc.
Gochujang or any type of hot sauce
Be creative. It will ALWAYS taste good. I even added milk when I was little and it was still delicious.
Eat, exercise, and be merry!

Easy Hotdog Hong Kong Style Borscht

Photo courtesy of hongyi86 on Flickr

Hong Kong Borscht (Luo Song Tang 罗宋汤) has always been one of the most delicious soups my mom made. It is a regular lunch of mine, as its very versatile and easy to make. It is guaranteed to be tasty, no matter how much or how little stuff you put into it. It's a great hit at hong kong and southeast asian bakeries, although you could easily make the same yourself under 15 minutes.

Today, I wanted to eat a hotdog for lunch, but I only had the sausage and no bun, so I decided to put my hotdog soup style. And a soup with ketchup, to me, will always be HK Borscht. So instead of regular beef, I made today's soup with just 2 hotdogs, onions, and carrots. It was rich and satisfying, and proved that I could still cook something nice with an almost empty fridge.

Recipe 
Ingredients

•   vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 hot dog sausages, chopped
• carrots, julienned (like matchsticks) 
• 1 bottle of ketchup 
• other vegetables, any kind, chopped
• rotisserie chicken seasoning (optional), 1/2 teaspoon
• water, amount depends on desired quantity of soup
• salt/pepper to taste

Directions

• in a saucepan, over medium heat, heat vegetable oil.
• add hot dog and onion. Stir until onion is clear. Add rotisserie chicken seasoning
• add desired amount of ketchup. Quickly stir and add water immediately. Add carrot/hard vegetables. Simmer on medium-low heat.
• When it is on a small boil, taste. If you feel soup needs more richness/thickness, add more ketchup.Taste frequently
• When you feel you added enough ketchup, and the soup is boiling, add salt and pepper to taste. 
• You may serve with pieces of bread or salad croutons. Enjoy!!