Hotteok Korean street food (sweet Korean Pancake)

Annyong!
Today I visited my local Korean market & I bought something I have been wanting to try for a while! ( im a big big fan of Korean food)  its called Hotteok! other wise known as a sweet Korean pancake. I have seen this many times in K-dramas so I finally got the guts to buy it and make it at home. I usually don't like to make  things out of a box but today is an exception ...the out come was sweet. I will make another posting once I do the Hotteok from scratch.

Hotteok is Commonly eaten during winter in Korea and is sold as street food. I have been told by the friendly Korean cashier that most Koreans don't like sweet things so when  I made the  Hotteok it was mind blowing, because it was actually really really sweet!

Now the instructions on the mix I bought are in Hangul. so I will roughly explain what to do if one day you decide to buy this your self and I highly recommend it  ^__^

                                                         This is the brand I used it cost $3.70

these are the packets that come with it , I dont know if you can see but the instructions are in Hangul. the yellow one is the batter and the brown one is the filling which consist of peanuts , brown sugar and cinnamon. 

this is the back and it has english instructions but some people might have a hard time understanding it since it is written as most people like to call it " engrish" 

start by heating 8 oz (1 cup) of water for 30 seconds. (this is for the yeast to bloom) the recipe originally called for 10 oz but that was way to much.  

open the yeast package and let it bloom in the warm water

after 5 minutes mix the water in slowly ( you might not need much) and knead the dough for 5 minutes. it will be really REALLY sticky!! 

oil your hands to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers and take aprox. 4 0z of dough the size of a small egg. after rolling it into a ball  flaten it with your hands and spoon 1 or 2 tbsp of the filling into the middle. pinch together and roll into a ball again. *apply oil as needed* 

my Hotteok sizes aren't consistent but it should give you about 10 balls depending on the size you make them. (as you can see my first one was the biggest one -_-')

put enough canola oil or vegetable oil to cover the pan. 

place the balls in 3 at a time and with the back of the spatula flaten them to about half an inch thick.

make sure not to flatten them so much the filling will ooze out! 

cook for 2-3 minutes on each side on low-medium heat or until both sides are golden brown.

and now you have yummy delicious sweet Hotteok!!! mm this will go great with coffee or tea! 

Huevos Motuleños Mexican Cuisine

Annyong!
Well today I would like to talk about Mexican Cuisine. I my self along with other chefs at Le Cordon Bleu  believe Mexican cuisine is under appreciated, and I just don't understand why? it is wonderful food and full of interesting history!! how much better can that get ? I know what most people think when you say Mexican food.. Taco bell!!! wrong!!! sooo wrong in many ways!! Mexican food and Taco bell should never be in the same sentence! you will soon find out why! if you have the chance go to a local mom and pops Mexican cart or Mexican restaurant. I am sure you will be amazed that you will not find your ordinary Chalupas and Beef and bean burritos! give it a try will ya ?
Along with all of the yummy goodies Mexican Cuisine has to offer I have to say one of my favorites is Huevos Motuleños , its a very simple easy dish that anyone can make at home. originally in Mexico this dish is eaten for breakfast but I my self make it for dinner as it is filling and easy to  accomplish on a budget. with some little alterations it can go from Breakfast food to Dinner food! try this recipe  you will not regret it!
This Recipe along with 3 other egg dish recipes  got me the highest grade in class on my practicals :)
Ganbatte ! good luck with making this dish!

for the home made corn  tortilla you will need :
2 cups of Masa harina
1 cup of luke warm water (add as needed)
2 pinches of salt to taste (although originally old school folks refuse to add salt)

Note: this recipe for corn tortillas will give you around 12-14 tortillas depending on the size it is made. if you have some left over freeze the dough and use when needed.

for the rest of the dish :
2 eggs
2 oz Manteca (lard)
1/2 cup of black beans (soaked over night or you can use canned black beans )
2 oz of minced Jalapenos
6 oz of thinly sliced white onion
4 oz of minced garlic
1 oz of olive oil
8 oz of thinly sliced steak or ham
4 oz of queso fresco crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

1. in a pot melt lard over medium heat and sautee the 3 oz of garlic , all of the Jalapenos and all of the onions until the onions reach a translucent color. then add the beans and cook for 2 minutes and then put in just enough water to cover the beans. cover pot and let it cook until the beans are soft and tender. add more water if needed.

2. while the beans are cooking put the masa harina in a bowl with the salt and slowly add the luke warm water. mix with hands and gradually add more water until a soft firm dough forms. the dough should not be sticky.  set aside with a damp towel over the dough so it does not dry.

3. mix the left over garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper with the steak and set aside. cook in the last 5 minutes of preparation. if doing ham skip this step.

4. when the beans are fully cooked add salt and pepper until desired taste is achieved. mash the beans with the bottom of a cup until creamy lumpy consistency is achieved. the beans should not be runny.

5. roll the tortilla into a 3 inch ball , aprox the size of a small egg, then press with the tortilla press. (if you dont have a tortilla press a bow will work fine )  if  tortilla dough is dry add more water.  after the tortillas are pressed in 360 degree hot oil fry the tortillas until golden brown and crisp. set aside and drain.

6. while the last few tortillas are frying cook the meat in a grill or in a sautee pan on medium heat , make sure not to over cook the steak or  the ham.

7. after tortillas are done use the same oil to fry the eggs until the bottom is crispy and brown and the tops are still white but cooked. spoon oil over the egg to cook the top making sure not to break or cook the yolk all the way.

8. assemble the dish with tortilla first , a spoon full of the bean mixture , steak or ham , 1 or 2 eggs and then queso fresco.

enjoy this yummy fast easy recipe ^__^ !!

oh! its Nico!

Hello!
this is just a blog for me to keep interesting memories of the food I create and food adventures of any place i go!
I am Nico
I attend Le Cordon Bleu and am currently finishing my Culinary experience there just to start a new one out in the world :)
I hope you enjoy the food postings i will be creating soon!

Anyong!