Homecoming, Kimchi

Yesterday Young Stumbler #1 came home from college for the Christmas Holidays. She has been home before this Fall, but because of my travels I have missed her. She will be home for over a month - we are all glad for her to be home, although YS#3 must give up her new room for her older sister. Here we all are in front of the Christmas tree.

All the Family at Home 

After dinner, the girls wanted to watch a "chick flick" (movie for girls), "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". My son, YS#2, only lasted about 1/2 way through the movie before he left to his room. I made it all the way through the movie, because the girls kept telling me that there would be jet fighter planes "very soon now".

Today I made kimchi soup for breakfast, but the story begins over a week ago when I bought some kimchi at the local Korean grocery store. I wanted to make some fried kimchi (뽁음김치). But, the kimchi I bought was very very salty. I think there was some mistake when they made it - I have NEVER tasted kimchi this salty. I was about to throw it out, when I took YS#2 to have his hair cut on Wednesday. My haircut lady is Korean, and she suggested that I wash the kimchi in water and make some kimchi soup (김치찌개) with it. I have heard that it is a simple dish to make - she said basically all you do is put kimchi and water in the pot and boil it. You can add some various things if you want - some meat, ricecake slices (떡), or tofu (두부) for example. So, Wednesday night I boiled a big pot of kimchi soup, smelling up the whole house. Yesterday, on the drive home from work, I stopped at another Korean grocery store and got some tofu and rice cake slices. Last night I sliced up the tofu and put in the big lock-n-lock container of kimchi soup.

So, this morning, I made my Korean style breakfast. I boiled some of the kimchi soup, and added a handful of rice cake slices, and some leftover meat (fish and turkey). Once it came to a boil, I added an egg to the soup, just like I do with Sundubu soup (순두부찌개). It was delicious. But my lock-n-lock container is still full - I think I have many more mornings of Korean breakfast before I finish it.

Korean Breakfast Ingredients 

Kimchi Soup w/ Tofu, Ricecake Slices, Fish and Turkey 

Korean Breakfast