Vegetable Lentil Soup The benefits of language school

For YK, who enjoys with me all the side benefits of Korean School

Every Saturday, I rouse the kids up early, get them changed and washed up, feed them breakfast, and load them in the car so that I can drive 30 minutes to their Korean school.  Its a lot of work and the whining and general unhappiness that accompanies this trip down is not entirely easy but I carry on and push through and get Children to Korean school without fail, every single Saturday.  This isnt even counting the stress I undergo receiving countless emails regarding homework (three different kids in three different classes just means a lot of emails) and having to actually SUPERVISE and have Children COMPLETE the homework.   A lesser mother might quit taking their kids, given the sheer resistance that Children put up, but I cant give up Korean school and its not for the reasons that you think.

Of course there are tremendous benefits to Children in learning a foreign language and the mother tongue that both Husband and I speak.  We want Children to be able to read and write in Korean and be able to communicate with Grandparents easily in Korean.  We wish and hope for them to be bilingual and comfortable speaking more than one language.  Thats a compelling reason to send Children to Korean school, but on many days, like today, its not the driving force behind why I get behind the wheel and grit my teeth against the complaints and get Children to Korean school.

On a day, like today, the reason I could bear all the noise on the way to Korean school is because I knew that once they were in Korean school, I would have time.  FOR ME.  And while time for me can look like a variety of things like time in front of the computer, or time blogging, or time organizing the house and cooking, time for me on Korean school days is different;  Im far enough away from home that going back doesnt make sense, which means that for almost three hours I HAVE to find something to do.  Something that I want to do.  Something for me.

Sometimes best friend YK (whose child also receives the tremendous benefits of Korean school) and I get a pedicure.  Sometimes we grab brunch.  Sometimes we get errands done, but today was not about any of those things.  Today was about time for us.  We went to a cafe, got a coffee, cozied down on a table; she on her laptop, I with my book and we settled in for two and a half hours of uninterrupted quiet time.  I did not answer the phone; I did not look at the computer. I actually had time to sit and read straight through a novel Im planning on teaching my students next.  I took notes, had time to reflect, and I got to enjoy sitting outside in the sun with best friend and not having to talk or do anything except just be.

Now, Ill never let Children know that I send them to Korean school so that I can benefit, but I assure you, if you dont have your kids in some sort of Saturday language program, they (ahem - YOU) are really missing out.

After Korean school today, after Childrens torture and my mini-vacation, I came home and fed Children this soup, steaming and perfectly in line with fall.  With crusty pieces of bread, or a warm sandwich, it signaled the end of both their schooling and my respite.

Vegetable Lentil Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups diced onions
3 cups diced carrots
3 cups diced celery
½ cup white wine (optional)
14 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock
? cup dried lentils (I used red split lentils from Trader Joes)
1 cup chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese for sprinkling as garnish (optional)

Method
Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat.  Add onions, carrots, and celery all at once.  Add a good pinch of salt and pepper to season the vegetables.  Saute until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are beginning to become tender, about 6 minutes.  Add wine and cook for an additional minute until wine has evaporated.  Add tomatoes, chicken stock and lentils all at once.  Bring to a simmer and reduce heat, cooking until lentils are tender.  The tenderness of the lentils WILL depend on the type of lentils you use.  Split lentils cook the fastest, and will be tender in about 20 minutes.  Whole lentils will take much longer to become tender, closer to 40 minutes.

Printable recipe

And with a bite of this, Im thinking about next weeks class.

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Chicken Dumpling Soup

Happy Monday friends!

Welcome to the new work out week. Hope that first day back went well for you.

Tonight I decided to make the family some chicken dumpling soup...something that theyve never had before. Ha! I heard this from the six year old, "Whats a dumpling?" and then shortly after a teeny, tiny bite..."I dont like dumplings! Theyre icky!"

Well, she did NOT know what she was talking about because they were absolutely wonderful!!

Daddy Rainmaker had some, I had some...and my husband is taking some to work for lunch tomorrow... And the kids who copied her...the 4 and 2 year-old...well, that just left more dumplings for the rest of us to eat. Dumplings will not be going to waste at this house!

Heres a nice little close-up...

I simply dont know why I didnt make dumplings sooner...
Heres my big batch soup recipe that I use:
ten cups of water
10 teaspoons of chicken bouillon (or 3 T and 1 t)
1 cup of onions
2 cups of celery
2 cups of carrots
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
after I put the water and bullion in, I turn it on high and begin cutting everything up. Once it starts to boil, I turn it down to medium until Ive put all the chopped stuff in the pot. Then, while its on medium, I mix up the dumpling mixture:
2 cups of whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder
3 T of parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of thyme

I mix that well and then:
I mixed 1/4 cup of olive oil (or oil of your choice or less oil)
and 3/4 cup of milk (you could probably get away with no milk and just water)

Oh, then I add three cups of cooked chicken
(now, if you dont want to add meat...maybe try a favorite bean?)

Then, I turn it up to high..
Once it starts boiling, I use a Tablespoon and spoon the dumpling mixture into the soup. After its all in, I put a top on the soup and turn it down to between low and medium and let simmer for about 12 minutes.

After that, it was ready to eat.

This is the base soup recipe I use for all of my soups. If its not dumplings I add, its home made egg noodles, or rice, or lentils, or garbanzo beans, or corn, barley...you can add just about anything. And then, what I do is stick the leftovers in a crock pot. Then, a few hours before lunch the next day, I turn the crock pot on, and soup is ready for lunch.
(however, I dont put a top on the soup if I put other things in it)

I did want to add that, I generally dont eat this soup because of the chicken bouillon in it. I see it as being a processed food. However, until I can find a different way of making it, I cook it this way.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I made it to the gym tonight running against a northerly wind and in freshly fallen snow that felt like a run at the beach. Hm..Hey Sunshine, see I can imagine Im some place warm too. Ha!

Got in a terrific 60 minute leg work-out. It felt great! Got in some abs and then some push-ups. two sets of 15 girl style and two sets of 15 boy style.

My weight fluctuated up again to 6.8 pounds loss in four weeks.

I think Ive been eating more than I probably should. I made some more carob peanut butter bars. But I notice that with the additional calories, I get more breastmilk. I want to make sure I get in enough calories for Mr. Lovely so Im tending to err on the side of more rather than less. I think it is affecting my weight loss. So, perhaps after this week, I may look into getting some FenuGreek which helps to produce more milk flow.

However, Im still eating clean, with no sugar or white flour.

Well, I hope you all have a good one!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

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A Little Update And Some Home Made Soup

Good evening friends!
How was everyones Tuesday?

It was a very productive day. Four more loaves of bread were made (thanks, Darling Rose), a double batch of cornmeal muffins (thanks again DR), this home style chicken noodle soup and some biscuits that our 15-year-old daughter made as well.

This is the first time I made the soup this way. I used some home made whole wheat noodles that had been sitting in the freezer for like two months. I also used a bag of chicken that had been sitting in their for a few months too. I added my broth, onions, carrots and canned corn...and it was unbelievable!

Everyone loved it!!

My daughter cooked up some biscuits. These actually use white flour, but they look wheat because we ran out of white and had to knead it in wheat flour.

So, those are my two pictures for today.

Now for the update with my maternity appointment.

When I met with this midwife this morning, I got to talking to her about her kids and forgot to ask her some questions. Also, she did not do a physical exam to see if I was dilated, if my cervix was softer ect.. So, after I got home I felt annoyed with myself for forgetting my questions and not asking to be examined. I told my husband about my frustration. So, he suggested I just call her back and ask her those questions. So, I called back, got some really good answers AND set another appointment for this Thursday to have a physical exam.

Lets be real here.

Ive got less than two weeks now before my due date and I dont want to have to wait another whole week to see if Im even dilated. I would be just too annoyed with myself for the next seven days.

But what I do now know...

She thinks the baby weighs around 6 1/2 pounds. My abdomen measured 38 centimeters as compared to last week where I measured 36 centimeters. So, my abdomen measurements now match the weeks along that I am.

Remember those stomach pains? Well, I asked if there were any side effects to taking Evening Primrose Oil tablets. The side affects can be that if you take too much: "nausea, vomiting and GI distress".

You know what GI distress is, dont you? Gastro intestinal distress. I would heartily describe my stomach pains as GI distress. One of the directions for taking those evening primrose tablets is to take it with food. So, there must be something in it that can affect my stomach. What I do now is to just take two tablets a day instead of three. I havent had any pains in the last two days.

See?! I didnt need the GasX! Ha, Ha!!!

There didnt seem to be any adverse affects from the raspberry lea tea extract.

Oh, I was leaving the clinic this morning from my appointment and in the elevator, when a gal with a newborn stepped in too. Her little baby girl had just been born on Friday, the 15th, a month early. It was her first baby. I asked to see her; this little girl looked so precious and delicate. Perfect little fingers, nose, and mouth. My heart just swelled with the joy and anticipation of soon being able to see our baby boy too.

The mama said she was on her way out to go shopping for her baby.

In the meantime, with all the cooking, I did stumble on my diet again today. I actually had a slice of white bread with some home made strawberry jelly. And I had a small biscuit. And then I had a small coffee with sugar and cream.

So, its back to a new day tomorrow.

Again, thanks for all your comments!

Hope your Wednesday goes well!

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama

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Lemongrass Coconut Curry Noodle Soup On change and adjustment

For Husband, in love and gratitude, and for the Lord, for His goodness and grace.

In about 36 hours, my life is going to dramatically change.  Husband, who has spent the vast majority of the past three years traveling for months at a time will finally rest his roots back in our home.  The long gaps between visits home will no longer be the norm, and rather, the long gaps between travel will dramatically change the face of how the daily life of this family runs.

Im so grateful to God that finally Husbands work settles him back more with our family and our home, but I also have a lot of trepidation.  Im not sure how I will adjust to a new roommate.  Im not sure how he will adjust to having four needy, loud, dependent, boisterous, rambunctious people smack in the middle of his daily life.  I know there will be lots of change and Im preparing to adjust many things in order to accommodate this dramatic and exciting change.  Im praying daily that God makes me a better wife, a more patient one, a more accommodating one, and one who isnt going to be ready to make like a bandit for the hills should things get too hectic.

There are going to have to be changes in the physical space (Ive been working on a man cave/office for the husband) but more importantly, I see massive change in...the kitchen.

For the better part of the past 36 months, the kitchen has been about ME.  Its what I want to cook, what I want to eat, what I want the kids to eat, what I feel like doing (or not doing) and its really been my domain.  I answer to no one, think about few, and really only consider my own personal needs.  With Husband back in the picture - things change.  Husband doesnt like to eat certain things, and lest I want to make two meals (I HATE THIS), Ill have to adjust to his wants and desires, which mostly boils down to a lot of Korean, with short forays into Italy.  Well not have potatoes, or beans, or too much fish sauce.

Too much fish sauce you say?  Yes.  Too. Much. Fish. Sauce is not Husbands favorite.  Hell smell it and hell walk in the other direction. Hes also not a huge fan of cilantro, which happens to be almost my favorite herb of ALL time. (Children enjoy too.)  And so suddenly, my fish sauce, cilantro laden curries dont become things that are easy to cook with Husband at home, because these are not food he enjoys.

Thats why, before he returns to rest in his roost, I decided to go all out and bang out this Thai inspired yellow curry noodle soup.  I made it really for me, not expecting Children to go for it at all, but it turns out, noodles always win them over.  They appreciated the flavors, slurping down the rich broth, and overall giving it high marks.  Daughter #2, who has become one of the finicky eaters in recent days (meat and rice only please, thank you) ate two bowls, as long as I didnt put in the red onions.

Its simple to execute, really just making the curry paste, which comes together quickly in the food processor.  The rest is simply boiling and then assembly, which makes it a great week night meal.  You could certainly make the curry paste the night before and then the next day you could bang out this meal quickly.  The other not so great part is that you do need to boil noodles separately, but the end result is so delicious, you wont regret it.

I used these fresh rice noodles, which basically can be flash boiled in boiling water, and then they come out lovely.  Feel free to substitute any noodles you like; the original recipe called for egg noodles (Sons egg allergies made it a no-no) but I think I prefer my rice noodle version regardless.

Lemongrass Coconut Curry Noodle Soup
(adapted from Bon Appetit March 2013)
Serves 6 to 8

Curry Paste
Ingredients
3 medium shallots, halved
1 stalk lemon grass, bottom 3 inches only, outer husk removed, roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro stems
1 tablespoon (or 2 tablespoons if you like some serious heat) sambal oelek (ground chili pepper paste)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder

Method
Purée shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, and 2 tablespoons of water in a food processor, adding more water by tablespoonfuls, if needed, until smooth.

Noodle Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, halved lengthwise
1 pound rice noodles (I found some fresh ones that just need to be briefly rehydrated in hot water)
3 tablespoons (or more) fish sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Kosher salt
Sliced red onion, bean sprouts, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges (for serving)

Method
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add curry paste; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, 4-6 minutes. Add coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil; add chicken. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is fork-tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Let cool slightly; shred meat.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

Add chicken, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, and sugar to soup. Season with salt or more fish sauce, if needed. Divide soup and noodles among bowls and serve with toppings.

Printable recipe

Perhaps I can convince him to at least taste it.  With the squeeze of lime, its just pure deliciousness.

Slurp-worthy

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Lentil Sausage Soup Why libraries are life changing

For JC who always makes me laugh and makes me celebrate being a nerd.

My work as a private teacher these days means that I do a lot of different types of things for an incredibly wide range of students.  The work is rarely the same from student to student and most of the time I try to remember that my main goal with many of them is to give them an opportunity to change their impression of themselves.  I have a good number of students who start with me because they dislike school, dislike reading, dislike books, or plain straight up dont like studying.  I get them and the work is hard but always interesting and filled with eye-opening moments.

I have one student who has been with me for nearly four years and Id like to think we have a good relationship.  He relies on me to help him get through some of the tougher assignments from school and I spend a lot of time pushing him to do the best that he can on any given assignment.  Most recently our work  has put him in my car so we can go to our local public library together.  The first time I took him he said, "Man.  This is creepy.  I dont even know how to get around this place."  I had to find him a sports book that he could enjoy, he would read, and be entertained by and so we walked over to the shelves and I began searching for the right book.  He stood off to the side making comments such as, "Man.  You know how to USE a library.  Do you come here a lot?" and "Whoa. How do you know how to find stuff?"  to finally, "Did you go to the library a lot as a kid?"  I answered all the questions as I searched for his book and called out titles to him that he might enjoy.  We settled on sports book that featured crazy and unusual sport contests and we left.

This student knows I know how to use a library. Most recently he wanted to have a book on tape version of a book he needed to read and came to me.  I showed him how to access our online catalog, put the desired book on hold and later on in the week picked it up and gave it to him.  He was grateful and said, "Man.  You know how to use that library."

Just last week, he came with the book that he had to finish, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah and asked if I could read with him to help him finish as he was about 50 pages from the end.  As I had read only a portion of the book at the beginning and nothing in the middle, I figured Id be reading it simply to help him through it, and not to necessarily being fully engaged in the book.  I knew the basics of the plot, heard the author on a variety of interviews and I figured it would be just some mellow time reading.  The two of us pored over the book, with my student asking various questions for clarification along the way.  Suddenly I was hooked.   I wanted to read the book.  About 10 pages before the end, our time together was over and he stood up and slammed the book.

"Wait.  Ill let you finish.  Come on.  Lets just finish," I said.

"Nope," he replied with finality.

"Come on!  Ill help you finish it!  Lets read!"

"Nope."

"Why wont you just finish here?  I want you to finish here."

"Dont worry.  Im going to finish it at home.  Im stopping the book now so YOU will want to read it.  Go get it at the library."

Huh?  What?  My reluctant reader student is convincing ME to read a book?  Yes.  Yes he is.  And in this moment, I know that he is changed.  He has changed his perception about himself as a reader - he can actually ENJOY a book.  He doesnt enjoy all of them, nor do I expect him to, but this book he enjoyed - enjoyed enough that he wants ME to read it.  And Ill be picking one up at my library at his request.

Now - Ill get a nerdy here and ask that you consider the amazing educational researcher Dr. Stephen Krashens work on the power of the library.  Its a great short video on youtube, and you wont be sorry you watched.  Youll be grateful for your local librarian, thankful your childs school has one, and if not either of those cases, youll be outraged that your town and your school doesnt have one.  I went to Childrens school librarian and local childrens public librarian last week and hugged gratefully each one of them.  Libraries are a gift and something we take for granted, but we shouldnt.  Go, check out 50 books (it raises circulation counts which is a good thing) and sit amidst a pile of books and be transported elsewhere.

In addition to books, this lentil soup transports me somewhere else as well.  Although Im in overly-sunny California, Id rather be curled up by a fire enjoying this soup and a good book.  I want to be locked in so that I dont have to go anywhere and can sit, instead, mulling over the written word and a bowl of this hearty thing.  I use the kale stems leftover from my kale salad  and I think its a great and healthy addition to this bowl of yumminess.  It requires a little bit of patience to build up the flavors and the base of the soup, but the end result, so worth it.  Just like a great book.

Sausage Lentil Soup
4 quarts of soup

Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils (I like Trader Joe’s green lentils)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large diced onions
3 cups chopped kale stems (if you have available - I always make this after I’ve made my kale salad, so there are stems)
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½  teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves OR 2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
½ cup red wine
3 quarts chicken stock
?  cup tomato paste
12 to 16 oz  turkey kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick

Method
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, kale stems, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender.

Add celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add red wine and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and simmer until the kielbasa is hot.

Printable recipe

There is power in books and power in this soup.

And if youre inspired to read a book that one of my most reluctant readers read and enjoyed, check this one out.

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Curried Coconut Chicken Soup When you need a comfort

For SH, CJR, LKL, JZ, JD - thank you for being the calm when I freaked out

Daughter #1s teacher and I had a casual conversation this past week, and she said, "Do you remember when you were younger, you had in your mind that if you just reached a certain age, life would be simple and all planned out and a straight, predictable trajectory?"

I do remember exactly feeling that way, and it definitely must have been before my body began betraying me and before the birth of Children.  That simplified and unrealistic view of a mature life happened when I was immature.

Because this last week, my life, at age 41, when it is supposed to be calm, peaceful and all figured out, was anything BUT that.  I injured my hip flexor in such a manner that I was completely debilitated and unable to function normally without screaming in wretched pain.  To compound that pain, Daughter #1, (this one who plays the piano and swims) fell off the monkey bars at school and was in excruciating pain (while I also was in the same excruciating pain) and I feared that her concert piano days and my peaceful nights were over.  Thankfully, Daughter #1s arm turned out to be a bad sprain vs. a broken arm and my hip flexor is rapidly on the mend.  (All this paranormal activity, of course, while Husband is out of town on business.  Not blaming him, but just clarifying.)

I learned this week that life is never at all predictable, reliable, or calm.  However, there are many things that ARE - God, comfort from friends, and love from family.  As I repeatedly broke down from the pain in my body, the stress of trying to function, and the distress from seeing my own child suffer, I called upon God, my friends and my family, and many heard my cry and responded.  I read from the book of Job.  My parents offered to drive up from Southern California if only to relieve my duties.  Mother in law offered to come up and just be in the house so that she could answer the cries of children so I wouldnt have to.  Friends offered wise and sage counsel on the phone about doctors, best methods of treatment, and in it all, somehow, peace began rising like the sun, ever present, ever dependable, ever there.

I learned a lot about myself this week.  Even though I had two kids with no pain intervention, the pain that prevents you from function and walking normally is unforgettable.  I learned that when Im in a panic, there are a few voices that definitely calm me down and make me see straight.  (Thanks CJR and LKL and SH.)  And at the end of a hard day, sometimes a warm, rich comforting soup fills you up in a way that few things can.  I made this soup, hobbling around in my kitchen, cooking it on my single portable gas range, and when it was done, and I got to eat it.  I slurped it down and felt myself nourished and refreshed.

The soup sort of is like a tom yum or tom kha (Thai soups) but I definitely put my own twist on it as I didnt use galangal or kaffir lime.  Its more a Thai inspired curried soup more than anything, but its the soup I want to eat.  Tomorrow.

Curried Coconut Soup with Chicken and Enoki Mushrooms 
(adapted from Mai Pham’s Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced lemon grass (from the bottom portion of the lemon grass, tough outer shell peeled off before chopping)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground chili paste
1 teaspoon curry powder

3 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock
13 oz can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

? pound chicken breasts or thighs, skinned, boned, and cut into ½ inch cubes
7 oz enoki mushrooms, stems cut off (you may substitute a cup of whatever mushroom you like)
1 cup chopped ripe tomato (or cherry tomatoes sliced)
½ tablespoon lime juice
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Method

Heat oil in a sauce an over medium heat until hot.  Add shallot, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, red chili flakes, red chili paste, curry powder and brown slightly, about 30 seconds.

Add chicken stock, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk.  Bring to a boil and add chicken, mushrooms, tomato.  After it comes to second boil, turn off heat, and add lime juice and cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Printable recipe

and when I want comfort, it sometimes looks like this.

Great book - so many things you want to eat in here!

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Kimchi Tofu Soup 김치순두부찌개 7 Conditions

I dont know when I became a bad sleeper, but Im notoriously horrible at the mandatory nighttime rest. Actually, let me rephrase that. I can actually be a GREAT sleeper, but I have seven conditions that must be ideal in order for my sleep to be really good.

1.  The kitchen has to be completely cleaned and ready for the next day.
2.  Kids have to be in bed.
3.  The room has to be completely dark.
4.  The room has to be completely silent.
5.  I have to read something (ANYTHING) for 10 minutes to set my mind at rest.
6.  I have to have showered no more than 3 hours before bedtime, and I have to put on fresh "inside bed" clothes and put in the laundry basket, my "outside world" clothes.
7.  The only thing touching me can be the sheets, the pillow, and the mattress.  No human contact.

Now, every once in a while, my seven conditions are met, but usually, one or two out of the seven arent met.  Im a mother to three kids, a wife to Husband who likes to work late in bed (laptop screen glare and noise in particular are really difficult for me to manage), and I technically need to be in a sensory deprivation tank for sleep to be good. I know, its not going to happen.  But on those days, those rare days when all the conditions are met, the sleep is amazing.  Ahhh....

Now for all my difficulties with sleep, Husband has equally as many conditions for his kimchi chigae.

1.  There cant be too much pork or meat flavor.
2.  The broth needs to be lighter and less rich.
3.  The broth to kimchi ratio leans heavily towards the broth side.
4.  The broth cant be sweet.
5.  The broth cant be too salty.
6.  The tofu cant overtake the kimchi.
7.  The soup must be served piping hot with rice.

Just as I have continued to nag Husband about helping me reach my seven conditions of sleep, he has nagged me endlessly about the kimchi tofu soup of his personal preference.  After 12 years of arguing with him that he was simply WRONG about his soup (he is, but oh well) I decided to revisit my old method of kimchi soup and lighten it up in his favor.

It turns out his desire just makes a different soup - not a better one, but a different one.  And as an added benefit, it turns out that Son actually likes this version as well and the Father-Son combo enjoy this soup regularly.  Its slightly more complicated than a regular kimchi stew, but youll get more bang for your kimchi (meaning more soup for the same amount of kimchi) so in the end its a good investmentt.  My favorite finish on this soup is an egg (or two woo hoo!) cooked in the final stages of the soup so I get a runny yolk messing with the rest of the spicy broth.  In order to accomodate Sons egg allergy, I take a portion of the soup and add it to a small pot so that I can cook my egg.

Kimchi Tofu Soup (???????)
Serves 6 to 8 people

Ingredients
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
¼ lb Korean pork belly or other pork or beef cut of your choice
5 cups drained kimchi (place in a strainer over a bowl), roughly chopped - reserve 1 cup of kimchi liquid
2 tablespoons gochujang(??? - Korean hot pepper paste)
2 tablespoons soup soy sauce (???) or reduced-sodium soy sauce
8 cups water
6 or more eggs (depending on your egg love)
1 package tofu (medium firm) cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
8 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces

Method
In a large pot, over medium heat add oil and pork belly.  Cook until pork belly has rendered some of the fat and is getting golden brown.  Add drained kimchi and gochujang and soy sauce.  Cook until gochujang and soy sauce is all incorporated and the mix is started to darken, about 5 minutes.

Add to pot 1 cup of reserved kimchi liquid and 8 cups of water to pot.  Bring to boil and cover; reduce heat to maintain simmer for about 25 minutes or until kimchi is translucent.

Add tofu and cook for another 5 minutes.  If desired crack eggs soup or put some soup in a smaller pot to add eggs.  Cook an additional 2 minutes.  Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds

Serve hot with rice.

Printable recipe

Now, off to bed.

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