Post 51: Lunch - Tupperware Jjajangmyeon Surprise... Coincidence?

Every once in a while, we come across one of those coincidences that makes you wonder if it's anything more than just a mere alignment of stars.  In my last post I wrote that I would have liked to have ground pork in the zhajiang noodles from Hot Wok.  I'm pretty sure that my dad doesn't read my blog... or does he? When I opened my family of Tupperware for lunch, I found this:

Instant Korean jjajamyeon... with a side of ground pork!

My mom made the ground pork, and my dad packed the lunch... so it was my turn to put in some cooking effort.  Fair trade, no? I was wondering why my dad decided to put an entire package of instant noodles into glass tupperware, but when I was looking for a bowl at lunch, my realization hit... it was right there in front of me.  My dad really does think of everything.

What's your most recent surprise or coincidence? Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20110419_21

Post 34.3: Korean-Chinese Food, Part 3

This continued post on Korean-Chinese instant noodles may perhaps be a slap in the face for Korean-Chinese food enthusiasts.  Perhaps it may even be slight blasphemy that I categorize instant jjajangmyeon under authentic Korean-Chinese food.  If it's any consolation to Korean-Chinese food lovers, I can tribute to post to the original jjajangmyeon from the warm kitchens of the Korean-Chinese who invented it.  Worshipers of jjajangmyeon must have craved the originally homemade noodle so much and became so impatient over its prolonged preparation that someone came up with the instant noodle version to satiate all those impatient palates.  Props to instant gratification.

I am a victim of hunger and impatience as well.  My solution for the new obsession over these Korean noodles in black bean paste was a trip to H Mart, where the cashier was an exemplary model of instant gratification himself.  Probably hungry from standing for hours at the register, the cashier satisfied his hunger by taking intermittent bites from a fried chicken leg (probably from the supermarket deli) while scanning the barcodes of the many brands of instant jjajangmyeon on the conveyor belt.  Looks like that Snickers commercial got to his head.  Hungry? Why wait? 

Curious to see what I bought? Why wait? Here are the other instant jjajangmeyon that I threw into the shopping basket... and how they turned out.

Unconfirmed identity.  Koreans regard jjajangmyeon is Chinese.

Step by step.  The powdered seasoning and veggies get cooked with the noodles first.

Noodle surfing.  The black bean paste sits waits to be mixed in with the ramen.

A mixed result.  Glistening black bean paste noodles ready for consumption.

I haven't tried this one just yet, but I think three packages of MSG-ridden instant noodles is way more than my body to handle in one week.

Jjajang men.  Yes, I am a jjajang man.

I took the bowl noodle to work for lunch, and I accompanied it with Kimmy's homemade haemul pajeon and a mini tub of kimchi.  Yum.

Anyone speak Korean? I have no idea what bokki means here.

 

The usual suspects.  The typical seasoning and soup base packets from within.

A sand dune of MSG.  The seasoning for this package looks deadly.

It's all here.  Protein, carbs, veggies, and deliciousness.

After pumping my body full of mono... mono... monosodium gluta... gluta... gluta... oiii... I need water... I think it's probably a good idea to stay away from instant packaged meals for a while.  My next meals with be cooked... the traditional way.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20100928/20100920

Post 34.2: Korean-Chinese Food, Part 2

Rather than turning to more Korean-Chinese restaurants or perhaps a homemade Korean meal by request, I've decided to turn to the supermarket aisles to further reveal the unique background behind Korean-Chinese cuisine... although at first I wasn't sure what I would find or how much more of the unique background I could reveal.  But lo and behold... in the instant noodle aisle at 99 Ranch... instant noodles, Korean-Chinese style! (Perhaps I should have shopped at a Korean supermarket like H-Mart, but there aren't any nearby...)

I've only ever had Shin Ramyun (kimchi flavored, spicy, Korean instant noodles), but this pack of Chapagetti chajang noodle (jjajangmyeon) peaked my interest.  Has this always been in the supermarket aisle? And I've just never noticed? Hmmm... my recent discovery of Korean-Chinese cuisine led me to pick up this instant meal to give it a try.

Five minutes and a few packets of vegetable seasoning, soup base, and vegetable oil later... whoa.  All it took was one bite, and I was hooked like a captain on a pirate ship.  I think it was the MSG talking to me, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It was salty, but it wasn't death-from-sodium salty.  And no shampoo-like consistency.  If I had some kimchi on the side, it would have been perfect.  (Damnit.  I should have had kimchi ready!)

This is definitely a novel find in the quest for more Korean-Chinese food, and I am definitely returning to 99 Ranch for some more... This is firm evolution from the good ol' days in college when all I ate was simple chicken flavored Maruchan, spicy Shin Ramyun and the different varieties from Taiwan.

Until another Korean-Chinese food find, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20100918/20100916