Kimchi Fever!

Trav and I have moved into our new home in Provo for about one month now. He's still juggling among school, work, and his dear wife while I've been a full-time housewife. The fact that being at home all the time is totally out of my hand and I'm still trying to manage my new post-student life:) (I just hope that USCIS can approve my green card application ASAP).

I thought I was totally not a blogger material, just as what I stated on facebook one time. Yet It's undeniable that writing blog entries is one of the easiest ways to kill time (and keep on practicing English writing). I hope I can keep in touch with my dear families and friends through this blog, an intimate site and hopefully, a cozy, fun spot for all the blog visitors in the future. The entries in the blog would appear in either English or Chinese, reflecting the different natures of my life events (or merely my moods). 

Ok. So for people who know me pretty well understand that I'm a food nut and I can't bear monotonous, repetitive diet. This personal trait is getting even more obvious after being a full-time housewife (since I don't have any other obligation now). On the contrary, Trav is that kind of guy who can live on pizzas and McDonald's dollar menu. I guess I am converting him to my foodology somehow.

Thanks to God's mercy that Trav was sent to Japan for his mission. During the nearly 2-year span, he's learned to deal with and appreciated different food cultures and palettes. We went to the First Oriental store and brought a huge jar of kimchi home. The pic of kimchi hot pot is one of our experimental dishes. Making Asian food in the states, especially in Utah, definitely requires some improvising skills and a creative mind. (It's not saying I have either). Well, I sauteed kimchi along with a piece of fresh ginger and some green onions and then mixed all of them with chicken broth. I also poured in some kimchi juice to make rich and flavorful hot pot broth. The following list shows what was in that pot: tofu, napa, broccoli, enoki mushroom, fresh shitaki mushroom, bacon pork, squid fish ball, oden fish ball, and etc. I was dreaming to get blood rice cakes...well, maybe next time. when it comes to dipping sauce, I sticked to my Taiwanese root and made a Chinese-barbecue-based sauce. A profound flavor blending Chinese BBQ sauce, soy sauce, chopped green onions, sesame oil, and a splash of Chinese black vinegar gave this korean dish a Taiwanese twist.