A Great Cooking Show

Currently, I am hooked on the Korean show "Jewel In The Palace". I wanted to satisfy my curiosity on why this show has such a big audience and what the hype was about. After starting on it, I finally realise why it is so good. Everything from the plot to the cast to the acting to the sets is excellent!

I have only watched twenty episodes so far, and already I am hooked! The show is excellent from the start! It is so captivating that one wants to keep going! And I get to learn good tips in cooking and the different types of Korean cuisine.

Now I know what makes a good cook. Although it is a show, but what the supervisor said to the kitchen maid was really useful. She said that there are two qualities that determine a good cook.

One, to be able to feel the taste from your fingers. Some are born with this natural ability, some achieve it only through lots of trial and error. When the food goes through your hands, you must be able to know which food goes with which so as to bring out the taste.

Two, the ability to mix and match ingredients. Not many people have this ability. This means that without even tasting, the person somehow know what ingredients are used to prepare the food, and which things will make the food taste better.

For instance, most people will choose to use plain water to prepare soup, but someone gifted in the second ability will know how to use spring or mineral water instead, as that tastes sweeter. Essentially, cooking goes with one's own gut feeling on which are the best ingredients to use to prepare a certain type of food, and some people are just able to feel it better than others.

Great tips! I will sure take more heed and be more conscious of the ingredients used next time!

Vermicelli (aka Fried Bee Hoon)

This is the second attempt I tried cooking vermicelli (aka fried bee hoon). I must say, it tastes nicer this time round! I am so proud of myself now!

These are the ingredients I used :

1. Half a cabbage (shredded into small pieces)

2. Green vegetables (Chinese call this "choy sum") (chopped into small pieces)


3. 8 mushrooms (with the stalks removed, and cut into small pieces)


4. 1 egg (beaten) (for garnishing)


5. Minced meat (this time I used pork, but beef will do as well)


6. Prawn paste (supposed to be liquid form, but as you can see, this just came from the freezer)


7. 5 onions (chopped into small pieces) (also for garnishing)

Chopping onions really make one tear! Or perhaps this time round I used more onions.


8. 2 - 3 slabs of vermicelli

9. 1 onion and 1 garlic (for taste) (chopped)

10. Half a pinch of salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and pepper (all for taste and colouring)

First, stir fry the chopped onions until golden brown. Ensure that the oil used can cover all the onion pieces. (I use Sunflower Oil, but normal Cooking Oil and Olive Oil will do as well.)

Remove the fried onions and drain the oil.

Next, cook the egg, omelette style. Drain the egg on absorbing paper to get rid of the oil.


Then, cut the egg into small pieces. (I am no expert, so my pieces are not small enough. :-p)

Cook the onions and garlic together. Next, put in mushrooms, prawn paste (gradually) and meat. Stir fry then let it simmer for two minutes or until cooked.

Put in cabbages. Stir fry together with the mixture. Simmer for two minutes.

Put in green vegetables and stir fry until cooked.

Do not let the green vegetables simmer or else they will turn black.

Add in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pepper and salt.

Ensure the prawn paste do not dry up, or else there will be not enough liquid left for the vermicelli to cook.

Add in the vermicelli and submerge them in the liquid prawn paste. Add in more prawn paste if the mixture is too dry. The vermicelli must submerge completely inside the paste.

Mix all together and stir fry until the vermicelli turns brownish.

Finally, scatter the fried onion and omelette pieces into the vermicelli and mix all together before serving or eating.