5.359
30 (Tue) December 2014
Jaengban Ban
2.5
at Pyeongyang Myeonok
-Nonhyeon, Gangnam, Seoul, Republic of Korea-
with JHJ, LSW
Winter Holiday with the Family: Day 7 of 11
- Day 1 (5.353 Lapu-Lapu Chazuke)
- Day 2 (5.354 Deep-Fried Tofu with Shrimp & Vegetables in Oyster Sauce)
- Day 3 (5.355 Seafood Pizza)
- Day 4 (5.356 Soya Cake with Three Kinds Mushrooms)
- Day 5 (5.357 Chicago Cowboy Steak)
- Day 6 (5.358 Kimchi Jjigae + Mu Guk)
- Day 7 (5.359 Jaengban Ban)
For our first extended family time since I left home to work overseas, we’ll be spending the winter holiday together. Starting with Christmas in the Philippines, ending with the New Year in Korea. Having everyone around, just hanging out, makes it feels like home, wherever it may be.
On this final trip home at year’s end, I’m eating the same dish at the same restaurant that I had on the evening before I shipped off to Manila at the start of the year (see 5.003 Jaengban Ban). Full circle.
The last time that I had dinner with this group of friends was exactly the same date last year (see 4.359 Yangjangpi). Full circle.
Because the noodles in Pyeongyang-style MNM contain little starch to provide structure, overcooking by mere seconds will result in an unpleasantly doughy texture. A clear sign of overcooking is when the noodles don’t lump together, as shown above. If that’s the case, a redo is warranted, until the noodles come out properly cohesive, as shown below.
(See also FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)