Cycle 12 – Cycle 277

9 (Sat) October 2021

Gambas al Ajillo

2.5

by PJS

at the cabin

-Changchon, Seowon, Hoengseong, Gangwon, Republic of Korea-

with IZ, PJS’s family

As I mentioned a few weeks back, Gambas al Ajillo is thoroughly mainstream in Korea these days.

Cousin JS prepared the dish as an anju this evening.  When I asked him where/how he’d learned to make it, he shrugged and said that it’s just one of those dishes that everyone does nowadays.  He wasn’t even aware of its Spanish origins, assuming it to be Italian.  It was okayish – what’s not to like about fresh shrimp and asparagus? – but like a typical western dish prepared by a Korean person who’s never tasted the real deal, it lacked oomph – pretty much just shrimp and asparagus in garlicky oil.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)