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Momma 'N Manila

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Main Dishes Nourish

Korean Cooking Class with Chef Bo Ik Jang

If you ask me to join you in the kitchen, 9 times out of 10 I will do whatever I can so we can cook up some goodness together.

So when I get a message from my friends over at Sofitel that they will have an award winning Korean chef teaching a cooking class one afternoon, I will do what I can to make sure I attend!

Add in the fact that I will be with some of my favorite blogger friends, and I know, for sure, that I will be in for an afternoon of fun, food, and friendship! I don’t think there is anything much better than that.

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Chef Bo Ik Jang is an award winning Korean Master Chef from Grand Ambassador by Pullman Korea and he has come to kick off the year with all Sofitel Philippine Plaza in all the grandeur and color that Korean Cuisine has to offer. Chef Bo Ik Jang, together with Kyungku Caleb Han, F&B  Operations Manager of Spiral,  welcomed us to the Korean section of the best luxury buffet in Manila to a very special treat.

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I had met Caleb earlier in Spiral last year. He shared one of his favorite dishes that his mother prepared for him when he was younger, during Spiral’s Mother’s Legacy Celebration. 

Yesterday, however, in his newly promoted position, he was again, teaching me more about Korean food and wine. Sometimes, there is a synchronicity in life. It’s amazing when it happens, and I quite like that I am inexplicably drawn to certain things at certain times. When I realize what’s happening, I quite like it, and of course I delve into learning as much as I can.

Like recently, I am drawn to learning more about Korean culture, food and wine. 

From our recent Best Buddies online Holiday party done “Gangnam Style” in Korea with our regional director, Sue Trone, to learning more about Korean food and culture with my brother in law, Marco over at KIWA in Solaire, and now to being invited to learn the difference between regal dishes reserved only for royalty and special occasions, to every day dishes much like our dishes here in the Philippines which are versatile and easy to make when you have fresh ingredients on hand.

For our time together, Caleb started us off by explaining some of the different kinds of wine we could enjoy with Korean cuisine. This was so interesting for Sabrina and Jackie and I, because we had never tried Korean wine before.

 

Learned a little bit about Korean Rice Wine and how to make two new dishes that I know my kids will love. For some reason, I’m really being drawn to Korean culture, food, and wine lately! Thank you @sofitelmanila for inviting me to learn new dishes from award winning Korean Master Chef Jang Bok-Ik! I had a blast with @gojackiego @sinfullysabrina and @loustoked If you want to experience a Korean feast as Chef would prepare, be sure to visit #spiralsofitelmanila before the end of the month! PLUS if you dine in with a Korean citizen, you’ll get a 30% discount! #sofitelmanila

A photo posted by Michelle Aventajado (@mommanmanila) on Jan 25, 2016 at 3:00am PST

Caleb shared with us how this first type of Korean rice wine (Mageolli) was considered the secret to beauty for Korean women all over the world. It was fresh, but not sweet, yet light and wonderful when it’s chilled. Caleb surprised everyone in attendance when he said that one bottle of these delicious rice wine was the equivalent to 100 bottles of Yakult! So it’s even better to drink a wine like this because it has what we need for a healthy tummy!

Caleb proceeded to explain the benefits of a glass of Ginseng (Insamju) wine. I was impressed with this  particular Korean alcoholic beverage, because it was in a pretty bottle with a large piece of Ginseng root. It was earthy and strong, and felt like it had a higher alcohol content than the rice wine, so I sipped and looked for my rice wine glass again.

Some of the benefits to drinking this Ginseng wine include increased overall health if you drink one serving (or one shot) for 25 days straight. It acts as an appetite suppressant, is good for those people who have issues with blood sugar, can aide in fertility, and is considered an aphrodisiac for men.

You can see the huge Ginseng root through the clear bottle.

You can see the huge Ginseng root through the clear bottle.

The last wine Caleb shared with us was a red wine (Bokbunjaju) which is made from, berries. (I think) All this wine tasting might have had me giggling a little, by this time. I enjoyed this wine. It was also served cold, but still my favorite was the first milky wine made from rice with digestive benefits as well.

By this time Chef Bo Ik Jang was ready to teach us about the two dishes he prepared for us to learn. He was also preparing for the dinner service at the same time, but I could see we were in for a real treat in authentic Korean food when I realized that Caleb would not only act as our F&B Operations Manager, but also as interpreter to Chef. I don’t think it gets more authentic than that.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brswanson/6095049802/in/faves-natia_tlashadze/

Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brswanson/6095049802/in/faves-natia_tlashadze/

Gu Jeol Pan is a dish reserved for royalty in times passed. It is a DIY kind of dish that you enjoy on very special occasions. It’s a healthy mix of vegetables and crab sticks rolled in a wheat wrapper. The wrappers might even remind one of a thicker wonton wrapper. In this case, Chef made the dish extra special (and healthy) by using mandolined radish wrapper instead of the pan fried wheat wrapper. 

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I think my kids would LOVE this dish. I have said it before here on the blog how kids will eat anything that they can hold with their hands. The fact that all of the ingredients are presented in a flower like fashion, leaving you the choice of what to include in your wrapper already is appealing to kids.

Even in a single serving portion this dish looks so pretty.

Even in a single serving portion this dish looks so pretty.

Of course, you would want them to get a little bit of everything in each Gu Jeol Pan Roll, but if they even just take half of the vegetable choices in this dish I would be happy na.

 

[yumprint-recipe id=’12’]JAPCHAE

Ok, I have made Japchae before. Two things I never realized. The Japchae noodle is actually made from sweet potatoes. AND in the Korean culture, you eat your noodles and rice at the end of the meal, much like Chinese food. ( I learned this from my recent visit to KIWA Korean Grill in Solaire.)

Photo Credit: http://www.maangchi.com/tag/chapchae

Photo Credit: http://www.maangchi.com/tag/chapchae

This recipe is pretty straight forward and can be adjusted by adding a chili marinade for my favorite Korean rice dish Bi Bim Bop. When I learned that the ingredients can be used interchangeably between the noodle dish and the rice dish that is popular amongst many people who enjoy Korean food, it was a revelation.

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Chef made it look very easy by just hand mixing all of the fresh ingredients in a large bowl. He also shared that Japchae, means to mix. So somehow in my head I compared this savory dish to our sweet dessert of Halo Halo! Simply because it means “to mix.”

No wonder I love both of these dishes! They are not only colorful, but a complete meal all in one!

 

[yumprint-recipe id=’13’] 

Even my new executive assistant, Lou enjoyed what she learned from Chef.

Even my new executive assistant, Lou enjoyed what she learned from Chef. I’m so happy that Lou is here to help with all of the many things that keep me busy these days! I will share a little bit more about all the new things coming up in another post very soon!

I always enjoy attending cooking classes, tasting new food, and learning about the history or culture behind the dishes and customs of different cuisines. Seeing as how I have been drawn to Korean culture lately, I thoroughly enjoyed our quick class and informative talk on Korean wines.

Thank you Sofitel for inviting me to this exclusive engagement! I’m looking forward to more cooking sessions with your chefs!

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Sabrina Go of Sinfully Sabrina, Chef Bo Ik Jang, moi, and Jackie Go of Go Jackie Go

If you would like to enjoy the dishes that Chef Bo Ik Jang has specially prepared for the Korean Atelier in Sofitel’s Spiral Restaurant, be sure to visit before the end of January!

Sofitel Philippine Plaza

www.sofitel.com

Spiral

For inquiries and reservations, please call +63 2 832 6988 or email H6308-FB12@sofitel.com.  

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It’s December 1st! Is there anything more delic It’s December 1st!

Is there anything more delicious than the smell of Christmas and the new found freedom as we anticipate celebrating the holidays with our families again?

@festivalmall has hosted a series of musical shows since November 5th that include Ace Banzuelo and Silent Sanctuary. Check out Michael Pangilinan on December 10th, too!

With Santa visiting, Christmas parties, arts and crafts and lots of promos, you can even enter for a chance to win a Toyota Fortuner!

Best of all-I love it when the places we know give purpose to their celebrations. Thank you #FestivalMall for partnering with @dsapi1  this holiday season. 

Thank you for sharing all the different ways we can celebrate the holidays with you!

#tistheseason #seasonofgiving #downsyndromeawareness #aintnothingdownaboutit #upsyndrome
I have always been intimidated by Cornish Hens. Th I have always been intimidated by Cornish Hens. Through this learning exercise with @usapeecphl, I have learned a bit more about these little birds that have bigger breast parts, and thank you Chef @ivoryyat for showing me how easy it is to prepare Greek Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens with Roasted Potatoes.
 
Clean and fresh flavors are perfect for these smaller birds that are rich in protein with zero carbs. Try the recipe in the comments section. I’m sure you’d enjoy it as much as I did!
 
Interested in U.S. Cornish Hens? You can buy them in stores near you. #CornishHen #USCornishHen #PoultryPerfection #CookingWithUSPoultry #USPoultry #USAPEECPHL #ad
@gi.aventajado and I played with some of the @pura @gi.aventajado and I played with some of the @puratosph products that they sent over the other day. Ready to use Bavarian Cream made these Cream Puffs easier than ever. I think we have to figure out how to temper our couverture better…

#workinprogress #wasdelicious #giabaked #puratosph #gavinosph #anyonecanbake
@mommymundo always has a way of bringing together @mommymundo always has a way of bringing together just what we need, no matter the time of year. Loving these photos of my first boy that were snapped @expomom.

Anyone else thinking about #HolidayPhotos? I am not one of those moms that has it all together before Christmas. It’s usually a mad dash for us at the end of the year, but if it’s anything that the past few years has taught me, it’s that the little things are what makes the Christmas special.

Many of us haven’t been together with the extended family or even our immediate family in so long. That means it’s the perfect time to document.

@nextbymetrophoto will be hosting one last Christmas Marathon family photo shoot before the end of year. Check them out or shoot them a message. They have some cute set-ups.
****GIVEAWAY ALERT*** 10 things I LOVE about @sed ****GIVEAWAY ALERT***

10 things I LOVE about @sedahotels listed here and on FB!

1. Each property has a Signature Dish. If you can’t make it to Bacolod, you can still enjoy Chicken Inasal in any of their properties.

2. Clean Design. So easy to work and play in a space that is light, modern, and clean in design. 

3. Beautiful views. Every chance I got, I would sit outside at @straightupatseda. 

4. Spacious Rooms and Residence Stays. Staying in the Three Bedroom Premier was perfect for our family. 

5. Attentive Service. Everyone was pleasant and accommodating.

6. Centrally Located. If you are thinking of fun things to do in Makati and want a home base, Seda Residences Makati is near a few of the museums, parks, and malls.

7. Work with ease. Internet service is uninterrupted. Meeting rooms are available and easy to book.

8. Relax and Play. From mid-day tubbies with Gelli to, taking advantage of the pool, or the children’s room, the little girl had more than enough things to keep her busy!

9. #FamilyTime. Spending an extended amount of time outside our own space led to laughter, fun conversations, and opportunities to try new things. We were comfortable and rested in the space we were in, which meant more opportunities for us to connect.

10. Homegrown with a Purpose. A Filipino brand that understands the importance of both work and travel, each property is important to the city & province location. Environmentally aware by adopting Mayumi, a Philippine Bald Eagle. 🦅

Want to win your own staycation at #SedaResidencesMakati?

Up for grabs is one night in a ONE BEDROOM DELUXE for two persons with breakfast!

Here’s how to enter to win:
1) Follow @sedahotels 
2) Follow @mommanmanila & @kitchen143 
3) Tag a friend (or more) who love(s) staycations too!
4) Comment why you should win this staycation treat!

Plus points for people who share this post in stories and the winner will be announced on December 6th.
Thankful for work that doesn’t feel like work. Thankful for work that doesn’t feel like work.

@kitchen143 is something I really do love. Sharing a little bit of my kitchen with viewers and followers brings me joy. Even better when I get to work with chefs whom I can learn from and friends who like to spend time in the kitchen too!

#Thanksgiving
Thankful for the gift of music. Wish I caught mor Thankful for the gift of music.

Wish I caught more mini moments from We Will Rock You.

Such a great musical!

@sedahotels 
#sedaresidencesmakati 
#sedaat10
Thankful for @bestbuddies_ph. @gelliaventajado j Thankful for @bestbuddies_ph. 

@gelliaventajado joined our family and led me to @bestbuddies. 

Thankful for all the ambassadors who were able to spend time with us. And for @smlpeeps  and @asurionphcareers for helping make magic happen on Saturday afternoon for #Friendsgiving.

#Thanksgiving #bestbuddiesph
Thankful for women who share their faith with me. Thankful for women who share their faith with me. 

#Thanksgiving
Is there anything better than a stuffed turkey at Is there anything better than a stuffed turkey at this time of year? Whole turkeys require serious commitment to cook. #IYKYK But because U.S. Poultry is now available here in the Philippines, that also means preparing turkey is a tad bit easier.
 
Frozen U.S. turkey products are available and ready to cook for people who want to dabble with flavors for this bigger bird but aren't sure how.
 
Thank you to Chef @ivoryyat for putting together a medley of my favorite fall flavors. This combination of apples, sweet potatoes, and maple syrup perfectly compliment  the roasted turkey leg and remind me of flavors and scenes from back in New York. 
 
@usapeecphl l has the highest standards that follow USDA requirements which are certified safe before shipping to the Philippines. Get them in stores near you. 

#ad #Turkey #USTurkey #Thanksgiving #PoultryPerfection #CookingWithUSPoultry #USPoultry #USAPEECPHL #ServeTurkey #EatTurkey
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