Author: JIN

A home cook and a foodie with a healthy appetite celebrating everything delicious, sweet and spicy in life
Posted on by — Leave a comment

How to Turn your Dream Modern Boho Kitchen into Reality

I’m writing a slightly different type of post today. In fact, it’s the kickoff of a series diving into various kitchen decor styles and exploring ways to transform your kitchen without breaking the bank – a venture I’ve been wanting to pursue for some time. You may not know this about me – I have a background in interior design. I studied and worked in the field for years before embarking on the life of a digital nomad a few years ago. Fresh out of university, I got a job as an assistant designer at one of Europe’s top kitchen brands. Although my culinary skills were extremely limited back then, the experience underscored the importance of the kitchen as a home’s centerpiece – a principle I’ve carried with me ever since. Continue reading How to Turn your Dream Modern Boho Kitchen into Reality

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Herb crusted rack of lamb

Have you ever created a dish that seemed perfect in your mind but turned out less than desirable in reality? Did you then add it to your “someday I will” list and not revisit it for years? Herb-crusted rack of lamb was one of those dishes for me. I saw Chef Gordon Ramsay making it on his TV show The F Word many years ago and was captivated, especially by the vibrant colors. The bright, deep green crust and juicy pink lamb make this a dish your eyes eat first. Continue reading Herb crusted rack of lamb

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Rediscovering Hong Kong’s Timeless Gems

Last week, I hopped over to my old stomping ground, Hong Kong, for a whirlwind visit. Although the trip was short, I made sure to pack in loads of my favorite pastime – eating and drinking at some of my old spots. These gems have managed to withstand the city’s rollercoaster ride of changes over the past few years, and I’m convinced they deserve more attention than a few-second video clips in my Instagram story. Continue reading Rediscovering Hong Kong’s Timeless Gems

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Pan-fried Korean meat and vegetable patties “dong-geu-rang-ttaeng”

Korean-new-year-food-pan-fried-Meat-and-Vegetable-patties-dong-geu-rang-ddaeng-in a white plate and a dipping sauce

Happy Year of the Dragon! I am currently in Bangkok, where the official celebration of Lunar New Year is not as massive as in Korea or Hong Kong. Nevertheless, I decided to infuse the festive spirit into my surroundings by exploring the world of traditional Korean New Year food, specifically the creation of pan-fried meat and vegetable patties known as “dong-geu-rang-ttaeng” – a delectable dish with a name more complex than its taste. This snack, challenging to pronounce, is often prepared by a few women, one of whom takes charge and directs the others. In my household, that assertive woman is usually my mom, as my late grandma is no longer with us. Continue reading Pan-fried Korean meat and vegetable patties “dong-geu-rang-ttaeng”

Posted on by — Leave a comment

6 Vegan pesto delights for a healthier you

Embark on a flavorful journey celebrating the vibrant world of vegan pesto, where taste and nutrition harmonize in a symphony of plant-based goodness. I’m a die-hard enthusiast of the classic Genovese pesto, with its basil, pine nuts, and cheese – a love that’s unwavering. However, every now and then, I yearn for something a bit more earthy, prompting me to play with various herbs and nuts I have at my fingertips. Since these aren’t your typical recipes, I get to be a bit more adventurous, infusing unique and exotic flavors like Thai basil and Korean perilla, which are not only close to my heart but also my taste buds. Continue reading 6 Vegan pesto delights for a healthier you

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Slow roasted lamb shank

There’s something undeniably magical about the process of slow-roasting, where time and patience work their alchemical wonders on seemingly humble ingredients. Lamb shank truly is the cut of meat that emerges from this transformation. I’ve cooked different cuts of lamb many times in the past, but never the shank; I was always intimidated by its tough reputation I guess. But having made incredibly succulent, fork-tender, and mouth-watering lamb shanks for the first time, I now know that all this cut with immense potential needs is to be treated with the respect it deserves.
Continue reading Slow roasted lamb shank

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Bibimbap with Ssamjang sauce

Bibimbap literally translates to “mixed rice” in English. It consists of a bowl of steamed rice topped with various seasoned or pickled vegetables, often meat, a fried egg, and a sauce made with spicy red pepper paste “gochujang”. The vegetables used in bibimbap can vary, but common options include carrots, spinach, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and zucchini. Continue reading Bibimbap with Ssamjang sauce

Posted on by — Leave a comment

My favorite smoothie bowls

I love smoothies. Not only are they so colorful and pretty but they also taught me the joy of eating and making breakfast. I was not a breakfast person for a very long time. When I was a teenager in Korea, I wanted to sleep more rather than to have breakfast, and the fact that I had to spend the entire day from 7:30am until 10pm at school and a cram school Continue reading My favorite smoothie bowls

Posted on by — Leave a comment

15-minute breakfast pasta with a fried egg

Anyone love to eat pasta for breakfast? I certainly do; probably one of my favorite things to eat in the morning. Well, I could eat noodles and pasta any time of the day to be honest, but there’s just something special about eating pasta with an egg as a breakfast. My whole wheat pasta with kale and an olive oil basted fried egg is delicious and healthy. And it only takes 15 minutes to prepare; who wants to spend more time cooking in the morning anyways, right? This is also a great way to use up leftover kale or any green vegetables in your fridge.

Continue reading 15-minute breakfast pasta with a fried egg

Posted on by — 2 Comments

It’s all about basil

Before I begin, I wanted to tell you that this post isn’t about the food I made at home or tried in my travels. Even though the hero of this post is basil; one of my favorite ingredients of all time, this is going to be my first post about another passion of mine “visual art”. I know I have been absent here for a while; aside from living like a nomad moving and traveling around, I have been busy creating printable wall arts that are inspired by beautiful ingredients from nature and my own recipes. And it was about time that I shared them with you on this site. It doesn’t mean that food related contents won’t be here any more, my cooking and eating journey will continue as it always has.

I recently came across a quote “Happiness is, the smell of basil” Continue reading It’s all about basil