Korean Food: Goguma Yanggaeng?? (고구마양갱)

While browsing for Korean food on the internet, suddenly I remember few months ago I make something but I forgot to write it down here!ㅋㅋㅋ Normally I learn to cook Korean food from the internet but this time I learn to cook it from someone.Well of course I didn't attend the class since we were living very far. I just learnt it via messenger.ㅋㅋㅋ

The ingredients for the cuisine are easy to find and the recipe is simple too!ㅋㅋ It's like a blink of eyes, jajang ready to serve!ㅋㅋ Its a dessert, the dessert name is goguma yanggaeng (고구마양갱).An original recipe for this dessert actually is made by adzuki beans but since at that time he can't find adzuki beans he decided to use sweet potato. Here are the list of ingredients and how to do it. ^^

Ingredients:

Sweet potato (고구마)
Jelly powder
Sugar
Honey/ sweet syrup
Crash Almond
Water

How to do it:

1.Boiled the sweet potato, then peel its skin.
2.Mashed the potato.
3.Boiled little of water with jelly powder.
4. Put some sugar and add sweet syrup
5.Mix it with the sweet potato that you mashed earlier.
6.Stir, simmer the mixture until it became thick
7.Put some crash almond and stir it again.
8. When the mixture become thick, turn off the fire.
9. Then put it in small container, let it clog for 2-3 hours
10. Finally you can cut it into bite size,ready to serve! 

p/s: Same dessert but different colors??ㅋㅋㅋ He used yellow sweet potato while I'm using orange/red sweet potato ^^ Which one looks yummy?? :P I didn't put how many of it because I forgot to write it down, well its up to you on how much serving you wanna make it! :P

Photo Credit: My Ex boyfriend

Guesthouse: Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seoul

It's been 3 months since my last visit to Korea, time flies so fast! It's like a blink of eyes, yet the memories still fresh on my mind. As for my last visit, I didn't plan for my trip and its happen spontaneous!ㅋㅋㅋ Most of the time me and my ex little bit struggling to find a guesthouse to stay. We went there during one of important event in Korean calendar every year, so it was so hard to find a guesthouse! 

While we in Seoul, we thought there are rooms available but we were wrong!!ㅋㅋㅋ Since this is not my first time in Seoul, so I tried to contact my previous guesthouse that I stayed during 2013 trip. With a big expectation, we wish there are rooms available but at the end there is no rooms!ㅠㅠ He had no problem because he need to go somewhere else attending event but what about me???!!! 

Well no worry, he's not a bad guy and left me alone while catching up his event.ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He tried his best to look for my room. After so many calls (I even can't remember how many) ㅋㅋ finally we found a room! Yay!!! Its somewhere near to Cheonggyecheon Stream. I've been here on 2012 trip but I have no idea in which lane it is.ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

It's a new guesthouse. At that time they just start operating their guesthouse a few days before. Basically my 2014 trip, its like exploring new guesthouse!ㅋㅋㅋ The guesthouse name is 24 Guesthouse. The guesthouse location is very strategic, very near to subway station, near to airport bus station, near to Cheonggyecheon Stream and some other attractions in Seoul.^^ 

The rooms are very clean and there is breakfast provided. ^^  Apart from that, the owner and the staffs are very friendly too! ^^ The manager is very fluent in English and owner is fluent in Japanese. There is a room for cultural experience as well. For more information and booking you can click here. They also can be reach via kakao talk, their Kakao ID:  KKS 9428.

p/s: I left some of my stuff here before travelling to Tongyeong. They help me to keep it. ^^

Source: http://cheonggye-stream.24guesthouse.co.kr/

Tradition: Bamboo Wives???

Have you ever heard about bamboo wives before?? At first when I heard it I was like huh??? What its all about?? Beating wife using bamboo??? No way! That can't be! Then when one of my Korean friend showing a picture of bamboo wives. That makes me laugh loud!! Owh My! This is bamboo wives??!! I thought what was it!ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Bamboo wives or known as 죽부인 (jukbuin) is one of traditional method that been using by Korean men during summer. It is been said that jukbuin are cooler to touch compare to fabric pillow or sheets. Jukbuin was made of bamboo around 20 cm (wide) and 1-1.5m (long). This loosely bamboo were using during hot summer night.

I asked my friend why did Korean call it as bamboo wives?? There are so many other name but why they choose this??ㅋㅋㅋㅋ He said that Juk is bamboo, while buin is wife. This name was chosen because long time ago, bamboo is considered to be like a women, so many men embrace the bamboo pillow while sleeping during hot summer night as if they were hugging their wives. ㅋㅋㅋ Apart from that jukbuin also been said can help to regulates body temperature when its too hot.

However this tradition is no longer been practice widely during this modern era. Many youngsters even never experience it once in their life. My friend said he also never experience it, or perhaps because he is still young?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ This tradition only been practice by old generation he told me that. While my mind says perhaps as we living in modern era, so some tradition been left behind??

p/s:  Super cute pillow?? My friend asked his mom whose that cute pillow belong to, he thought it belong to his nieces but he was wrong!ㅋㅋㅋ His dad bought it for himself! We both laughing talking about this! ㅋㅋㅋIsn't Korean men are adorable?? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Sources: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=260784
Photo Credit: My friend

Life: Eid Mubaraq Celebration in South Korea

I guess its not too late to wish Eid Mubaraq to my Muslim readers, wherever we are, I hope all of us celebrate it nice with our love one. ^^ Despite the conflict between Gaza and Israel, most of Muslims celebrate Eid Mubaraq peacefully. Due to the conflict that arise, many people have a wrong perception about Islam. On their mind Islam or Muslim is a terrorist. However I hope with the videos I attached below, all you will get a basic, correct fact about Islam. Islam is a peaceful religion. :) Sorry I can't get the new  video of Eid Mubaraq celebration in Korea, but I only get a latest picture during 2014 Eid Mubaraq in Seoul Central Mosque. so Yay! ^^ ㅋㅋㅋ


During festive seasons, lots of my relatives asked me about my trip to Korea. They asked me am I obsessed with K-pop for been to Korea, three time?? I just laughing hearing it! What? K-pop??? No way! Yes I listen to it but not as fanatic fan until spot for those artist at famous area!ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ. Then they asked me few questions.

Personally for me, those questions are ordinary questions! I've heard it thousand times!ㅋㅋㅋ As Muslim they kept asking me "is there easy to find halal food in Korea? How about a place to worship (prayer), Is there is Korean Muslim?? Well I've been wrote those in few entry before. You can get the list of halal restaurant here. ^^

How about a place for Muslim to worship. There are many mosque in Korea. However Korean address it as "Masjid"sound familiar?? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ They have big Masjid in Itaewon, Seoul, I've been there before, very nice!^^ Apart from Seoul there are many "Masjid" at other province too. For more information about this and list of Masjid or hall for Muslim prayer in Korea you may refer here.

For the third question, yes there is gradually increasing numbers of Muslim within Korean community. Not much but at least some of Korean these days were curious about it, start to search about Islam and some lead them to embrace Islam. ^^ From what I saw in the video, I'm happy with it! ^^ I just thinking how about myself celebrating it there in the future? Who knows ??ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ only Allah knows! :)

                          

p/s: For Korean who would like to know about Islam, please search it from the correct sources so that you won't confuse anymore. ^^ You can search or ask here.

Sources: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/growing-muslim-community-seoul/

              http://www.mei.edu/content/map/rise-korean-islam-migration-and-da%E2%80%98wa

              http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=2986804

              https://www.facebook.com/islamkorea?ref=br_tf

  http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/n_feature/2012/04/12/52/4901000000AEN20120412000400315F.HTML

Picture Credit: KBS
Video Credit: Tyan Fha
                      CymeX's vids
                      Sadik Nillay

                

Throwback# Places: Haeundae Beach!

I'm back! Sorry for not posting any new entry for so long.. Well since the airplane (MH17) been shot down, as Malaysian we felt very sad and on grieve..It's such a very hard year for all Malaysian, even though I known NO ones on board those plane, but its such heart breaking especially it happen when festive seasons around the corner... Then I've been busy preparing for Eidulfitri or known as Eid Mubaraq.

Lets' back to our topic! Plan to go to South Korea for this summer?? Make sure to pack your swimming suit or bikini along! ㅋㅋㅋ. Summer heat will makes you sweat a lot and if you were in Busan don't miss a chance to stop by at the most fascinating beach in Korea!! ^^ Yes in Busan there are few stunning beach, wanna feel like you were in Miami without boarding to States?? with umbrella set along all over the beach on summer? Haeundae beach is the BEST place!! ^^

Haeundae beach is a famous beach to go in summer for most of Korean.  Many numerous event held in Haeundae throughout the year. Haeundae been named by scholar Choi Chi-Won during Silla Kingdom (BC 57~AD 935).This white sandy beach is about 1.5 km along, with 30-50 wide. For more information about Haeundae beach you may read it here.

I've been to Hauendae beach during my 2013 trip. This beach is one of special spot for me!^^~ My ex-boyfriend hold my hand for the first time here. ㅋㅋㅋ Even though at that time I have no idea why he holds my hand as he didn't confess to me yet!ㅋㅋㅋ We went here at night, and it was cold as we went there during autumn,ㅋㅋㅋ so on my mind was probably he just wanna keep my hand warm. ㅋㅋㅋ You may read our journal here.ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

p/s: Even though it over and not as what we plan at least it was a good memory that I will cherish for rest of my life?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264155

Photo Credit: asiarooms.com
                     corural.com