My First Visitor! Sarah in Korea

On October 23 I had my first visitor arrive in Korea.
She will be here until November 8 (With a big celebration for her birthday on November 5! woohoo!)

My friend Sarah has been travelling the world these past few months. She arrived to me having visited Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Germany, and then is continuing on from Korea to travel to Hong Kong, Japan, and back to Spain. Wow!

It's been the perfect opportunity to see the touristy side of Seoul that I kind of skipped when I first arrived here. So far we've visited various neighborhoods in Seoul, Gyeongbokgung palace, Seoul Tower, and eaten at many Korean restaurants!

Here is a picture at the palace. We were supposed to get a free guided tour, but we were late (naturally) and missed it. Wandering around cluelessly, I noticed a sign saying "free dress-up"... YES

Energizer Night Race 2010 with Adidas

The course (run through a zoo)

On Saturday night I hopped on a subway bound for Seoul Grand Park, where the Energizer Night Race 2010 was being held. This 5km race was held in the dark. Your race kit came with a reflective running shirt, a reflective bib, and a headlamp. The course ran through a zoo at night and, due to inclement weather, in the rain. It was AWESOME. Apparently we ran by wolves, and bears, but the only animals I saw were goats :(

The race also reminded me how out of shape I was.  As soon as I crossed the finish line, the chip on my shoe registered my time, when then automatically got sent via text message to my cell phone (again, AWESOME) telling me that my finish time was 37 minutes. Oops!

Me wish my headlamp, poncho, reflective bib, and "participation medal"

I decided from that point that the only way to continue to feel the need to run was to keep entering in more races so I have something to train towards. The next race it looks like I'm signing up for is over Halloween (10km), and then one in mid November (10km). It's time for me to get back in shape!

Temple Vegetarian Cooking class at O'ngo Food Communications

On Saturday I trotted off to a cooking class for vegetarians. I was very excited and a little nervous because a) I love to eat, but b) I can't cook. Like nadda. Toast, pasta, microwaves are where its at for me.

Watching the cooking demonstration from an expert

Grating some potato for the pancakes

Tada!! The finished product

Things we made (From left to right): Soybean Paste Stew in homemade vegetable stock. Potato Pancakes with Dipping Sauce. Shitake mushroom and Kelp Jorim. Nutritious Stone Pot Rice.

1. Vegetable Stock
• Water 3C
• Kelp 2pieces dried (4inchx 4inch)
• Shitake mushroom, dried 2each
• turnip 60g(2oz)
• Carrot 20g(.7oz)
• Spicy green pepper 1 each
• Spicy red pepper 1 each
1. Clean the kelp with a damp towel
2. put all the ingredients in a pot and bring to boil
3. when it has a light brown color, take the kelp out. put aside for side dish.
4. after 5 min take the mushrooms out. keep the mushrooms for side dish.
5. strain the stock
2. Soybean Paste Stew
• Temple style stock (we just made it) 2C
• Tofu 50g
• Zucchini 30g
• potato 1/2 each
• enoki mushroom 20g
• soybean paste 1/2tbsp
1. Wash all ingredients and cut the vegetables and tofu into bite size pieces
2. bring to boil the stock and put in potato first. After put in soybean paste and other ingredients
3. cook your soup until vegetables are done
4. put the enoki mushroom on top
3. Shitake Mushroom and Kelp Jorim
• Shitake mushroom and kelp (used for vegetable stock)
• Sauce:
• soy sauce 1 1/2tbsp
• sugar 1tsp
• sesame oil 1tsp
• sesame seed, crushed 1tsp
1. Slice shitake mushroom and kelp
2. make sauce and set aside
3. stir fry the mushrooms and kelp
4. put the sauce in the pot and reduce until vegetables are well coated
4. Potato Pancake
• Potato 100g
• Flour 1tbsp
• sesame seeds 1/2tsp
• pinch of salt
• Dipping Sauce
• soy sauce 1tbsp
• vinegar 1/2 tbsp
• pinch of chili powder
1. Grate the potatoes into the bowl
2. mix with flour and sesame seeds
3. season with salt
4. pan-fry with vegetable oil
5. serve with dipping sauce

It was absolutely DELICIOUS, and I think I will try to make it again soon. You should try it, too. YUM!