Hello everyone!
So, we’re flying to Dallas, Texas today, my hometown. Leaving Mexico and heading to Dallas to spend time with my family. We had a wonderful vacation in Puerto Vallarta but I am so happy to be heading home to see my mom and dad. Some of you know, my mother is having a kidney transplant in a week and my sister, Grace, is the donor. Donating her kidney to our mother. So, we get to spend a week with my mother before the surgery. This way, she can play with the girls a little before she becomes bedridden.
As you all know, I’m Korean and love Korean food. My mother is the one who taught me everything I know about Korean food. Both of my parents cook (and cook well I might add) so it was great for me to see the both of them in the kitchen. Growing up, my mother was always feeding us Korean food and when I was old enough, she brought me into the kitchen for my first Korean cooking lesson.
Was I paying attention? writing things down?
No. I was an idiot. My love for cooking came later so – at the time – the kitchen was the last place I wanted to be. I rushed my mother through the lesson and then left to go hang out with my friends. We had maybe 2 more lessons and then my mother gave up. Then, years later, after I would graduate from college and then, later, leave Dallas to move to San Francisco, my dear, awesome mother packed up 4 or 5 Korean cookbooks for me.
Hoping. Praying. That I would open one of those books.
Needless to say, those books were opened only a few times. Looking back though, I guess learning by watching your mother is more exciting . . so whenever I think of what could have been, I kick myself.
I will spend this week in Dallas cooking and eating with my mother. Spending time with her. And we will most definitely be eating Korean food. Which brings me to my guest post for today. . from Amy, aka 
It is summer which means I try to avoid the stove and oven as often as I can and it also means a lot of salad for me. I usually make this miyeok salad with a spicy dressing using kochujang, but I thought I’d lighten it up today with a ponzu dressing. Either way, the salad is perfect atop a bowl of cold noodles for a simple flavorful meal.
We hope you enjoy!
Miyeok Salad with Ponzu Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried miyeok seaweed
- 1/2 small zucchini
- 1/2 small carrot
- 1 stalk scallions thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 tablespoons ponzu
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- salt
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds crushed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, reconstitute the seaweed by submerging the seaweed in about 5 cups of water for at least 15 minutes.
- Pick out the stray greens. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Give a gentle squeeze to drain of excess water. Place the mound on a cutting board and run a knife through it a few times to cut it to bite-sized pieces. Set aside back in the large bowl.
- With a vegetable peeler, peel a few ribbons of the zucchini and carrot into the bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ponzu, sugar, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt.
- Add the dressing to the greens and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Plate the salad and garnish with the crushed sesame seeds and a handful of the scallions.
