Bangkok Bistro in Georgetown

My wife had "Bangkok fried rice" served in half of a real pineapple.
I had duck soup (I don't remember the name of the dish).
Both are really delicious.

Stongly recommended

Bangkok Bistro
3251 Prospect St. NW
Washington DC 20007
202.337.2424

Bada Sasimi

There is a Korean style sasimi restaurant in Annandale, VA.

Tony Lin's Restaurant (Chinese) in Rockville, MD

Can you believe this Chinese restaurant's food is MSG free?

Nak-Won Korean Restaurant in Annadale

Nak-Won Restaurant

7317 Little River Tnpk.
Annandale, VA 22003
703-354-9255

Recommendation: Nak-Won Jung-sik (course menu)

Japanese Festival In Gaithesberg, MD (October 1, 2006)

Pot-Bing-Soo

My family went to a Korean bakery store (Sila Bakery) in Rockville.
We had a cup of Pot-Bing-Soo which made by sweat beans, crushed ice, green tea icecream, and milk. Pot-Bing-Soo is the most popular summer dissert in Korea.

The Star Power of Seoul's men

Today's Washington Post wrote about Korean actors and singers who have tremendous popularity in Asia, such as Siwon Ryu, Young Jun Bae, Dong Gun Jang, and Rain.

To see the photo gallery, click here.

Chopstixguide.com

I found a great web-site for Asian food lovers in Washington D.C. area.
The web site was created by two Asian young women. They found very good restaurants and made a directory book & a web site.

To go to the Chopstixguide.com, click here.

Japanese fans

My mother-in-law sent these fans from Japan.
Enjoy coooool summer!!!

Make your own sushi

Make your own sushi at home. You can put anything you want.

Korea's Taste of Summer is a long, cool slurp (from NY Times)

Here is an article about Nangmyun, Korean cold noodles, in New York Times.

B-Bim Nang Myun

Spicy cold noodle

Pumpkin soup (Korean style)

...

Japanese curry

A season for soba noodles

A season for soba noodles, Japanese noodles, is coming.

"Soba noodles are native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour (soba-ko) and wheat flour (komugi-ko). They are roughly as thick as spaghetti, and prepared in various hot and cold dishes. The most basic soba dish is zaru soba in which boiled, cold soba noodles are eaten with a soya based dipping sauce (tsuyu)." From http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2341.html

A New Korean Movie (Typhoon) was released

A Korean movie, Typhoon, was released last Friday (June 2). The following link is a review from the Washington Post.

Click here to read the review.

This photo is from the Washington Post.

NO FTA

Today, June 4th, 2006, there was a demonstration about FTA (Free Trade Agreement) between South Korea and the U.S. Their slogans were "Stop FTA" and "No Neoliberalism." As a small country, the Korea needs to protect its own business and trade. Although free trade and competition might be good for consumers, Korean's agricutural and cultural products will be disappeared soon.

Korean style bar-b-que

This is a Korean style bar-b-que. The meat is a part of beef, we call it "gal-bi sal" Korean bakes meat, various kinds of mushrooms, onion, and galic on the grill using charcoal. They wrap meat with lettice, green onion (with spicy source), red pepper paste, and garlic.

Here is Korean restaurants' information in D.C. area.

Korean Pork Dish (Bo Ssam)

Do you like pork? If you like pork, try this Korean dish, which is called "Bo Ssam."
Bo Ssam is a traditional Korean food. The pork is boild with den-jang (Korean bean paste, similar to miso), onion, garlic, ginger, black pepper, green onion, and cinemon for one hour.
Korean usually wrap the pork with lettice, kimchi, oyster, garlic, and green pepper.

Homemade Kimchi

My sister, wife, and I made Kimchi at home. The first picture is cucumber Kimchi and the second one is Nappa kimchi.

Click here for information about Kimchi

The Promise (A Fantastic Asian Movie)

There is an Asian movie relased this week, "The Promise."
Chen Kaige, one of the most famous Chinese movie director, made this movie with Jang Dong Gun (a Korean actor), Hiroyuki Sanada (A Japanese actor), and Cecilia Cheung (a Hong Kong actress). I do not see this movie yet, however I can quarantee the movie's quality because of the director and the Korean actor.

The New York Times and the Washington Post movie reviews help you to choose this movie for this weekend.

Miso soup with zucchini

Miso soup.

"Miso's origins can be traced to China as far back as the 4th century BC. A seasoning, called Hisio, was a paste resulting from the fermenting a mixture of soybeans, wheat, alcohol and salt. The written word, miso, first appeared around 800.

In Japan, miso was introduced the 7th century by buddhist monks. The process of making miso was further refined and it became a necessary part of the samurai diet. With the widespread cultivation of rice, miso has become a staple food for Japanese people. Over the centuries, different types of miso were developed, often named after the province whre it originated. Well know varieties are shiromiso native to Kyoto, hatchomiso native to Aichi Prefecture and Shinshu miso produced in the Nagano Prefecture. According to Japanese mythology, miso is a gift to mankind from the gods to assure health, longevity and happiness" (from http://www.soya.be).

Seaweed Salad

Seaweed salad

INGREDIENTS:
• 1/4 lb. wakame seaweed
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce


PREPARATION:
Soak wakame seaweed in water until soften. Mix vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce in a cup. Cut wakame seaweed into bite-sized pieces. Put wakame seaweed in a bowl and pour the dressing over and mix well (Referred a website, http://japanesefood.about.com).

Black Sesame Tofu

This is black sesame tofu. Wasabi is on the top of tofu.

Sesame Tofu

Tofu is usually made from
bean in Asian countries. This tofu, however, is made from sesame. This is from Japan. I am not sure that only Japanese eats sesame tofu. Anyway, the taste is really fantastic. I love it.

Rice syrup from Japan

My wife's friend (Shoko) sent two jars of rice and barley syrup from Japan. Two hundreds ago (Edo period), in Japan , there were many babies who died from malnutrition. Rice and barley syrup were good nutritions for mothers and babies. These syrups are good for milk and skin.

Information about rice and barley syrup

Nobody knows (Japanese movie)

Yesterday night, my wife and I watched a Japanese movie, "Nobody Knows."
The movie is about four children in Tokyo who don't have father and mother.
Each child has a different father. Their fathers don't have any resposibility to raise their children.
Mother, who was a single mother, got married another guy in Osaka. Mother didn't come home anymore...

It is a very sad story, based on non-fiction.
The following is a professional review from the
Washington Post.

Nobody Knows': Unforgettable

By Desson Thomson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 25, 2005; Page WE39

WITH EACH passing minute of Hirokazu Kore-eda's subtly heartbreaking "Nobody Knows," the hopes of four children ebb away like spilled blood. Their hopes, that is, of a normal, happy life; of salvaging their already compromised innocence.

This Japanese movie could be a straight-out thriller if knives and guns and scary bad men were involved. But the threat here is a mysterious mother who leaves these children in a Tokyo apartment to fend for themselves. And the slow passage of time, without her, tells 12-year-old Akira, 10-year-old Kyoko, Shigeru, 7, and Yuki, 4, that they have been abandoned. That they are forgotten, unwanted and, in a sense, marked for oblivion.

But as the movie unfolds, you also realize this drama is a call to heroism. The children's safety depends on the plucky Akira (Yuya Yagira), who does everything he can to maintain a household without adult supervision and, eventually, without money.

Akira's mother, Keiko (a Japanese actress and columnist named You), moves into a Tokyo apartment complex with Akira but smuggles in her other three kids. She's afraid of eviction and attention. Clearly, she has done this before. We learn soon enough that all four come from different fathers and that Keiko has no intention of sending them to school.

She reminds them of the "rules" to stay out of sight and inside the apartment. Kyoko (Ayu Kitaura) the oldest girl, must do the laundry at night when no one is around. And Shigeru (Hiei Kimura), a hyper child who entered the flat hidden inside a suitcase with his younger sister, Yuki (Momoko Shimizu), must learn to curb his outbursts.

Not long after they have moved in, Keiko disappears. She comes back once or twice, but, essentially, Akira becomes the head of the cramped household. He has to depend on the cash his mother sends him.

"I'm not allowed to be happy?" Keiko protests when the soft-spoken Akira brings himself to confront her. In her breathy, childlike voice, she also points out that a famous wrestler and a Japanese president never attended school. She promises to come back for Christmas.

When the money stops coming in, Akira and Kyoko realize they are in this for the long haul and that sooner or later the outside world cannot be kept out.

Inspired by a true story from the 1980s, in which four children were left alone for months, director Kore-eda used non-actors in the children's roles and filmed them chronologically over the space of a year. Their remarkable lack of self-consciousness, the literal passage of time during which we can actually denote growth changes, and Kore-eda's quasi-documentary style, give this movie a stunning credibility.

There are poignant touches embedded everywhere. You have to find them yourself. Kyoko doodles on a piece of paper that happens to be a final notice gas bill. She also tinkers on a toy piano, which tells us about the talent she's not getting to reap. Shigeru chews on a piece of paper to stave off his appetite, and it seems that his obliviousness to what's going on amounts to self-protection. Akira enjoys a brief turnout for a baseball team in the local park. But it's an all-too-short taste of the happiness he's denying himself.

In a sense, "Nobody Knows" ("Dare Mo Shiranai" by its Japanese name) is a troubling counterview to Peter Pan. It tells us the child's world of make-believe simply cannot exist without adults, even such moral monsters as Keiko. But Akira's determination to keep not only himself but his siblings provided for, even if it means shoplifting or filling a bucket of water from the fountain in a public park, is the film's emotional driving force. It also gives us heart -- something in short supply at Apartment 203. It should come as no surprise that teenage actor Yagira won the acting prize at the Cannes film festival last year. Watching him, you'll feel like handing him the trophy yourself.

NOBODY KNOWS (PG-13, 138 minutes) -- Contains mature and troubling themes. In Japanese with subtitles. At Landmark's E Street Cinema.

© 2005 The Washington Post Company

Korean Rice Cake - Dduck

My parents and sister came from Korea to see my newborn baby. They brought dduck (Korean rice cake) made from rice, rasin, and variety of beans. Dduck is sweat and sticky. Korean have this food on special day, such as wedding day, birthday, New year's day, and Thanksgiving day (Chu-suk).

Korean Traditional Snack - Han Gwa

This is a Korean traditional snack - Han Gwa.

World's Healthiest Foods: Soy (Japan)

Health.com
World's Healthiest Foods: Soy (Japan)
by Joan Raymond

A typical Japanese eats soy for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. “We eat tofu every day,” says Mamie Nishide, a cooking instructor and recipe developer who’s a native of Nara, Japan. Soybeans, first grown in tropical Asia thousands of years ago, are used in everything in Japan from soy sauce (as ubiquitous as ketchup) to vegetable oil, tofu, and the fermented soybean paste called miso. Japanese eat more soybeans than anyone else, and the long-lived Okinawans top the list at about 60 to 120 grams per person each day, compared with practically zero grams for the average American.

Why to try it: Protein-packed soy is high in isoflavones, estrogen-like substances linked to the prevention of cancer and osteoporosis. But its biggest draw may be the dozens of studies showing soy is good for your heart; the FDA even allows certain soy products (with at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving) to have a heart-healthy claim on their labels. Plus, some studies have shown that a diet rich in soy can reduce breast-cancer risk. Asian women, for example, have a much lower incidence of the disease compared with their Western counterparts. But other studies suggest that high levels of soy might actually increase breast-cancer risk in women who live in the United States, especially among those with a family history of the disease. (If you have a history of breast cancer or a high incidence in your family, talk to your doctor about how much soy is safe.)

What to do with it: Use cooked soybeans instead of garbanzo beans in your next batch of hummus, and add frozen edamame (whole soybeans) to stir-fries. Tofu typically comes in 1-pound blocks for about $1.99 at grocery and health-food stores.

World's Healthiest Foods: Kimchi (Korea)

Health, March 2006
World's Healthiest Foods: Kimchi (Korea)
by Joan Raymond

Koreans eat so much of this super-spicy condiment (40 pounds of it per person each year) that natives say “kimchi” instead of “cheese” when getting their pictures taken.

The reddish fermented cabbage (and sometimes radish) dish—made with a mix of garlic, salt, vinegar, chile peppers, and other spices—is served at every meal, either alone or mixed with rice or noodles. And it’s part of a high-fiber, low-fat diet that has kept obesity at bay in Korea.

Kimchi also is used in everything from soups to pancakes, and as a topping on pizza and burgers.

Why to try it: Kimchi (or kimchee) is loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but its biggest benefit may be in its “healthy bacteria” called lactobacilli, found in fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt. This good bacteria helps with digestion, plus it seems to help stop and even prevent yeast infections, according to a recent study. And more good news: Some studies show fermented cabbage has compounds that may prevent the growth of cancer.

What to do with it: There’s no need to make your own; just pick it up in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or an Asian market for around $4 per 32-ounce jar (Sunja’s is one popular brand). You can wake up your morning by scrambling eggs with kimchi, diced tomatoes, and mushrooms. Use it as a wrap filling or to top a baked potato. Or try Spicy Beef and Kimchi Stew, which won our test kitchen’s top rating.

Japanese radish side dish

Dolls from grandmother-in-law

We will put our baby's embrial code in these dolls made by my grandmother-in-law.
These dolls are made from old Kimono.

Steamed Rice with mushroom, carrot, and chicken (takikomigohan)

Japanese snack made from bean

Cookies for girl's day from Japan

"March 3rd is Japanese Girl's Day called hina matsuri (hina doll festival) or momo no sekku (peach flower festival.) A set of hina dolls wearing kimono is displayed at home of Japanese girls. It's a festival for Japanese girls. People pray for girls' happiness and health, eating special food such as chirashi-zushi (colorful sushi), clam soup, sakura mochi (sweet rice cakes), and more.

Hina matsuri originated in China, and it was established in Japan during Edo Period (1603-1867.) Different types of hina dolls were created around Japan.

If you would like to buy Japanese hina dolls, visit Kyugetsu Site."

- from http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanesefestivals/a/japanesegirlday.htm

Japanese Star Candy

Original Korean Kimchi

The original Korean Kimchi did not have red peper powder.
"Kimchi is a uniquely pungent mixture of fermented vegetables... Kimchi has been part of the Korean diet for centuries and is prepared in as many as 300 variations, depending on region, season and personal preference...Early Koreans preserved vegetables in salt or vinegar and toehr spices. The spicy red kimchi we eat today has been a part of Korea's dietary culture since the 17th century. Red chili pepers were introduced to Korea by Portuguese traders during China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)" (Kim, Manjo, 202-204, 1994, Korean cutural Heritage - Traditional Life Styles).

Kim Bob (Seeweed rice roll)

Kim Bob is similar to Japanese sushi, but has different ingredients, such as a carrot, spinach, radish, ham, beef, and eggs. We also put kim-chi in Kim bab sometimes.

Green tea ice cream

Green tea ice cream

How to?

1. Prepare vanilar ice cream and green tea powder.
2. Mix together.
3. Put it in a freezer for a while.
4. Enjoy healthy ice cream after 20 minutes.

Kimchi Pancake

How to make Kimchi Pancake

[Ingredients

1 cup baechu kimchi (whole cabbage kimchi), white part only, firmly packed (such as Chongga brand)

1 cup ice cold water

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 ounces lean ground pork

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large sweet green onions or 6 scallions, white and pale

green part only, finely minced

4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil Wearing rubber gloves, shake off the stuffing from the kimchi and wrap in a paper towel. Lightly squeeze out most of the liquid, and finely chop.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine chopped kimchi, ice water, egg, ground pork, flour and green onions. Mix lightly with a pair of chopsticks. The batter should easily drip off a spoon; you can use more water to thin, if necessary. Set batter aside.

In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Drop one-third of the kimchi batter in the skillet to make one large, thin pancake. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the edges turn brown and crispy. Flip it over, add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil around the pancake, and cook for another minute, flattening and shaping it with a spatula. Flip again and cook for a few more seconds, to restore crispiness. Transfer the finished pancake to a tray.

Repeat twice more with the remaining oil and batter. Makes three pancakes, each about 8 inches in diameter.] (From Washington Post)