Seeing organic mayonnaise imported from Germany for w9800 at Emart makes me incredulous, surely no one is buying this. And yet I know that if no one was buying it they probably wouldn’t keep stocking it. So this week’s recipe of the week is for anyone who has, or ever even considered making such a ridiculous purchase. This recipe yields about 2 cups of mayo, costs about w1500 and takes less than five minutes to make. (more…)

What: Salt and dill pickles imported from Germany.

Where: Hyundai Department Store, Sinchon Station (Line 2), Seoul.

How Much: On sale for w4500.

Why:  Sweet pickles just don’t cut it with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Apples are coming into season here in Daegu, a city known for having the best in the country. And what goes with apples? Pork and cabbage, both in abundance all over the country. This weeks recipes are a quick and easy way to make the most of all these great ingredients and in the end wind up having a German feel. Caraway seeds go great with these flavors but can be substituted or eliminated. I happened to have some Cajun blackening rub that I got at Costco but if you don’t want to buy a years supply just to make this dish (the salt in the mixture preserves the spices so it lasts in the cupboard for ages) you can use any spices you have on hand. This meal pairs wonderfully with 2006 Black Tower Pinot Noir-Dornfelder, a fruity beaujolais-like wine available at emart and Home Plus for about w16000. (more…)

Vegan Spinach Pie, or How To Turn Your Urine into an Ideal Hydroponic Solution for Plants! – More DIY How To Projects

Why is this not WTF#11? Because that would be the easiest way to dismiss this project as something that didn’t warrant much discussion. While it does seem disgusting and crass at first I beg you, dear reader, to look closely, especially at step 4. This is not health food taken too far, or environmental fanaticism, this is much, much more. There is something here more akin to the Piss Christ than to simple urophagia.

What: Vitamin Water

Where: Daebec supermarkets and department stores

How Much: w1500

Why: Costs less than Evian and tastes better than Isis. (Not that I want to promote foods that make health claims, which I normally avoid like the plague )

From Trinidad we go to the Middle East with a recipe for two appetizers that are quickly becoming as American as apple pie: hummus and babaganoush. The only thing that might be hard to find in these recipes is the chickpeas. You can find them in Itaewon at the imported goods shop on hooker hill, Hannam Market and Shinsagae Department store in central Seoul. In Daegu you can find them in the imported goods market in the northwest factory district. In Busan, in the imported goods markets on the street beside Sasang Emart. You don’t need a blender to make these recipes but it makes it easier. Mezze is usually served with Arak but I find beer to be just as good. Pastis is a little closer to Arak and you can find that in Hannam Market too (see our Seoul map). The Marsaille Pastis is a little less anisey than the Pernod and will interfere less with the flavors in these dishes. You can’t have mezze without pita so I included a recipe for them as well that you can do without an oven. Making mezze from scratch takes a little time and a bit of elbow grease but it’s a great way to impress the shit out of your friends and co-workers and could also probably get you laid if you find the right person to share it with.  That and cooking is its own reward, right? Isn’t that why you are reading this?
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What: Jimmy Dean ground pork sausage (frozen), Maple and Sage flavors, 1lb (453g)

Where: Dandy’s Grocery (inside same building as Hannam Supermarket), Seoul

How Much: W8600

Anyone who has experimented with the Korean versions knows there’s simply no substitute for good old-fashioned, western-style sausage. Whether you fry it up as-is, make a pot of chili, or use it in countless other recipes, this is the good stuff. It isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it.

If you spot something hard to find in Korea send us an email at info@theoneonefour.com and we’ll post it on The One One Four.

Doubles was one of the dishes I missed most when I moved to Korea from Toronto, until I learned how to make them. Doubles, a Trinidadian dish with East Indian roots, are made with two pieces of bara (fried dough) and a few heaping spoonfuls of channa (chick pea) curry.  I got the recipe from the chef at Island Foods, one of my favorite West Indian restaurants in Toronto. My version has a few new twists but the result is pretty nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Doubles are a great vehicle for Grace Hot Pepper Sauce featured in this week’s Spotted! and a great example of how to make great food that also just happens to not have any animal-products (without resorting to soy-based meat replicas.) Chickpeas can be found canned in some supermarkets and import shops and dried in Indian and Pakistani grocers where you can also find cumin.   (more…)