Do-It-Yourself Exotic Food---Korean Tteokbokki and Kimchi Pancake

October 7, 2011

As summer turns to fall, and cold fronts become more and more frequent,

Korean food is always a favorite to beat the chilling onslaught of winter. Of course

here in Taiwan, Korean restaurants are everywhere, but why line up or even pay for

Korean food when the Office of International Affairs has arranged a do-it-yourself

exotic food Korea event in the international student lounge. Rui Chen-he, the

attendant Korean host, successfully walked everyone through all of the steps in

making both Tteokbokki and kimchi seafood pancakes despite being very nervous,

commenting, “I’ve never taught so many people how to prepare Korean food before,

I’m so worried of making a mistake.” In the end, though, she managed to pull through

and in the process everyone gained a worthwhile experience, not only mingling with

students from other departments but also from other countries.

Do-It-Yourself Exotic Food --- Japanese Chicken Curry and Rice

November 18, 2011

This month’s do-it-yourself exotic food activity was hosted by Japan’s own

Tamai Yoko, an international student engaged in study here at NTNU. With Japanese

curry as the theme, Tamai Yoko quickly pointed out some interesting facts about curry

consumption. For instance, although curry isn’t a traditional Japanese food it is very

popular, with one survey indicating that the majority of Japanese people eat it at least

three times a week. While preparing chicken curry rice, Tamai Yoko also informed

everyone that there is quite a lot of freedom when one makes Japanese curry; in fact,

almost every household has their own secret recipe. Luckily enough our host wasn’t

stingy in the least, sharing her family’s secret recipe complete with the addition of

extra tomato sauce, to make the dish more sour, and onion, to give the dish a bit of a

bite. This was fortunate for a group of students from NTNU who plan on opening

their own Japanese restaurant close to the school. For those of you who missed out on

this activity, be sure to check out advertisements put up on the website of the Office of

International Affairs, as well as all around the school.

Do-It-Yourself Exotic Food ---- Malaysian Bak-kut-teh

December 22, 2011

This month’s do-it-yourself exotic food activity explored a favorite at almost

every international culture week the Office of International Affairs has held, that is

Malaysian Bak-kut-teh or Beef Bone Soup. It’s really surprising that such common

day-to-day food in Malaysia can sell so well here in Taiwan. Despite fairly common

ingredients, such as pork, bean curd skin, deep fried dough, garlic, soy sauce, etc. the

dish’s uniquely exotic taste no doubt comes from a special seasoning which consists

of both dried bone and fresh bone flavors. As Cai Wei-long, a history major in her

third year, explained, the original Bak-kut-teh came from a group of miners who

wanted to make a soup that had both Chinese medicine and hardy sustenance for a life

full of hardships. After trying some of the soup, it was clear that the miners were not

only successful at making a nutritious soup; they were also successful at creating a

truly uniquely delicious flavor. No wonder the food has traveled the world over.

Do-It-Yourself Exotic Food --- Three Egg Omelet

March 23, 2012

This month’s do-it-yourself exotic food activity was hosted by Scott, a handsome

American who knows his omelets. The activity was quickly underway after Scott

gave a brief description of the does and don’ts. These included: being sure to finely

cut up the ingredients you want to put in so that they will be evenly distributed,

making sure not to turn up the heat too much so that you avoid burning the bottom of

your omelet and, last but not least, spreading the omelet out evenly over the surface of

the pan in order to have an evenly cooked omelet. With these tips in mind, everyone

started to make their own omelets. It wasn’t long before the room was full with the

sound of knives, whisks, and of course laughs as well as the smell of melted cheese

and the like. Always mindful of the job at hand, Scott never missed a moment in

helping his students. He walked around and helped anyone who asked or looked like

they might need a hand. By the end of the activity everyone had worked up quite an

appetite and was more than happy to sit down and have a meal. While sharing their

custom-made omelets, it was easy to see that many new acquaintances were being

formed.

Do-It-Yourself Exotic Food ---- Jewish Chicken Soup and Matzo Balls

May 4, 2012

This month’s do-it-yourself exotic food event explored a culture which is seldom

touched upon here in Taiwan. The event was hosted by native New Yorker Pamela

Rose, a Jewish woman currently residing in Taiwan. With a simple combination of

chicken breast bone, carrots, mushrooms, bay leaves, and parsley, the matzo ball

chicken soup base is ready. “Chicken soup is the Jewish medicine,” Pamela Rose

commented, explaining that American Jewish people always turn to chicken soup first

when feeling under the weather. As for the main course, matzo balls, our host

explained that it is a very important Jewish food; in fact, during Passover, an

eight-day period in which Jews commemorate their ancestors’ exodus from Egypt,

Jews are restricted to a very narrow group of foods, of which matzo balls are one.

Luckily, as everyone attested, matzo balls are delicious. As usual, this month’s

do-it-yourself exotic foods event was informative to all who joined.