Korean Job Discussion Forums

mehamrick · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Location: South Korea

So I have been given the task of cooking some kind of Western meal for a Korean family.. What would you cook? Let me get both sides of this.. meaning

1. If you live in a big city and have access to things..
2. If you live out in the country and have to "improvise"

mrd · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: fluorescent-filled paradise

If by Western you do not mean Italian or anything like that maybe the family would be interested in eating Sheppard's Pie (a casserole dish with a layer of ground beef, corn and mashed potatoes respectively) or a meatloaf. They are both pretty uniquely "Western" and I would bet most Koreans have not experienced them.

Alternatively, if you had access to an oven, I think a turkey dinner would be a great choice, with all of the "Western" side dishes to supplant the Korean ones.

Or again, maybe some deep fried fish and chips would be a good choice. Lots of fish around in Korea, and it would be pretty easy to make a batter and deep fry some food.

Just some options to get the ball rolling a little...

ursus_rex · Joined: 20 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul, ROK

I've cooked for my in-laws...

Depends if they're country or city people. I found the older country people won't eat whatever you cook, if it's foreign. I made pizza and spaghetti one time for rural relatives, and it went over like a lead balloon.

That being said, spaghetti and meat sauce is a safe bet. My wife and friends like my chili, but ingredients are difficult... chile powder can be bought in Nomdaemun underground, at least as of a couple of years ago when I stocked up.

Try to make food they can eat communally, Korean style, as no matter what you make, that's the way they're going to eat it anyhow.

Have fun...

mehamrick · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Location: South Korea

No oven.. and I am trying to stay away from the obvious things like spaghetti, steak, and the sort.. something a little differnt.. but that they might enjoy..

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

It doesn't matter what it is as long as it comes with a small cup of pickles. Pickles contain a special enzyme that allows Koreans to digest Western food. It's the same way Americans need small paper-filled cookies to digest Chinese food.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Starter: garlic mushrooms
Main: roast beef and yorkshire puddings with all the trimmings
Dessert: apple crumble

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

poet13 · Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject:

Good call butlerian.

I have made garlic mashed potatoes for a number of Koreans here, and it has gone over more than well.
I cook it with roast chicken, meat loaf, pork roast, anything hardy.

mehamrick · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Location: South Korea

I was thinking something Mexican.. not too spicy.. and tortillas might be hard to come by where i am at... My parents sent me soem fajita spice from my old restaurant.. maybe some chicken, with sauteed veggies and shrimp, and some rice... maybe even make a homeade salsa.. all this and trying to keep it Korean spicy and not Mexican spicy...

poet13 · Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:23 pm Post subject:

Something to keep in mind if you're going to serve a western meal, subsititute bread for rice.

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Curry.

Just get the Japanese curry blocks-they wouldn't have had that before so that's plenty "western"

Substitute some rice for home-made chipatis.

mehamrick · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Location: South Korea

I thought of the curry until her Aunt dropped off a huge bowl of Japanese curry the other day.. I think I am leaning toward the Mexican side. Just have to find the rest of the ingredients..

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Vancouver · Joined: 12 Dec 2006

when i went to Korea, i made my relatives Spagetti. Try using sausage. I used beef and it was really...watery. Lots of water came out. I used red and green peppers, oinions, some minced garlic i think, white mushrooms, try cellery if you can get some. add in your salt and pepper and such. try green onion if you want

TDR · Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Location: Busan

mehamrick,
I see that you live in Changwon and so you're relatively close to Busan. If you look at the 'Food and Eats' section in the Koreabridge forums on pusanweb.com you will find directions to Asian Mart in Sasang, close to the bus terminal. I believe you might be able to find tortillas there.

Actually, I looked up the directions for ya:

From: http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1572&hl=tort

The best store I've found is AsiaMart in Sasang not far from the sasang bus terminal. Their phone number is 322 6080, or 010 7475 6080. The owner speaks English. Ok, get to Sasang subway station, come out at the Seobu Bus terminal exit. Right in front of you is a fast food store (maccas or lotteria, i forget) and on your left is the Apple shopping center that leads you up to the Seobu bus terminal. Head to the left of the fast food place . In front of you you'll reach a very small car park. Go through the car park and go through the metal gate at the back. Turn left and walk down a pretty seedy Love Motel street for about 200 meters.
Asia Mart will be on your right. It's pretty small but it has a sign and there are usually lots of Pakistani or Indonesian guys hanging around buying their phone cards. They're open til really late like 11.00 pm

There is another Asian grocery store in Busan as well, but Asia mart is the best I've found so far.

Cheers and good luck with the meal.

TDR.