Korean Job Discussion Forums

[blunder1983]

I just had some UBER quesidillas using old el' paso fajita kit and combining it with some taco stuff and odds and sods i had in my fridge.

Now rather than buy carrefour fajita kits I'm looking into making my own tortillas and going nuts in the kitchen. I know that Mexican food tends to be loved by all people who move overseas (seriously I bet that liking mexican and becoming an expat is linked, judging from the popularity on the boards!)

Now I need to know three things.

1. Where can I buy cornflour? I saw some yellow stuff in the Carrefour bakery section with corn in the name but it didn't look like corn flour to me! Any ideas? Or shall I just risk it?

2. Any idea where I can get a tortilla press? Having worked in Frankie and Bennies I know how EVIL it is to have roll them all out by hand.

3. Anyone know where to get a cast iron skillet? I got a regular frying pan but i'd prefer a more heavy duty version.

Ok I'm off to play, only flour tortillas for now due to the lack of cornflour but i'll keep people informed.

Chris

[PaperTiger]

Blunder, I hope I'm wrong...but YOU'RE DREAMIN. You can buy cornmeal, but it's not as finely ground as the stuff used as masa. Due to the diversity of the American army, it's seems logical that they would have more ethnically targeted products like masa. If you score, get me some chipotle peppers and some chicharrones (barbeque flavor) while you're at it.

I think your odds of finding anything remotely resembling a tortilla press (off-base) are worse than your odds of finding a Taco Bell.

I thought I made a significant discovery when I found molasses in Korea. Prove me wrong and let me know where to get masa and other Mexican specialty items.

[Universalis]

On a related note, any tips on storing tortillas once I pop open the bag? I'm afraid to open the pack I just bought because they seem to dry up pretty quickly in the fridge. Do they have tupperware containers here that are big enough to store some burrito-sized torts?

Brian

[PaperTiger]

Otherwise they just become unusable fossils.

[blunder1983]

Well I'm off buying baking powder today and then i'm playing this evening. I'll post screenies. As for the press i think I'm gonna just roll them by hand. But i'm gonna try and find away to make a crappy version out of everyday household objects. (think blue peter ukites )

[Plume D'ella Plumeria]

I thought I caught a glimpse of masa harina the last time I was at the red door market in Itaewon.

I very much doubt that you could find a tortilla press over here. When I make them, I just use my hands; it's not that big of a deal. Well, I guess it could be if you were cooking for an army.

As for storing tortillas... When buying the bags that contain a dozen or so, I usually separate the contents into portion sizes, and then put each of those portions into large plastic bags, staple them shut and then freeze the whole lot. That way, you can just pull out one portion at a time and use the whole thing. No storage issues that way.

[JongnoGuru]

Storage issues? Tortilla presses? Plastic bags? Freezing things???

What has become of all you?! Don't you get it? You clearly don't! Korea's not supposed to be some la-di-da freakin' "change of venue" -- this is a multi-year camping expedition here!! Now get back to foraging for berries, digging for roots and tubers, and trapping & hunting wild animals with sticks for food, like the rest of us.

[blunder1983]

I just finished my first run of tortillas and i'm impressed! They were a bit TOO thick unfortunately but this was my first time making them so there is room for improvement.

So if anyone wants easy (flour) tortillas then do the following:

2 cups of all purpose flour mixed in a bowl with 1.5teaspoons in baking powder.
Slowly add a 3/4of a cup of milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of oil.
Knead on a floured board for 5 mins till it is less sticky and more doughy.
Rest for 10mins in a bowl covered with a damp towel.
Divide into 8/9 balls and rest for a further 20mins
Roll into 8" circles.
Heat a frying pan till its RED hot, then add a tortilla to the pan (no oil) after 30 seconds flip and cook on the other side for 30 secs.

You're done!

Enjoy. Next up corn tortillas with some yellow corny stuff i've seen in carrefour. I'll keep u posted!

[hogwonguy1979]

I have a better recipe for flour tortillias:
Get on a bus, subway or taxi
Go to either Hanam supermarket or Costco
Look in the freezer section for them.
Hanam has corn and flour, Costco has flour.

see easy and no mess!!!!

[Darl]

i have a tortilla press that is unused, having figured out that tortilla making is a lengthy process that cuts into my beer drinking time. you can have it, since i figure it should go to a better home than i am providing it with.