My FIRST strawberry 2011!

Tadaaaaaaaaaaa~~~I'm sooooooooooooo happy to share with you my FIRST strawberry for this year.

She was sugar sweeeeeeeeeeeet! It just melt in my mouth in seconds!

Delicious ~~~yummy!

Mine are June bearing strawberries, but this is MAY.

So, she is my bonus strawberry coming in May as a surprise gift from the Mother Earth!

I LOVE MAY!

I LOVE strawberry!

I LOVE my happy day!

I hope you have enjoyed today~~~happy day!

'Summer Mul Kimchi' and America!

This is a photo of 'Water Apple Kimchi' or 'Mul Kimchi with Apple' or 'Summer Mul Kimchi' that I made.


'Mul' means Water in Korean.

This is a typical Korean Kimchi~~~less spicy ~~~immersed in water. This is a cold soup Kimchi that we can eat with noodle or rice when in summer or anytime. My mom made the best 'Water Kimchi' that I ...saw her making it all the time, and my grandma's favorite dish. I added Apple to give a lovely Sweet crunch to the dish as well as a HaPPy flash of great colour!



Kimchi is all about the process of maturation, which determines the taste and smell of Kimchi.



I made this food with Apple and Radish and Hot peppers and green onion and garlic.



For the maturation process, I left it at room temperature for one day and then kept in the refrigerator between uses.



I made it with my wish for us to work all together in the pursuit of preserving our family and humanity

I also made it with my hope to bring the maturation of humanity.



We all work together to come to understand what it means to humanity.

We all need to come together in the form of maturation



For me, this is one of the memory foods for my life. Mul Kimchi was the first Korean food I made when I came to America.



When in Korea, I rarely had a chance to cook because I was the only baby ~~~the younest and last baby at my house~~~nobody expected me to cook.

When in America, I had to cook in order not to starve because I came to America all by myself!



**************

Seventeen years ago today in 1994, I took an airplane for the first time departing from Korea to come to Albany, New York to study. It was my first time being in an airplane, I remember feeling a mixture of emotions between fear and excitement about a place that was unknown and new to me. I did not know anyone and just dreamt of getting my Ph.D.



I came to America with TWO pieces of luggage in my hand, like most American ancestors who beckoned to the call of Lady Liberty. The statue says it all: "Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free..." America absorbs all the world.



TWO pieces of luggage in my hand ~~~ filled with all the past~~~ all the history ~~~all the tears from innocent victims~~~all the wisdoms from our grandmothers’ survival ~~~ all the sufferings from starvation and manipulation~~~ all the choices and changes for embracing earth and worshiping the Mother Nature~~~ all the fears from witnessing horrible bloody killings of crying innocent people ~~~ all the endurance from witnessing horrible bloody killings ~~~ all the agonies for people who never had a chance, but died innocently~~ all the helping tears and healing wishes from Crying Land~~~from bloody murders by perpetrators~~~all the pure and endless LOVE that I have received through mothers and grandmothers, but covered with their extreme sacrifice.



And ~~~ filled with all the resilience of the dandelion ~~~the beauty of Dandelion Flowers ~~~Dandelion Spirits through mothers and grandmothers who have lived in hope through much violence and wars!



Like all others, I arrived with unrealized~~~unnoticed during the seeming storms, turmoil, cloudiness, distress, and pain of our lives. Because America is an amazing place, I saw fairly beautiful sides of America~~~ American dreams.

After I had a near-death, I started realizing different perceptions on America.



During my Seventeen years' living in America since 1994, I see both good side and ugly side of America.

I have witnessed good and bad, justice and injustice, fairness and unfairness, corruption and willing to fix corruption of America.



**************

Among American settlers, some came to escape persecution with immigrant baggage from a fascist, religion or others issues, others came for the pursuit of dreams and desires in the land of opportunity. Some came ~~~for the freedoms ~~~for the privileges while others came with the inheritance of slavery system bringing slaves. Some of early American ancestors were fighting for freedom and liberty while others killed and turned women into sex slaves for the settlers and slave-owners.



One popular saying was:

“Just go out there and simply grab nice Indian girls” ~~~



Under the theme of Equality and Freedom and LIBERTY, America was formed while there were still divisions across the genders and racial discrimination, entitled royalty breeding bullies, the other into slaves & breeders~~~This discrimination still continues, and it is even TODAY!



This is the TIME to work together go beyond discrimination!



This is the TIME to learn to Live Well & Live Simple with mutual respect and coexistence, NOT just live better at the expense of others!



**********

Making Summer Mul Kimchi



*Step ONE: Soaking the radish and cabbage

Ingredients

About two bunches of red radishes (and/or regular radishes and/or cabbage).

3 tablespoons of sea or kosher salt

Directions:

1. Peel the radishes with a knife and remove any brown or wilted outer leaves or the dead leaves.

2. Cut it into pieces about one inch long or preferable/bite sizes

3. Wash them gently and drain water and put them into a big bowl

4. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sea or kosher salt evenly on radishes (and/or cabbage).

5. Soak about two hours. Since this is a summer version of Mul Kimchi, the Soaking time is shorter than regular Kimchi

6. Rinse thoroughly in cold water at least three times

7. Drain radishes (and/or cabbage) from soaking in the brine on a rack for 2 hours. To save time, you can squeeze out all the water.



*Step TWO: Making Summer Mul Kimchi Glue:

3 tablespoons of flour or cooked rice

2 cups of water

Directions:

1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of flour into 2 cups of water

2. In a sauce pan, heat it over medium heat.

3. Keep stirring until the liquid thickens.

4. Turn it off when you see some bubbles and let it cool (this should look like a porridge)



*Step THREE: Making Kimchi sauce:

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1/2 tablespoons of hot pepper flakes

1/2 medium size onion –roughly chopped

2-3 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons of fish sauce ( I used anchovy fish sauce-if you are vegetarian, substitute it for salt).

1/4 cup of ground dried red hot pepper or Cayenne Pepper (I used paprika here)

Summer Kimchi Glue

Directions: Put all ingredients into blender or a food processor and blend well until creamy

Now, finally we are ready for *Making Summer Kimchi:



*Step FOUR: Making Summer Mul Kimchi:

Ingredients

3-5 scallions- cut into 1 inch lengths

1/2 apple-sliced

2-3 red chili peppers (or 2-3 green chili peppers)

Five cups of purified water.

Kimchi sauce

Directions:

1. Pour the cool porridge into the bowl and mix with scallions and apple and chili peppers

2. Add drained soaked the radish and cabbage.

3. Transfer the Mul kimchi into a container or glass jar.

4. Add five cups of purified water and cover the lid.



*Step SIX: Kimchi maturation

For the maturation process, I left it at room temperature for one day and then keep in the refrigerator between uses.

Enjoy!See More

GREEN & FRESH Tofu Dill Cilantro Dip

*GREEN & FRESH Tofu Dill Dip*

One block firm tofu

Lollypop size honey.

Handful chopped fresh Chives

Handful chopped fresh Cilantro

Handful chopped fresh parsley

Handful chopped fresh Dill

(PS: Use whatever GREEN & FRESH you have. It works so well with any fresh greens.)

Two clove garlic chopped

Salt to taste.

Directions: Put all ingredients into blender or a food processor and blend well until creamy. I add water until it is desired consistency. Chill and serve with crackers or raw vegetables or topping on potatoes.

Eating with Gratitude: Say "Thank You" when we eat!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Korean pancake with Carrot and Zucchini and Garlic Chives

Korean pancakes are different from the breakfast pancakes with the sweet taste of maple syrup we often refer. Combine lots of healthy vegetables, beans, and whole grains make fresh, healthy, SAVORY, and delicious Korean pancakes.

So it is a savory and healthy pancake! And very delicious and comforting! Really~~~Mmmm yummy Korean pancakes!

Bu-Chim-Gae and Bin-Dea-DDuk are also used for Korean pancakes interchangeably. There are so many different delicious Korean pancakes. Just to name a few, Pa-Jeon is green onion pancake; Hae-Mul-Pa-Jeon is seafood and green onion pancake with lots of fresh vegetables; Nouk-Doo-Jeon is ground mung-bean with bean sprouts and onion~~~sometimes we add Kimchi into the mixture. Korean Kimchi pancakes are truly irresistible~~~make me hungry anytime.

Like many different versions, they are countless different ways of making delicious Korean pancakes. My favorite way is to spread fresh vegetables on the top (or on the bottom) of the egg beaten into the flour batter. To replace the flour batter, rice flour or brown rice flour are often used. To make Korean pancakes crispy and crunch on the outside without burning them on the inside for a really good texture is to add a little extra oil to the HOT pan before adding the flour batter.

Besides adding grounded beans and Korean pancake add lots of healthy vegetables, such as carrot, zucchini, garlic, chives, sesame leaves, onion, and pumpkin! If it is non-vegetarian pancake, we add pork or beef or seafood. We eat them as for an afternoon snack or as side dishes during regular meals.

*******************
Korean pancake with Carrot and Zucchini and Garlic Chives

For Flour Batter (mix all together)

1 cup water

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour (Sifting flour)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (I am garlic crazy lover--So I used 4 cloves--but you can use 1 or 2 cloves: no offense)

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2-3 drops of sesame oil

For HaPPy veggies for pancakes (add all HaPPy veggies into Flour Batter)

1 cup zucchini (squash whatever you have)

1 carrot

1/2 cup garlic chives (or chives)

1 bunch scallions

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

Fiery-Hot Chicken Stew with 49 Garlic Cloves

I cooked "Fiery-Hot Chicken Stew with 49 Garlic Cloves" and would like to share this with those who are with unbearable scars.


Let’s heal the world!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

From the bottom of my heart with tears in my eyes, I cooked "Fiery-Hot Chicken Stew with 49 Garlic Cloves".

I am grieving~~~I am mourning~~~ I am crying for all the Missing ones~~~I am crying for all the Kidnapping ones ~~~I am crying for all the Comfort Women~~~ I am crying for my two missing aunts~~~so that they will not cry anymore. I have two missing aunts—Japanese took them somewhere (early 1940) before US dropped the A-bomb, but they never came home.

My grandmother was waiting for them to come home until she died. They never did.

I would like to dedicate this Fiery-Hot Chicken Stew to all those Missing ones and Kidnapping ones on this planet who never came back home once they were taken. I want to dedicate all the crying dead souls, living in this universe, including my two missing aunts and other Comfort Women. I also want to dedicate this Fiery-Hot Chicken Stew to all of you both the dead and the living, who were kidnapped and raped by Greedy people. This food is also dedicated to all the women in the world who suffered because of Greedy people.

Why Chicken?

Chicken was chosen because one of my missing aunts had a dream to eat chicken every day because they did not have enough foods. I want to have one of my aunt’s dream come true of a chicken lover.

Before cooking, I took a shower and dressed in white. I comb my hair neatly by running my wooden comb from the top of the crown to my neck and tied hair neatly to make the knot.

I kneeled down and said, Thank you Survivors of Comfort Women!

Dear Survivors of Comfort Women, thank you for your testimonies. Thank you for sharing your unimaginable ordeal. Thank you for your courage to reveal the unimaginable experience. Thank you for your stories that could have contained my missing aunts.

Despite the fact that I can't fully imagine it, and there are so many things I still can't understand or picture, I feel that women’s suffering continues even today, both physically and psychologically across the world. I feel that the victims’ suffering isn't an isolated case, but it appears to be an ongoing matter (e.g., the Serbs committed against women in the former Yugoslavia in 1991). Throughout history, so many innocent were killed and died out of this, all over the world. Even at this moment, right now, the city I live in Albany, NY, America, many young girls are raped and sold into the slavery in money and economic driven society. Our females who are forced into sex slaves experience not only sexual violence but also institutionalized racism.


Many victims were beating to death. Many were starved to death. Many burning houses with live innocent people inside in their houses while serving sex slaves. Some parents in starvation sold their daughters into sex slaves.

Many unimaginable brutalities have been committed by human—born of women’s wombs—but raised by the whole world. Thus, our uncorrupted female ancestors were the victims of greed-incited violence. And still is...even this moment.

I want to make sure that no more blood spilled in the name of justice. I want to make sure that there are no more recurrences of these multiple human right violations. I want to make sure that the empowerment of women should be the first and foremost issue in human rights. No more! No more blood! No more killing!

Enjoy Happy Fried Dandelion Flowers!

Fried Dandelion Flowers


Happy Day from Happy Dandelion Spirits from the resilience of the dandelion and the beauty of Dandelion Flowers!

How far A Single Dandelion Seed Can Go?

How far A Single Dandelion Seed Can Fly?

They are extremely resilient!

They are hardy and perennial!

They are difficult to eradicate!

They are able to survive very harsh conditions!

They are really healthy for our body!

They grow in abundance!

They are FREE!

Like Dandelion Flowers and their Spirits, we all need to learn to bloom in any environment, focusing on courage and being resilient~~~despite of being in adverse conditions.



Before I explain how I make Fried Dandelion Flowers, I want to make sure that your Dandelion Flowers are safe to eat, no touch of pesticides.


Ingredients:

About 15 -30 dandelion flower heads~~~stems removed

2 cups of canola oil for frying

½ cup cornmeal for coating

Egg batter:

1 egg, beaten

½ cup ice water

3 table spoon flour

2 crushed garlic cloves (you can use 1 crushed garlic clove)

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper



Cooking Steps:


1. Rinse dandelion flowers in salt water and pat dry with kitchen paper very gently so as not to bruise

2. Dip the flowers in cornmeal for coating and second dip in an egg batter.

3. Fry them in batches until crispy & brown

Enjoy Happy Fried Dandelion Flowers!

Humanity In Unity Through Dandelion Spirit!

Humanity In Unity Through Dandelion Spirit


To me~~~Our Grandmothers’ hope of Humanity In Unity residing in Dandelion Spirit.

The word, dandelion came from literally the Teeth of the Lion because of the shape of the dandelion leaves.

Dandelion has a strong spirit to survive and hard to get rid of.

Because Dandelion believes that she is good and carries lots of health benefits toward world.



This is the TIME for us to feel Dandelion Spirit!

This is the TIME for us to listen our grandmothers!

The way Dandelion survive is like the way my grandma survived under the bloody killing and violation!

***********

I am here to share the story of my grandmother! At the age of 13, she witnessed armed people set the fire at her house while her parents were inside still alive. My grandmother was shocked and horrified. After the burning of my grandma’s house, which her brother also witnessed, the Japanese abducted her only brother. No one knew to where and what he was taken; he never came home.

She lost everything ~~~her mother, her father, her only brother, and her house. Later, my grandmother lost lots more through violence and multiple wars, including three more sons and two missing daughters~~~many more beatings~~~manipulating~~~deceiving~~~slaughtering~~~atrocities in the bloody and crying land.

~~~violating human bodies ~~~violating land~~~violating mother earth.

She cried in silence and in the rain, so nobody could notice her crying. But, my grandmother told everything to the Moon~~~ only in the night. She told everything what she felt and what she wanted to do to the Moon.

Only the Moon heard her crying~~~ Only the Moon saw her crying~~~ Only the Moon!

That's the way she saved herself~~~ That's the way she survived~~~ That's the way she saved her remaining children. My grandmother saved my dad so many times from deadly beaten. ~~~from bloody body~~~from being human bullet shield~~~from violating human body~~~through violence and multiple wars~~~

My grandmother did her best to save my dad as a little boy. ~~~My dad was only son remaining of her own~~~who can carry our blood and our family legacy, and she could not afford losing my dad.

My grandmother can't afford losing only son~~~my dad~~~remaining! In order to ease the pain from the beating and restore him to health, my grandmother climbed mountains to find herb roots to simmer to make medicinal healing teas. There were several times, her life was at danger and risk ~~~but, she did everything she could do to save my dad! And that's how I was able to come here....in this planet!

My grandmother told everything to the Moon~~~And to me! She told me everything as far as I remember from a little girl ~~~to the day my grandmother died. ~~~I was 17 years old~~~. Besides all the terrible and bloody stories~~~She told me that "War is our enemy, not human". She had lived with wait and hope! She converted her resentment into compassion!

I stand in solidarity with my grandmother and our grandmothers who have lived in hope through much violence and wars. Standing up all by myself ~~~ I am marching toward No more wars~~~ No more violence.

My grandmother believed in Human Goodness!

Dandelion has our Grandmothers’ spirit on Humanity In Unity.

***********

Like my grandmother and Dandelion Spirit, I also believe in Human Goodness!

I love grandmothers who have lived in hope through much violence and wars.

I love Dandelion!

LOVE grandmothers!

24/7/365 days = Mother's day!

I HUG Mother 24/7/365 days.


Mother's day is 24/7/365 days to me!

Mother is God to me!

Mother is Universe to me!!

Mother is Mother Nature to me!!



I HUG the mothers of both human beings and non-human beings!



Thank you all mothers!



Love Mother Nature and this is the TIME to heal Mother!

This is the TIME to protect Mother!

We all need to LOVE Mother to make Mother happy!

You are NOT alone!

I grew up in Korea and came to America to study.

Sixteen years ago, I took an airplane for the first time departing from Korea. The time I started in the English as a second language program and until the day I received my Ph.D. degree, my life went by... so quickly that I do not remember all that filled my days.



Then in 2007, I had a near-death experience, an aneurysm in my brain ruptured.

Since I had many critical setbacks, I felt as if I was very much dead due to being unable to sit or stand more than one hour, which made me confined and frustrated. I could not do my own groceries. I could not do jogging. I could not go to the movie theater.



When I felt that I had NO hope and No life, my backyard welcomed me to start new life~~~new chapter. I became a city gardener in a densely populated residential area.

By working in the soil, planting seeds, and connecting to mother earth, I have become a happy gardener!

I Have Learned to realize that I am the HaPPy!

I Have Learned to Appreciate What I Have in my Life!



And more importantly: I Have Found SOIL! This is the gift of my sickness. Through the SOIL!

My healing journey has been beautiful.

Overall, I feel wonderful!

Now, I do my own groceries with Great Appreciation.

Now, I do jogging with Great Appreciation.

Now, I do gardening with Great Appreciation.

*****************8

I know I am NOT alone!

You are NOT alone!

Look at the flowers~~~each has its own beautiful spirits to Wake Up our Spirits !


They are our friends!

They are our brothers and sisters!

They are our family!

Respect and preserve our family!