Cooking with Kasim

My chingus

Back in February, Markus and I spent a lot of time with our friends Kasim and Jeff. Unfortunately, Kasim left Busan so that he could continue his education. We tried to see him as much as possible before he left. Most of the time, we would eat at restaurants, but Kasim wanted to cook for us. I am never one to turn down home-cooked meals, so we planned a pot luck dinner.

Lamb curry

Homemade roti

Kasim is an amazing chef. He cooks Indian style food so everything was absolutely delicious. He learned from his mom and made everything from scratch. He even taught us how to make roti. Although, if you asked me to make it again right now, I wouldn't be able to do it.

I also wanted to make authentic Filipino food, so I made chicken adobo. I didn't want Kasim to be the only one making something good. Kasim made roti and lamb curry and Jeff brought yummy donuts. In the end, we stuffed our faces with everything in sight and it was worth it. Honestly, I still have dreams about that lamb curry. It was that good. I miss Kasim's cooking almost as much as I miss him. Although, maybe I miss his cooking a little bit more.

I love these silly boys.

Hogwarts Exterior | Harry Potter Studio Tour 6 of 6

The last part of the Harry Potter Studio Tour was this massive model of Hogwarts. It took up an entire room and was quite beautiful. I think it's the perfect ending to the tour. We spent a lot of time in this last room. I knew it was the end and I wasn't ready to leave yet. I just wanted a little more time in the fictional world. There is something about the world of Harry Potter that sticks with you. It's not just the amazing characters or unforgettable story. It's also the feelings that it invokes and it truly is a magical world.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia | 2 of 3

While at Angkor Wat, I was wandering around taking photos of random things. Markus was busy filming, so I walked away from him for a bit. There was a small walkway that led out to a balcony. For some reason, I was drawn to this balcony and decided to see where it led. When I finally made it outside, I saw another temple across the way, it was in that moment I saw a monk standing in the temple. It was such a beautiful image and I quickly captured it with my camera. The entire structure was empty and gray, except for this bright pop of orange.

I snapped away and then another monk appeared. They probably felt someone watching them and turned and saw me. They moved to the windows and stared directly at me. It was kind of jarring and I quickly went to find Markus. I showed him the photos and then led him over to see. When we walked back, the monks must have been some kind of supernatural beings, because they were suddenly on the balcony I was standing on. I was gone for only two minutes, but they just magically appeared. We walked away quickly and nervously. It was crazy experience and one that I will never forget.

Eats with Jeff #5: Grilled Clams

Grilled Clams

In this installment of Eats with Jeff, we ate something I've been dying to try since we came to Korea, grilled clams. Whenever we visit Haeundae Beach or Gwangalli Beach, I see these little nondescript restaurants that are always packed with people. People usually sit outside when the weather is nice, but I think it's also to show off their delicious meals. They crowd around little plastic tables equipped with grills jam packed full of clams. I'm not sure why Markus and I haven't had it before now, but I'm glad that we waited. 

Clam Banchan

Clam banchan

Jeff took us to a restaurant in Jagalchi that his friend's recommended. Right outside the main market, there is a street full of seafood restaurants. The year that his friends lived in Busan, they tried every single one of those places and recommended this one as the best.

The banchan, side dishes, were so delicious. They were, of course, clams and they were prepared in different ways. One was pickled and the other was raw with spices. They were so tasty that we fought over the last ones and poor Markus missed out on his fair share.

Creepy Abalone

Oh Abalone...

The actual grilled clams were so good and really fresh. The restaurant had aquariums outside and we watched the ahjumma fish out the clams and shuck them before they came to our table. As they are grilled, the butter cooks the clams and only enhances the flavor. We wanted to get abalone as well, but it was much more expensive than the clams. Thankfully, they included two abalones with our grilled clams. One abalone was a bit creepy and squirmed the whole time it cooked. I felt bad, but not bad enough not to eat it.

Grilled Fish

You would think that all those grilled clams would be filling, but it wasn't. We had just enough room for some grilled fish. When you walk around Jagalchi Market, there are lots of restaurants that have grill stations outside too. They sell fish to those passing by. The first time I went to Jagalchi, I wanted to try it, but never had the chance. I guess this Eats with Jeff was making all my seafood dreams come true.

Souffle

Apple Tart

Chocolate Fondant

After we engorged ourselves on grilled clams and fish, we walked around Nampodong and went shopping for a bit. We said it was because the boys needed clothes, but I know the real reason. We were burning calories and killing time so we could eat dessert. Previously, I found this really cute French cafe with my friend and told the boys about it. The desserts are all made to order and freaking amazing. It didn't take much convincing and we headed to the cafe. I don't know what we were thinking, but I think on this Saturday afternoon we might have gone a bit overboard. Usually, we order one or two desserts and share them, but this time we ordered three! Needless to say, every dessert was amazing. They were all so good and even though we only needed to order two, I'm glad we ordered three. It was the perfect ending, to a great Eats with Jeff.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia | 1 of 3

The amount of temples and structures at Angkor complex is overwhelming. There is so much to see and explore. The main temple, Angkor Wat, is one of the most recognizable. When you think of Cambodian ruins, the image of Angkor Wat easily comes to mind. Angkor Wat itself, is quite big and includes a other smaller structures and a marketplace for souvenirs. 

Unfortunately, when we visited, the main temple was under construction. There was a horrible green tarp over a very visible section. There were also heaps of tourists, which got annoying after a while. The temple itself wasn't what I expected and I'm not sure it was my favorite, but it's one of those things you have to see when you go to Angkor. It's like going to Paris and skipping out on the Eiffel Tower, you just don't do it.