THE KITCHEN
FROM: Philippines
LIVING: South Korea
Recently we were invited by friends to hang out in Incheon at the home of Marn and Dave. Their kitchen was fantastic with views that stretched from city to sea. We couldn't get enough of the big windows and wide open space.
In addition, the kitchen was decked out with things like cabinets that automatically lowered for easy access for the vertically challenged, large pull out rice drawers, and huge counter tops. It was designed for people that love to be in the kitchen and Marn is one of those people.
Not long after we settled into the sofa she piped up and said, "Please, can I cook for you?" Which, of course, none of us were going to turn down.
THE FOOD
Menudo
The main dish Marn made for the evening was Filipino Menudo which is not anything like Mexican Menudo. Let's begin with the fact it's not a soup and finish with the fact there is no tripe.
What does it taste like? Well, delicious and reminds me of many Caribbean dishes I've had in the past. It's a little sweet, savory, and very hearty. You can easily see why it's one of the cultures best known comfort foods. On this particular evening we ate it over savory fried rice with shrimp cakes and beef patties on the side.
If you aren't familiar with Filipino food we recommend Menudo as a great place to start. It's not too terribly complicated, the ingredients are accessible, and even picky people should warm easily to the flavors.
In addition to the food, we also enjoy spending time with the vibrant and fun expat Filipino community working in Korea. There is a lot that can be learned expanding past our own western view of what being an "expat" means and further develop an understanding or our place in this new world.
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