I went back to the fish market this week. This time I took a cab, (last time I took the subway) when the cab dropped us off, he dropped us at a different alley – WOW! I was so excited, just ask my friends that went with me, I think I might get overly excited at things here, because everything is a new experience. I must have a little feel of what it is be like to be a baby, learning and seeing new things every day. Back to my new alley, the alley was lined with fresh veggies, & they had BEAN SPROUTS! Remember, I told you I couldn’t find bean sprouts, well, I just need to venture out a little more, head downs some alleys, and there they are! Next time I make my Thai Chicken Wraps, I can make them the proper way, bean sprouts and all. Not only did they have bean sprouts, they had more than one type of bean sprout, as well as many types of peppers, lettuce leaves, eggplant, and more! They also had little shops along the way that sell Korean goodies, I bought some seaweed wrap, and I bought these…
My Korean friend that went with me on this trip told me these were like Rice Krispie Treats, well, I don’t know who has made Rice Krispie Treats for her in the past, but they obviously made them incorrectly, because these little “treats” are nothing like Rice Krispie Treats. I need to make American RKT’s for her. I have discovered the secret of why you don’t see many large Korean’s; it is because they don’t really know how to make a proper dessert. I don’t think they have discovered butter, chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream yet. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that my children are eating Korean desserts, but when I have a craving for good slice of chocolate cake, or something sweet, I turn to my kitchen and I bake something.
When we were done in the alley, we headed into the fish market. Let me back up a little.....before I went to the fish market this time, I knew what I wanted, I was on a mission to find tuna and since this isn't like your American fish market, you know, the counter at HEB, I ask one of the Korean ladies I talk to on the phone each night if she would teach me the word for Tuna. CHUM CHI, not the correct spelling, but I want you to be able to say it with me. I tried to write it in Hangul, then I took it to a lady that works here on post and ask her if I wrote it correctly, she smiled and told me I gave good effort, but NO, she wrote it out for me. Then she taught me to say “Chum chi, jew say yo”. Which means, "please give me Tuna". I was totally equipped to go to the fish market this time. At this point I didn’t know my Korean friend was going with me.
Fast forward back to the fish market. My friends and I had a great time, we bought some fresh and very large scallops which we took upstairs to a restaurant and had them cook them for us for lunch. We were a bit disappointed in the outcome of our scallops; the chef sliced them thin and boiled them. Aughhh....boiled scallops, I don't suggest ever suggest thinly slicing, then boiling your scallops. I was expecting a big plate of nice buttery scallops with a few fresh herbs, again, back to the reason you don’t see many large Koreans. Note to self, next time carry a stick of butter. Even though the scallops were not what we expected I will do it again, I will just pick something different. After lunch we headed back downstairs to find my chum chi. While walking down the fish splattered stairs my friend cracked a joke, I looked up at her, my foot missed the next step, and I fell right on my rear end in my white shorts and got fish guts all over myself. My friends were a great help, I thought they might wet themselves they were laughing so hard. It was quite a funny site, and since I wasn't injured, just a bit smelly, I laughed right along with them. After recovering from my fall, I found the chum chi without the help of my Korean friend, she was willing to help, I just wanted to do it on my own.