Family Meal Plan: Glazed Korean "Wanja Jorim" Balls + Smashed Cucumber Salad + Honey Chrysanthemum Tea

Glazed Korean "Wanja Jorim" Balls

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• boil :

  to cook a food in liquid heated to the point of gas bubbles and steam forming (boiling point is 212 F at sea level).

• chop :

  to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.

• knife skills :

  Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls). 

• marinate :

  to soak food in a seasoned liquid to add flavor and tenderize it before cooking.

• measure :

  to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

• roll :

  to use a rolling pin to flatten dough; use your hands to form a roll or ball shape; or move a round food, like a grape or a meatball, through another food, like sugar or breadcrumbs, to coat it.

• sauté :

  to cook or brown food in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.

• smash :

  to break up food into smaller pieces or squash food to flatten or soften it.

• soak :

  to immerse a hard food for a certain amount of time in a liquid to soften it.

• steep :

  to soak a food, like tea, in water or other liquid so as to bring out its flavor.

History of Meatballs!

• A type of meatball was recorded in Apicius, an ancient Roman cookbook from the 5th century CE. Around the same time, there were also early Persian (Iranian) recipes for large meatballs made from lamb. 
• The meatball is known all over the world in different varieties. It is a ground meat mixture formed into a ball shape and then baked, braised, fried, or steamed. 
• Most meatballs contain some type of binding agent, such as bread crumbs, egg, or both. The ground meat is seasoned and can be beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, or seafood. Sauces are sometimes added to the raw mixture before cooking, or a sauce or glaze is added to the meatballs while they cook. 
• Korean glazed meatballs are called "goji wanja jorim" (kohgee wahnjah chohreem). They are made with ground beef and pork and braised in a sweet and savory sauce. Vietnamese "bun cha" (boon tshah) are fried meatballs made with ground pork and served with a spicy sauce over rice vermicelli noodles. 
• Swedish meatballs, "köttbullar" (SHUT-boo-lahr), are made with ground beef or pork and beef, milk-soaked breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, minced onion, salt, and pepper. They are fried and served with boiled or mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. 
• "Kofta" or "kofte" are meatballs found in some Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African countries. They are usually made with beef or lamb and mixed with spices. They may be cooked in a tomato sauce, baked, fried, grilled, or marinated. They may be served in soup or stew or with a spicy sauce. 
• In the United States, meatballs are often served with rice, pasta (like spaghetti!), or potatoes. However, they can also be added to sandwiches, soup, and pizza!

Let's Learn About South Korea!

• South Korea is officially named the Republic of Korea. It is a separate country from North Korea. This is because North and South Korea were divided into two countries during the Korean War in the 1950s. 
• South Korea has a day dedicated to celebrating their children: May 5th. A children's book author started it because he wanted Korean children to have a sense of independence and national pride. It was designated a national holiday in 1975. On this day, cities and towns celebrate with parades, and children receive free admission to many movies, zoos, and theme parks. 
• Literacy is high—98 percent of Korean adults can read! The alphabet of the Korean language is called Hangul. King Sejong the Great created it in 1443 to increase literacy. Korea's previous alphabet was Hanja or Han Chinese Characters. Today, Hangul is considered one of the most efficient alphabets in the world.  
• Seoul, the capital city, has a population of about 10 million, densely packed into a small area. Many people live in high-rise apartments.
• Koreans have two New Year's Days. In addition to January 1st, Koreans also celebrate the Lunar New Year in February.
• The Korean martial art taekwondo is the national sport. Unsurprisingly, Koreans have won the most Olympic gold medals in taekwondo.
• Korean babies are considered one year old on the day they are born, then add another year on New Year's Day. Historically, Koreans have not celebrated their birthdays on the day they were born; instead, they celebrate turning one year older collectively on New Year's Day. 
• Parents hold a party on a baby's first birthday and place several objects on a table to let the child pick their favorite. Whatever the child chooses is believed to predict their future or a dominant personality trait. For example, if the child picks up a book, they are destined to be smart; if the child picks up money, they will be wealthy; if the child picks up food, they will not be hungry; and if the child picks up the thread, they will live a long life.
• Koreans are very in tune with their bodies, eat the right amount of food, and focus on nutrition. The temperature of their food matters to them. Koreans follow Eastern Asian medicine principles: on the hottest days of the summer, it's traditional to eat boiling chicken ginseng soup! The rationale behind it? There shouldn't be a sharp contrast between a person's body temperature and one's food—or else, your stomach will get upset.
• Kimchi, the nation's favorite dish eaten at almost every meal, is made by fermenting vegetables, fruit, and even oysters. It is said to help prevent the flu. Kimchi becomes more sour and potent the longer it sits. There are 250 different kinds of kimchi! 
• During autumn, Korean families come together to make enough kimchi to last several months, sharing with neighbors, friends, and family. This holiday is called Kimjang. 
• Korean adults eat seaweed soup on their birthdays for good luck, long life, and to honor their mothers. Women who have just given birth also have the soup as it is rich in minerals and nutrients. 

What's It Like to Be a Kid in South Korea?

• South Koreans treasure children, and family is very important. They teach kids to respect parents and elders. It is a custom for kids and adults to take their shoes off when they enter the home.
• Many parents have high expectations for their kids' education. Middle and high school kids have long days at school that last from 8 am until 5 pm, and then they may have extra school, tutoring, and homework until 10 pm or later.
• Computer games are extremely popular with South Korean kids. However, they may also play some traditional games. One game is "gonggi" (KON-chee). It is similar to "jacks" but played with small genuine or plastic stones. One of the tricks is to land the stone on the back of your hand after picking it up and throwing it in the air. Another game is "jegichagi," played alone or with other players by kicking a paper "jegi" (like a badminton shuttlecock) in the air and trying to keep it aloft.
• Some of the sports kids participate in are football (soccer), baseball, golf, skiing, ice skating, and taekwondo, a martial art. In addition, they like music, especially K-pop music (Korean pop).
• Children learn "nunchi" (noon-chee) by three years old. The literal translation is "eye-measure" and could also be called emotional intelligence. Kids learn to be aware of their environment, observe people and situations, quickly discern another person's mood, read a situation correctly, and respond accordingly. Nunchi helps a person navigate their world in a caring and intelligent way throughout their life. 
• Kids have rice with just about every meal. They will eat it with eggs, fish, or another protein for breakfast. They may have "ramyeon," which is like "ramen," a Japanese noodle soup, or more rice and protein for lunch. Desserts made with sweet rice or red beans are popular. For example, kids may have "bingsu," shaved ice often topped with sweet red beans and sweetened condensed milk, or "bungeo-ppang," a fish-shaped pastry filled with sweetened red bean paste, pastry cream, or chocolate and cooked like a waffle.