Newsletter No. 435

No. 435, 4.4.2014 11 《黑夜賜給我黑色的眼睛》 2013，水彩紙本，42 cm x 40 cm 梁景嵐，藝術系畢業生（2013） When the Night Adorns My Eyes 2013, water colour on paper, 42 cm x 40 cm Leung King-nam Sirine, 2013 graduate of the Department of Fine Arts 韓流小吃 Korea’s Favourite Spicy Snack 自從稱為「韓流」的韓國影視文化在亞洲大行其道後，連 帶韓國電視、電影中出現的韓國食物，也漸為韓國以外的 人熟悉。最近韓劇《來自星星的你》大受歡迎，韓式炸雞 配啤酒也跟着受人注目。不過，據說在韓劇中出鏡率最高 的，是另外一種食物，連美國國務卿克里今年2月到訪南 韓時也特地去品嚐，那就是辣炒年糕。 韓式年糕是韓國街頭小吃，做法不難，好不好吃就看食材 和工夫。聯合書院思源館供應的泡菜炒年糕，用的年糕、 泡菜和韓國辣椒醬都是廚師品嚐多款試驗後挑選。年糕炒 之前先用滾水燙過，再泡冰水，經過這個步驟，吃起來特 別有嚼勁，加入泡菜、洋葱、椰菜和甘筍絲同炒，可說是本 地化的變奏。但只要好吃，何必管正宗不正宗。 克里光顧那韓國炒年糕店後，店主說：「他一定很喜歡吃 辣，因為他吃完後，沒有要求要喝杯水。」思源館的年糕， 能不能吃辣也可以一試，只要告訴廚師，她就會按你的口 味調較辣度。 Since Hallyu , the wave of South Korean entertainment and pop culture, has swept across Asia and the world, people outside Korea also have a growing appetite for Korean foods that appear in Korean movies and TV dramas. Recently, a TV drama called My Love from the Star became a massive hit, which sparked a craze for fried chicken with beer. However, the food appearing most frequently on screen is said to be another Korean snack. When US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Seoul in February, he was seen eating this local delicacy— tteokbokki, rice cakes with chili paste. Tteokbokki is Korean street food, which is easy to make. Whether it is delicious or not depends on the quality of its ingredients and their preparation. The chef at the United College Si Yuan Amenities Centre has tried different brands of rice cake, kimchi, and Korean chili paste before she found the right ones. Before being cooked with other ingredients, rice cakes are first blanched in hot water and then given an ice water bath. With this step, rice cakes have a tender yet firm texture. Here rice cakes are stir- fried with kimchi, onion, cabbage, and carrot. You may say it is a local variation. As long as it tastes good, who cares if it is not the original recipe? The owner of the small eatery where Kerry tasted tteokbokki said, ‘He must enjoy eating spicy food because he didn’t even ask for a glass of water.’ At Si Yuan Amenities Centre, you may try tteokbokki whether you are a spicy food eater or not. Just tell your preference to the chef, she will adjust the level of spiciness that suits your palate best.