We cooked a Korean Chicken Dinner for the Jackson Dorm Community this evening. Our intention was to prepare a meal that rallied the children who lived there, gave the Korean Kids something nostalgic and familiar to eat, and establish a procedure of cooking together that they could continue at will. It would also have been wonderful if they had the confidence to replicate this meal themselves!
So now that it is done, I may confide that many of the items prepared were firsts for me. And making them for a passionate Korean Student Body was a bit daunting. My first assistant volunteer was the very lovely Lyric Hawk who was chomping on the bit to help out--once we got her up to counter height she did a fabulous job picking out the icky black husks from the mound of plump bean sprouts.
Soon after, almost the entire dormitory family gathered in the kitchen to offer their help. I got to organize them them into prep-stations to wash, cut and stuff various vegetables while I mixed seasonings and marinades.
Meanwhile, in the separate Dorm Parents' Apartment Kitchen adjoining, Auntie Mary was prepping her fabulous fudgey dessert mounds!
...and unbeknownst to me, my help was sampling the food. After all, quality control is an ongoing process, yes?! And it is a long-standing tradition that cooks must sample their own food, else shall they be trusted?
I had helpers who were squishing the excess liquid out of the blanched bean sprouts--preparing them for the marinade...
Others who were quietly washing through the mounds of soiled bowls and cutting boards that kept piling up by the sink...
Allowing me time to focus and enjoy the easy flow of the cooking process. Monica meanwhile was busy taking these photographs and helping collect random items and ingredients that I needed.
She had also put together the marinade for the chicken that stewed the meat to a lovely bronzed tan!
Uncle Jonas was outside coaxing his grill to life, then put to work to sear the tender chicken to a caramelized finish!
I wonder when we can tag scents to these photos... we might have to install a drool mat to our computers then!
It's almost serve time. Plates are being set, utensils distributed. Cups are being filled with water, and I am slicing the succulent chicken and trying not to drool on it!
We call dinner 10 minutes early--we can't wait any longer! We go around the group offer up single-word thoughts of what we are thankful for, then dive into the spread!
We were pretty quiet stuffing our face as far as dorm standards go... some of the Korean Students said the kitchen smelled like grandma's home!
Evidently, we didn't leave much to put away. Rumor has it that later this evening, the kids will return to devour another full-on meal as large as the one they just had! Good times!
Menu:
Korean Style Soy Chicken
Korean Sticky Rice
Oi Sobagi (Stuffed Pickled Cucumber)
Sookju Namul (Beansprout Salad)
Myulchi Bokum (Anchovy Side)
Buchu Mochim (Garlic Chive Side)
Hobak Jun (Sauteed Zucchini)
Manul Changachi (Pickled Garlic)
~ Shien
So now that it is done, I may confide that many of the items prepared were firsts for me. And making them for a passionate Korean Student Body was a bit daunting. My first assistant volunteer was the very lovely Lyric Hawk who was chomping on the bit to help out--once we got her up to counter height she did a fabulous job picking out the icky black husks from the mound of plump bean sprouts. 
Soon after, almost the entire dormitory family gathered in the kitchen to offer their help. I got to organize them them into prep-stations to wash, cut and stuff various vegetables while I mixed seasonings and marinades.
Wish I could have joined in the fun!
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