We're hardly alone in our redundancy. I think most countries tend to eat the same thing for breakfast most mornings. There's little time to create something unique before heading out the door so breakfast is often a matter of seeking something filling and fast.
Today on the first day of our Hansik Food Tour, I need something filling and fast however American food is expensive and difficult to get in Korea and I don't crave that food anyhow. I like variety. I'm a leftovers-for-breakfast kind of person. While many people might cringe at the thought of cold leftover soup for breakfast, in my eyes cold leftover soup it is filling, unsurpasingly fast, cheap and convenient. If I have more time however, breakfast in Korea can take on many shapes. A restaurant near to us makes a delicious fried rice omelet. I first had this delicious Korean dish back in Massachusetts at the Japanese & Korean restaurant I used to work at. Savory, seasoned fried rice in a fluffy blanket of egg is satisfying and cheap. Alternatively, Luke has taken to making French toast with the sweet chestnut bread we buy up the street. The loaves of bread here are mostly a soft, sweet loaf and our local bakery puts pieces of chestnut in their version. After a dip in vanilla and cinnamon batter and a light dressing of much-coveted maple syrup, it's a nice slice combining both places we consider home.
Then there's my breakfast today: black bean and brown rice porridge. Restaurants selling thick, filling porridge "juk" is a common find on Korean streets. It is extremely comforting and filling and can incorporate a wide variety of ingredients. The bean porridge I make at home is my own creation that comes dangerously close to a rice pudding dessert but that doesn't stop me from calling it breakfast.
I begin by blending roast black bean powder with hot water to make a paste. I love all beans and am always excited to eat more of them, especially for breakfast. My body loves beans as non-fat, high fiber, potssium-rich protein source. Bean and nut powders are very common in Korea and lend themselves to all kinds of uses. Many times you see multi-grain "teas" for drinking or chewy rice cakes coated in a soft soybean powder. I've been fantasizing about a bean breakfast porridge for quite some time so when I happened upon this roast black bean powder, I got excited. After the paste is mixed, I incorporate some of the fresh milk that I buy through my school's milk program. The milk in Korea is VERY rich and though I don't drink milk as a rule, it adds as a decadent touch to this porridge. Stirring constantly over low heat I heat this porridge and add any mix of flavoring. Cinnamon, nutmeg and honey work well but most of the time I like just a little brown sugar and a dash of salt. Today I also added a little toasted sesame oil to heighten its nutty warmth and add a little nourishing, omega-6 fat. Finally, I add some cooked brown rice, continue stirring over low heat until rich and creamy, and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds.
Beans and rice are staples for many cultures, especially in Latin America, home to some of my favorite breakfast meals in the world! But here in Korea my own manifestation lives-- a lightly sweet and totally filling bowl of comfort, easy to make in batches and reheat in the morning, and a delicious way to start this Korean food tour! I'm ready.
Roasted black bean, milk and brown rice porridge seasoned with brown sugar, salt, sesame oil and garnished with toasted sesame seeds.
Whole-food bean powders like this, as well as bean/grain/nut powder blends are easily found at markets in Korea. I've even seen whole dried and ground pumpkin/sweet potato powders!
