Category: Culture

Mandu 만두- Korean dumplings recipe

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The cooler temperatures of fall awaken my craving for juicy steamed dumplings, which are called mandu (만두) in Korean. Mandu (만두) is fun to make together with family members. Traditionally Koreans do not use recipes and make things “to taste”. This is based off of my family’s northern-style “recipe” for large, steamed or boiled mandu – these are not meant to be fried. The taste is milder than typical fried gyoza and warms the soul.

Yield: 64 pieces, 2250g, about 8 servings of 8 만두 each

Ingredients:

속 Filling:

  • Ground Pork 1 kg (can also do ground beef, or half-half beef and pork)
  • Firm tofu, 1 to 1.5 blocks (1 block = 1 square package)
  • Green cabbage, 1/4 – 1/3 head, diced
  • 부추 garlic chives, 1 bundle, rinsed and diced. (Diced Frozen OK)
  • Minced garlic, the more the merrier (at least 5 cloves)
  • Ginger, finely minced, about ½ thumb-sized amount
  • Sesame oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 만두피 Wrapper:

Round, pre-packaged dumpling skins, at frozen section at Hmart. For 1 kg of ground pork, I used (2) 310g or 10.9 oz packages.

양념간장 Seasoned Soy sauce:
No measurements, make to taste

  • Soy sauce, Sempio 701 is the best
  • Sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds, toasted white
  • Garlic, minced
  • Chives
  • Gochugaru chili flakes, 1 pinch

Tools:

  • Disposable glove
  • Large bowl
  • Trays
  • Steamer (I use a large pot + silicone steamer rack)

Directions

  1. Defrost mandu skins and any frozen ingredients.
  2. Mince all veggies
  3. In a large bowl, mix the ground pork and tofu. A gloved hand is best. Then mix in remaining filling ingredients.
Raw filling and wrappers
  • Take a spoonful of filling and fry. Taste the level of salt. It should taste slightly saltier than desired for final product. Adjust salt to taste.
  • Set up ‘mandu filling’ station on a dining table with bowl of water, trays, mandu skins, fillings, and 1 spoon per person.
  • Wet fingertip with water to moisten the edge along one mandu skin.
  • Fill in the mandu skins and fold. Watch a video for how to do this. Each family does this slightly differently.
  • Place folded mandu on tray.
  • Steam or boil in broth, and serve with seasoned soy sauce.

Preserve:
Freeze mandu on trays so they don’t stick together, then move frozen pieces into large ziploc bags. Steam or boil frozen mandu when desired.

Variations:
Make the wrappers from scratch. My family is loyal to 곰표-brand flour.
Add 당면 noodles to the filling.
Adjust the ratio of meat to tofu 두부.
Add other diced veggies to filling like shiitake mushrooms.

Folded mandu on a tray, ready to freeze or be steamed!

Hatch Chiles – “It’s a wonderful thing to buy a case”

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Since last summer, I’ve been patiently keeping an eye out for Carpinito Bros’ hatch chile roast. They bring up boxes of real hatch chiles from Hatch, New Mexico and fire roast them in a rotating barrel drum. This past weekend was that once a year event.

These peppers bear a special significance for me, fondly recalling my time in Colorado. I remember passing by gas stations with farmstand peppers set up with and barrel roasters which blister the pepper skins. Those hatch chiles and Palisade peaches are the taste of Colorado summer.

Come to think of it, various peppers in are nostalgic for me – stay tuned for future stories about ají amarillo, ají charapita, 홍고추 (hong gochu), 풋고추 (put gochu), 오이고추 (cucumber pepper), 꽈리고추 (shishito pepper).

Medium and Hot level hatch chiles were sold by the pound in freezer-safe bags. I picked up two bags, about 3 pounds each. When I checked out I realized I had bought much less than half a case’ worth of peppers for over half the case price. My sometimes irrationally frugal spirit could not tolerate paying more for less. “Can we change these for a case instead?” emerged from my lips.

Several minutes later I’m loading up a 25 pound box of hatch chiles. Kudos to the young men who fire-roasted these peppers under the afternoon sun. I felt a bit overwhelmed by this decision to bring home a case of one crop, but the worker assured “It’s a wonderful thing to buy a case”. I wondered if this was the start down a deliciously dangerous path, remembering my great aunt who buys cases of blueberries and tofu. I was now committed to peeling and canning 25 pounds of roasted peppers that night.

I learned that hatch chiles are the same as anaheim peppers, but which are grown specifically in Hatch, New Mexico. So hatch chiles grown outside of Hatch are called “anaheim”. I picked up a couple which a fellow customer New Mexico recommended for stuffing.

My car has a lingering scent of roasted hatch, and I love it.

The Metro Knitter

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“You can take one item, decide what you want first and touch only what you’re gonna take.”
She referred to the King County Metro mousepads, coloring books, coasters, and foam bus figurines on her fair booth. There were pamphlets in many languages promoting working at King County Metro.

I asked her, “What’s it like working for King County Metro?”
“Depends, who’s asking?”
“Me”. I wanted to learn about the work culture in context of a corporate job in IT, but left my query open. I was curious what she’d share.

She started talking about her gig as a 15-year veteran bus driver. “Drivers are viewed as disposable, which builds strong camaraderie between them.” She lamented that their contract ended nearly a year ago in October, and is still up in the air with a proposed 0.5% salary increase over 3 years for the drivers. (“Hello!” I thought. Have they not seen the recent inflation?) “But great insurance, starting with just 20 hours a week. My dentist says I have excellent coverage.”

The picture she painted contrasts starkly with the impressions I get from Metro’s LinkedIn posts of smiling, fairly-compensated bus drivers. I asked her, “If you have any ideas to improve things, do you have a say? Is there anyone who listens to you?”

“Hell no! I’m just a bus driver.”

She mentioned an app that sends updates by text or email on route cancellations. She uses this for the 2 routes she takes to get to work. “Most bus drivers take public transportation to get to work – bus and trains.” Also, Sound Transit owns their vehicles (the bus and train cars), but King County Metro drivers drive them.

“How is bus repair and maintenance handled?” I ask.
“They used to keep spare parts. Then they started this “LEAN” program, and now it’s a mess. It causes lots of service cancellations because they don’t keep enough spare parts in stock and have to order them and wait. Yes, cancellations happen due to a shortage of drivers, but its also from a shortage of working buses as they wait for repair.”

“That’s scary. How much notice do they give you if your route is cancelled because the bus isn’t available?”
“You find out when you arrive for work.” (I thought, What?!)
“You can get paid if you sit and wait there [at the transit center, in lieu of driving].” (What?!?)

“To get paid, you have to sit there?”
She shows me her green circular knitting. “That’s why I always bring these with me”. “On my 50th birthday, [that year] I knit 112 hats.”

“I used to drive from North Station. One fall, by 145th, there was a man who asked me for money. I never give money. But I offered him a hat. He lit up and said it was his girlfriend’s favorite color. The next day, I saw her wearing that hat. Soon, the whole [homeless] camp by 145th was wearing my hats!”

I felt a special sense of pride, and savored this. She seemed different now. Composed of a mixture of necessary grit and voluntary compassion.

She showed me how she leaves a row of 8 purl bumps in contrast to the single rib-stitch near the edge to remember she used size 8 needles for that particular hat. She’ll reference those purl bumps to remember to use size 8 needles to make a matching sweater of the same gauge later. I know from experience it’s easy to forget these things and one often doesn’t have a pen and paper or phone handy when knitting in public places, so this seemed ingenious. Especially when you’re churning out 112 knitted hats in a year.

We chatted about Terry White, Metro’s recent outgoing general manager.
“He doesn’t care about the drivers.”
“But he worked his way up from the bottom!” I protested.
She said he worked his way up but from other King County departments, not Metro. The meager proposed wage increase of 0.5% over 3 years roused her indignation again (mine too) and that informs her view of Terry. She doesn’t have a view yet on the new general manager Michelle Allison.

This showed me how our views on senior leaders can be shaped heavily by the decisions that affect us directly. It’s not the whole picture, but what affects us directly has more weight.

Also, I realized that the impression a company or organization gives on LinkedIn is curated, and not the whole, honest picture.

If you like this topic, check out my post “The Lines that Make Us” with an excerpt written by Route 7 bus driver Nathan Vass.

The No Beer Manifesto

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Temperature highs are pushing 90 degrees and the days are long with sunsets well past 8pm.

My workout routine is pushing personal records. 6+ mile runs, Sunday bike rides, and intensive gardening to boot as I transplant sunflowers and tomatoes I started from saved seed.

Oh, how a refreshing beer beckons on a sweltering afternoon! How Deschutes Black Butte Porter or Fresh Squeezed IPA lures me with the promise of unwinding on a long summer evening.

But NO! Just as I must get out from the warm covers in the cold winter to rise early and seize the morning, I must resist the allure of an ice-cold beer.

Why?

Because that is not the athlete I want to be.

Because I do not want to reward myself with such a treat after a day of hard exercise and homestead labor.

Because I want the labor in itself to be the reward. To feel satisfied through the work and the outcome.

Because I don’t want to seek an external reward via a “treat”.

Because I want to unwind my afternoons and evenings fully sober as I continue to seize the day.

Because I don’t want my thinking to become cloudy and impede any ounce of potential.

Because I want to go to bed feeling good, clean, strong, and limber.

Because I don’t want to compromise my sleep quality with struggling digestion of alcohol or thirst the next morning.

Because I want to rise early the next day for a sunrise lake run, hill walk, tomato watering, and to see the hens’ first waking moments as they rise with the sun.

I want full control of my senses and seek refreshment in ways that are truly quenching.

—

This post’s photo is from a painted rock along Lake Michigan, near Loyola University in Chicago. I passed by this on a bike ride in September 2013 and it remains a favorite.

The “Science” of Data Science

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As I was trimming lavender and oregano bushes, it occurred to me that I have been intimidated by the field of Data Science because of the word “Science”. What makes Data Science a Science?

In a similar vein, what about “computer science”, “materials science”, “research science”?
Is the adoption of the word “science” a far stretch, or is there a thoughtful reason behind this?

In general the field of computer programming languages and data science follows logical thinking and deliberate nomenclature. I don’t know what qualifies as a science (perhaps following a logical procedure such as the scientific method?) but I will find out.

After attending the PyData conference last week I feel much less intimidated by terms like data science, machine learning, data structures, algorithms. In fact, I am hungry to learn more.

The unchangeable “No.”

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When someone tells you, “No,”
don’t react emotionally and close control.
“No” may open up a surprising new world to you.
“No” may unexpectedly lead you to good people.
If you begin to push back against the unchangeable “No,”
you will suffer in the process and miss other opportunities.

Your boss asks you to run an errand that has little to do with your job.
Rather than getting annoyed, just do it and let it go.
Do not turn something trivial into a major source of agony
by wasting time and energy thinking about it endlessly.

*

If I had to summarize the entirety of most people’s lives in a few words,
it would be endless resistance to what is.
As we resist, we are in constant motion trying to adjust,
and yet we still remain unhappy about what is.

If I had to summarize the entirety of an enlightened person’s life in a few words,
it would be complete acceptance of what is.
As we accept what is, our minds are relaxed and composed
while the world changes rapidly around us.

Haemin Sunim 혜민스님, “The things you can see only when you slow down.”

Insightful nugget from one of the best books I’ve read (many times).

Maybe this is why I enjoy being with chickens and in nature.
Chickens are not endlessly stressing about and resisting their circumstance.
They accept and adapt. Sometimes they get pecked. But they pick themselves up and keep eating, searching for grubs, delighting in muddy puddles of rainwater to quench their thirst, roosting every night and rising the next morning, ready to start a new day without existentially wondering about ‘why’ life is an endless cycle of suffering.

There’s been frustrating challenges at work, and through the process I’ve discovered a band of great colleagues who remind me that this workplace has good, hardworking people who care. I wouldn’t have discovered this camaraderie were it not for a stress-inducing process with endless, seemingly unchangeable “No’s” coming from above. I’ve started to let it go and have been resting better.

Discipline = Freedom

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From LeBron James, “Routine and Ritual”, Train Your Mind Vol. II series on Calm.com

Ever since that time with the Walker family, I’ve always carried it with me. The desire for a routine. It’s one of the pillars of my success.

Everything in my life is planned and scheduled. I’m talking meals, meeting, workouts, naps, snacks…everything.

Two hours naps in the afternoon: planned.
Half time snack: planned.
Protein shake after the game: planned.
And I’ve got that playlist on repeat day in and day out.

It’s not what you do once or twice, it’s what you do every day.

It’s not just effort, it’s effort multiplied by consistency…year after year…that’s when I start to see my full potential.

I’ve got hectic days, flight delays…the key is to create that routine for yourself, based on what’s important to you. Based on what helps you connect and get locked in.

One of the most powerful things I can do with my time is to plan my time. Put what’s most important on my schedule and defend it. Slip into the groove of a routine and ride it. And when there’s a crisis you need to take care of, you can manage it. Or…You can say no with confidence.

Effort multiplied by consistency.

It’s discipline, not desire, that determines your destiny.

LeBron James

This is what’s keeping me going and grounded this year. 7 week streak of studying and practicing Python programming 4+ days a week, and we’re 7 full weeks into 2023. Running 2+ times a week, every week, to work my way up towards my first half marathon later this year. IT band issues be damned, I’ll do whatever physical therapy and training it takes to take care of my body and work it towards that goal. Going to bed earlier, waking up earlier so that I get my morning coding time in before anything else pulls at my attention. Saving a part of every paycheck and socking it away into retirement accounts for future, wrinkly me to live a relaxed and happy life.

Discipline and Consistency = Freedom.

Curtain Hemmer

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If you asked me who am I, as in my role, title or vocation, I would tell you:

My name is Michu, Chicken Tender and a Hemmer.

I recently went to a sewing class at Cultivate South Park (an art studio above Resistencia Coffee) and the teacher, Emily, helped me remember how to use a sewing machine. I had once learned over 4 years ago. I emerged from the first class with a pair of hemmed hiking pants. After the second class I could confidently wind a bobbin and had repaired a shopping bag with button thread, now ready for another thousand grocery hauls.

There are miscellaneous projects at my home that require the precision, speed, and secure stitching of a sewing machine and not hand-sewing. One of these is a pair of curtains. They drape lightly against the floor and have visibly rough edges that were pasted with some kind of glue. My first home sewing challenge! This waited a few weeks as I didn’t have any pins. I followed the Uber Frugal Month’s recommendation to wait 72 hours before buying non-necessities…lo and behold, a few weeks later I found a mysterious tomato pin cushion deep in my sewing box. I don’t know how I have this; the pin cushion I remember from 4 years ago are at my parent’s place, and this one is different. Once I discovered this tomato I threaded up the machine, pinned the curtain hem, and pushed the foot pedal.

I’m pleased because the finished curtain hem is barely noticeable. It wouldn’t catch your eye because it looks factory-made. Which for someone with little sewing experience, is a pleasing achievement!

After that second sewing class, I felt ready to have my own machine. I scoured the used marketplace and found one from an alterations store that was closing (congrats to the owner who is retiring to a farming community on Camano Island!). I like that this Brother is mechanical and not digital (less maintenance complications) but still has a sleek and sturdy design.

It feels good to have acquired a machine for the same price I sold mine for 4 years ago.
It feels satisfying to fix things and do little improvements for my cozy home.
It feels right to buy useful, thoughtfully-planned things that are within my means (this was part of my monthly $200 ‘homestead garden’ budget).

Come on over if you have anything that needs a-hemmin’!

Recipe: Menestra a la Betty

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My partner’s Peruvian mother, Betty, makes the best menestra – beans, lentils, legumes. They´re seasoned just right and she makes it consistently well. The final beans are red in color but not spicy. Here’s her recipe:

Menestra a la Betty

Para 6 porciones:
Ingredientes
Menestra – 300-340g
Cebolla
Ajos
Sal
Ají especial (ají panca molido)

Pasos en un Instapot (u olla de presión)

  1. Picar la cebolla en cuadraditos y freír en aceita por unos minutos, hasta dorar en Instapot Sautée mode.
  2. Agregar ajos picados (1-2 cucharas) y el ají especial, dorar 2 min.
  3. Agregar la menestra y cubrir con agua. Sumerge la menestra por el ancho de dos dedos.
  4. Cocinar, medium or high pressure. Frijoles 30-40 minutos, lentejas 10-15 minutos.
  5. Abre la olla, agrega sal al gusto, mezclar, y tapar de nuevo hasta la hora de servir.

Add salt AFTER the legumes have been pressure cooked. Do not add before, as it will make the beans take longer to fully cook and soften.

Poang vs Pello Ikea Chairs

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For the past few years, I have placed a comfy reading chair in my favorite spot at home, usually by the window with the best light and view. This was an Ikea Pello armchair for about 2 years.

A few months ago I replaced the Pello chair with an Ikea Poang chair. Both are similar, but the Pello is about half the price of the Poang and not quite as popular. There’s not much information online comparing the two. Since I’ve had both, here are my side-by-side comparisons.

Note: I’ve removed the cushion covers on both to show the frames. The white fabric chair (left) is an adult Pello, the wood/black fabric base (right) is an adult Poang.

Differences:

  • Poang has wood horizontal bars along the back of the frame, whereas Pello does not (white canvas fabric only). This gives slightly sturdier back support on the Poang than on the Pello.
  • Poang’s base frame is slightly larger. It takes up a little more floor space.
  • Biggest visual difference: Poang’s arm rests curve up a few inches. This doesn’t seem to change any sensation when seating.
  • Poang is more customizable: It comes in several cushion colors and wood frame shades (black, dark, light wood). Currently Pello only comes with a white cushion and light birch-veneer color wood shade. Older versions can come in other shades.

Similarities:

  • Seat width/size and back angle are the same.
  • Both are compatible with the Poang footrest.
  • Both are comfortable for relaxing and reading. The back angle is sloped a little too far back for using for dining and eating.

The Poang has a more handsome look, excellent back/lumbar support, and comes in many more colors and options. It currently retails for $149 new.

Pello is simpler, great back/lumbar support but slightly less than the Pello, and limited color options for $65 new.

Both chairs are popular on used marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Search for key words like “poang” or “ikea chair”. Many sellers mistakenly post their Pello chair as a Poang. Look at the top of the armrests for Poang’s telltale upward curve or Pello’s straight edge. You can often get a used chair and footrest/ottoman for the price of a new chair alone. Fabric (non-leather) cushion covers are also fully machine washable!