Gochujang glazed salmon with Miso Udon Soup
Fluid Time:
This is my first blog post in months. I did have grand plans to write during the lock down. I thought I will write almost every day now that I have time. But……..Time-seems like the most precious of all things now. When we went into lock down on 20th March 2020, I thought of time as something ‘solid’ something that I could count, measure, even control-like when I have time and don’t have time kind of way. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this thing called ‘time’. But time turned out to be the most fluid of all- with no boundary between day and night. When it started or stopped. Minutes, hours, days, weeks and months all looked and felt the same. It was one of the most difficult to comprehend.
I missed the routine. The mundanity. The routine which actually defined my time. My two hour journey to work (actually four hour as I come back from work as well, don’t I) which I seemed to only talk about with utmost tiredness was my only ‘me time’- my time to live in my world (I have an imaginary world in my mind– that’s my safe space. Do you have one?). My office ‘time’ was my sanctuary (Do you find it sad? I don’t. I do some amazing, kickass work with some real badass women colleague). The evening two hour with N was my joy. And the two hours after dinner when everyone went to bed was my time to write: my almost favourite time of the day.
When the lock down started- with all the travelling, all the meeting of people and all the working hour gone (or so I thought) I said this is it… finally I have ‘time’. Only to realise ‘time’ is meaningless in this static dynamic state.
I longed to have ‘time’.
Cooking during fluid time:
Ok now let me come to cooking. Like many, eating took over most the ‘time’ which also meant that I cooked a lot (and gained a lot. Wait!! What do you think I gained? Weight!! My dear weight). On top of that I decided that I will become the next Instagram diva now that COVID 19 has given us lock down ‘time’. I cooked, recorded and posted them with feverish frenzy. Alas, fever only lasts that many days!!!! And then came the ‘I hate cooking’ and what the hell is Instagram for ‘time’. For about a month I survived on ramen and Korean drama (oh!!! the good looking men are a good reason to survive).And then I (my mind) settled! Not in the comfort but in the discomfort……this discomfort is another dimension of ‘time’ which I accepted. It is hard, and sad, and tiring, and full of anxiety yet full of life and goodness to look forward to as well (I am telling this to myself). And it will be soon over and I will have my ‘time’ back.
As I post my first blog during the lockdown, I am choosing a recipe that’s kind of self-made with ingredients I am extremely fond of. One of the recipes that helped me survive those ‘hate cooking’ days. It’s easy to make, have ample scope to change ingredients to suit ones need. It’s a tribute to my noodle soup and salmon love.
Check the recipe out and give it a try. Most importantly take bit and pieces of this recipe, take the idea and make something of your own. That’s the most amazing part of cooking.
PS: I have not used any measurement for the ingredients. So use as per taste
- 3 pieces Boneless Salmon Filet
- 1 tablesppon Gachujang
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili Flakes
- 1200 ml water boiling
- 3 'knorr’ chicken stock
- 3 clearspring’ organic Japanese white miso soup paste
- 1 table spoon soy sauce
- pinch black paper as per taste
- 1 bag Spinach washed and cleaned
- 1 teaspoon sesame
- 3 pods Finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 3 pods Finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili Flakes or as per taste
- 1. Cook the udon noodles as per the instruction on the pack
- Marinate the salmon with Gachujang, soy sauce and chili flacks
- Pan Fry the salmon till the skin is crispy. I like my food well done so it took about 10 mins but if you like salmon pink it should take less time
- Boil water. 300ml per head I would say
- Add three cubes of ‘knorr’ chicken stock to the boiling water
- Now add white miso soup paste. I have used 3 small packs of ‘clearspring’ organic Japanese white miso soup paste
- Add little say sauce and Add little black pepper .Check for seasoning
- Wilt a bag spinach with some soy sauce, garlic and sesame. Set asiide
- Heat some sesame oil
- Cut into thin slices of garlic
- Now fry the garlic with some sesame and chili flack. Fry until crisp. Set aside
- Place the udon noodle in a soup bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough to hold everything in it
- Add the miso soup
- Top the noodle with some wilted spinach
- On top the spinach place one serving of salmon
- Now top the salmon with sesame and garlic crumble
- Add chili flacks in case you want the soup to be hot. I like hot food
- Add the cut sprint onion greens
- Add heat some sesame oil. Make it really hot but not smoking
- Add the hot oil on top of the crumble and spring oil
- Enjoy
