>Discover Korean Food #51: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon’s "Gungjung-tteokbokki, Rice Cake Pasta and Vegetables, Royal Style"

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Gungjung-tteokbokki is a dish made of white rice cakes, beef and various dried and raw vegetables stir-fried with soy sauce for seasoning. Tteokbokki was not spicy and only made with soy sauce until the 18th century. But nowadays, it is cooked with a spicy red bean paste, which had been seen in recipes since the 1950s.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
300 g white steamed rice cake, 13 g (1 tbsp) sesame oil
100 g beef (top round)
15 g (3 sheets) brown oak mushrooms
20 g dried pumpkin strips
50 g (⅓ ea) onion, 15 g (1 ea) green pepper, 20 g (1 ea) red pepper
60 g mung bean sprouts, 400 g (2 cups) water, 4 g (1 tsp) salt
60 g (1 ea) egg, 13 g (1 tbsp) edible oil
Seasoning sauce ① : 9 g (½ tbsp) soy sauce, 6 g (½ tbsp) sugar, 4.5 g (1 tsp) minced green onion, 2.8 g (½ tsp) minced garlic, 0.3 g (⅛ tsp) ground black pepper, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
Seasoning sauce ② : 18 g (1 tbsp) soy sauce, 6 g (½ tbsp) sugar, 6 g (1 tsp) honey, 4.5 g (1 tsp) minced green onion, 2.8 g (½ tsp) minced garlic, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil, 50 g (¼ cups) water

[Preparation]
1. Cut the white rice cake into 4~5 cm-long, shred them into 4 pieces lengthwise, mix them with sesame oil together (250 g).
2. Clean blood of beef with cotton cloths, cut into 5 cm-long, 0.3 cm-wide/thick. Soak the brown oak mushrooms and dried pumpkin strips in water for 1 hour. Cut them into 5 cm-long, 0.7 cm-wide and 0.3 cm-thick (beef 80 g, brown oak mushrooms 45 g, pumpkin strips 80 g).
3. Shred the onion, green/red pepper into 5 cm-long and 0.7 cm-wide.
4. Remove the heads and tails of mung bean sprouts, wash in water.
5. Panfry egg for garnish, shred into 5 cm-long and 0.7 cm-wide.
6. Blend seasoning sauce ① and ②.

[Recipe]
1. Pour water into the pot, heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald the mung bean sprouts with salt for 2 min. drain water (43 g).
2. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry the onion and pumpkin strips for 2 min. respectively on medium heat. Stir-fry the green/red pepper for 20 sec. Season the beef and mushrooms with seasoning sauce ①, and stir-fry for 2 min. on medium heat.
3. Preheat the frying pan, stir-fry white rice cake with seasoning sauce ② for 3 min. on medium heat. Add the beef, mushrooms, pumpkin strips, onion, green/red pepper and mung bean sprouts, then stir-fry for 30 sec. Turn the heat off, mix them with egg garnish thoroughly.

[Tips]
*Pumpkin strips may be replaced by gourd strips and/or carrot.
*If white rice cake is dried hard, scald slightly in boiling water.

>Actions for Tibet: Anniversary of 10 March 1959 Tibetan Uprising

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On Thursday 10 March and Saturday 12 March Tibetans and supporters world-wide will be commemorating the 52nd anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising 10 March 1959, one of the most important dates in the Tibetan calendar. A number of events are being held in the UK to mark the anniversary including a lobby at Westminster. Tibet lobbyists have two asks of MPs:

1. To call on the Foreign Secretary to publicly welcome the election of the Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile), invite the Kalon Tripa to the UK and encourage the Chinese President to engage with the Kalon Tripa.

2. To sign EDM 1434: “Arrests in Tibet”, and call on the British Ambassador in China to follow up on cases of arbitrarily arrested Tibetans, including writers, bloggers and artists, to seek their release.

Thursday 10 March (1.00pm-4.00pm)
Tibet Mass Lobby

Supporters across the UK will be lobbying their MPs to urge the government to act on its stated commitment to human rights and to bring tangible progress in seeking a just solution for Tibet. Many will be taking part in a Mass Lobby at the Houses of Parliament.

Location: Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA
Further information and background materials are available at:

www.tibetsociety.com/masslobby

Thursday 10 March (Midday)
Wreath-laying at the Memorial to Innocent Victims of Oppression, Violence and War
An annual wreath-laying to commemorate the anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising and remember the thousands of Tibetans who have lost their lives or suffered from torture and oppression as a result of China’s occupation of Tibet. There will be a short service with multi-faith prayers (approximately 15-20 minutes).

Location: At the Memorial to Innocent Victims of Torture, West Door, Westminster Abbey.

Saturday 12 March (11am-1pm. Gather from 11am, march starts at 11.30am)
Tibet Freedom March

To commemorate the anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising, the annual Tibet Freedom March will take place through central London. This year it will begin on Tothill Street, Westminster and finish outside the Chinese Embassy on Portland Place. Kate Hoey MP will be speaking at the rally outside the Chinese Embassy; the Dalai Lama’s Representative, Mr Thubten Samdup, will be reading the Dalai Lama’s 10th March message.

Location: starts on Tothill Street, London SW1H. Finishes outside Chinese Embassy, Portland Place, London W1B 1JL.

Saturday 12 March (Doors open at 3pm – 6pm)

Remember Tibet

An afternoon event in Westminster Cathedral Hall that commemorates Tibetan National Uprising Day and remembers Tibet, giving its vibrant and distinctive culture a voice through performances and readings. Tibetan food will be available.

Location: Westminster Cathedral Hall, Ambrosden Avenue, London SW1P 1QW

Saturday 12 March (6.30pm – 9.00pm)
Commemoration of Tibet Women’s Uprising

The UK Tibetan Women’s Association is hosting a commemorative event to mark the 52nd anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day.

Location: The October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AL

Full details on all Uprising 2011 events: www.tibetsociety.com/uprising

>Modern Photography in Japan

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Date: 10 March 2011 7:00pm – 7:45pm
Venue: Daiwa Foundation Japan House, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace, London NW1 4QP UK
Tel: 020 7486 4348 Fax: 020 7486 2914
Email: office@dajf.org.uk
Web: www.dajf.org.uk
Organiser: Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in association with Tate MadernIn 2010

Tate Modern acquired a substantial group of works of modernist Japanese photography from the collection of Tom Jacobson and Kaori Hashimoto. These works will be exhibited for the first time as part of Tate Modern’s collection displays in Spring 2011. The exhibits will include important works by Iwao Yamawaki, a Japanese architect and photographer who studied at the Bauhaus in the late 1920s, working with the architect Paul Oud. Also displayed will be other key examples of Japanese modernist photography, the work of practitioners from the 1930s to 1950s such as Fusao Hori, Kiyohiko Komura, Ryukichi Shibuya and Shikanosuke Yagaki. This major acquisition was made possible through funds allocated by the Asian Pacific Acquisitions Committee and a gift from a member of Tate Modern’s Photography Acquisition Committee.

To celebrate this significant expansion of its modern Japanese photography collection, the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation is delighted to announce an event in partnership with Tate Modern. The speakers, Tom Jacobson and Kaori Hashimoto, will discuss their collection and the importance of Japanese photography from this period. They will be in conversation at Daiwa Foundation Japan House with Simon Baker, Curator of Photography and International Art, Tate Modern.

Tom Jacobson has been a vintage photography collector and historian for more than 35 years, with an emphasis upon forgotten master photographers from the first half of the 20th Century. After extensive research on Japanese American West Coast photographers from before the Second World War, he turned to art photographers active in Japan from the 1920s and 1930s. His first trip to Japan in 1985 marked the beginning of his efforts to acquire what little Japanese photography remained from that era due to the effects of war and neglect. By going through numerous vintage photographic magazines and annuals, he compiled a long list of interesting photographers. With his assistant and later partner, Kaori Hashimoto, he assembled an extraordinary collection of some of the rarest pre-war Japanese vintage photography, consisting of over 500 prints by 20 key photographers.

Kaori Hashimoto became Tom Jacobson’s assistant in 1985 and began a research and collecting adventure throughout Japan in search of vintage Japanese pre-war photography. From 1986 through 1988, she worked as chief interpreter and staff member at Gallery MIN, Tokyo, specializing in contemporary Californian photographers. She published monographs and interpreted slide lectures on more than 18 photographers including, among others, Jo Ann Callis, Henry Wessel, Susan Rankaitis. Hashimoto moved to the United States in 1988 to work with Jacobson on the Japanese collection, arranging loans to exhibitions within the United States and overseas.

>Thames to Tama Exhibition

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Date: 3 – 24 March 2011
Venue: Thames to Tama Exhibition, Unit 6, 34 Star Lane, Great Wakering, Essex SS3 0FF
Email: chalkwell@metalculture.com
Tel: 01702 470 700
Web: http://www.metalculture.com/
Fee: Admission Free
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday, 11am – 2pm

Organiser: Metal

Metal, presents Thames to Tama, an exhibition inspired by the journey of the legendary William Adams, who set sail from the Thames Gateway in 1598 and became the first Briton to set foot in Japan.

His entry into Japanese waters was via the River Tama, a Japanese gateway river important for its trade.

The exhibit is the creation of artist Lee Baker, it consists of 5 huge wall-size line-drawn images based upon both ancient and modern Japanese graphics, paintings, and maps.

Each image is made up of portraits created by pupils from 25 schools in Southend on Sea. Over 4000 pupils have taken part in this town-wide project in association with Southend Education Trust.

>Cutting the Cord

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Date: 21-26 February 2011 (Mon – Wed: 8pm, Thurs – Sat: 6.30pm and 8.30pm)
Vanue: Tristan Bates Theatre, 1A Tower Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9NP
Box office: 020 7240 6283
Email: info@flyingeye.org.uk
Web: http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/ http://www.flyingeye.org.uk/
Admission: £10/£8(Concession)
Organiser: Flying Eye

Inspired by true stories, Cutting the Cord is an intimate and heart-warming physical theatre piece.

This is the kind of theatre that engages and touches its audience long after they leave the venue. – The Brighton Magazine

Where do you come from?
Where are you going?
When you are miles away from the place of your birth, can you ever feel truly at home?
This one- woman show tells the story of Sachi, a young Japanese woman, and her comedic, yet sincere struggle to find a ‘home’. Set in London and Tokyo, Sachi playfully relates the story of what it means to leave one place and put down roots elsewhere. Accompanied by live music and presented with magical theatricality, Cutting the Cord is a touching and poignant tale that invites people of all backgrounds to celebrate their own journey in finding home.

Cutting the Cord is supported by Arts Council England, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and the Japan Foundation. Co-produced by The Basement and Brighton Festival.

>RHIZOSPHERE: Directions in Motion (4th Annual Exhibition of 4482, SASAPARI)

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Date: 24 – 27 February 2011
Venue: Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London SE1 9PH
Nearest Tube Stations: Southwark, Waterloo
Web: www.4482.info
Fee: Admission Free

The 4th 4482 (sasapari) exhibition is the annual showcase for Korean contemporary artists living and working in London. This year, entitled “Rhizosphere: Directions in Motion” (curated by Gyeyeon Park), it presents the latest work from 60 artists at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, a cavernous 4-storey building located in London’s South Bank cultural quarter by the River Thames.

A ‘Rhizome’ is a subterranean stem spreading out in any direction. It is a system of connections with no hierarchy and no order. With its features of connectivity, heterogeneity and multiplicity, the concept of rhizome was explored by Deleuze and Guattari in their book, A Thousand Plateaus. 4482 is a continually evolving voluntary group of artists and the works cover a wide variety of themes, ways of expression and mediums. ‘Rhizo + Sphere’ refers to both the space and time of the exhibition.

Many of the works reflect both the artists’ internal (philosophy and faith) and external (social and environmental) influences intertwined. In this group exhibition, seemingly disparate artworks are linked by themes or materials and these connections suggest an endless network of possibilities and ideas.

The artists are each on a long personal journey, but for a short period, they share time and space together which may affect their individual future directions. Curator Gyeyeon Park who has organised the exhibition since 2010, states that “these artworks are not only inspired by being made in London, but as rhizome transforms the soil, by its very existence, this exhibition alters London.”

4482 has continued since 2007 to highlight an increasing number of South Korean artists in London and document their artistic activities. All participants created their works within a new cultural base in Britain with Korean emotion and artistic talent. It aims to represent the cross-cultural dialogue in which the artists are inevitably engaged. This meaning is connected to the name of this artist group, 4482, that is the combination of international dialing codes of the two countries. Through calling 4482 as (sasapari) which is the pronunciation of 4482 in Korean fashion, the interest for Korean art can be increased on an international level with the hope that this name will be developed into a representative cultural brand of Korea.

(Participating Artists)Jinkyun Ahn, Gyeong-Yoon An, Je Baak, Chan-Hyo Bae, Youn Joo (Dari) Bae, Kyeongmi Baek, Soo Yeoun Baek, Kyungsoo Byun, Nadia Kyung Chae, Haeree Cho, Kaneumiah Choi, Mi-Young Choi, Yoonsuk Choi, Joo Hee Chun, U Jae Chung, Seungpyo Hong, Sookyoung Huh, Jeong Mun Hur, Shan Hur, Ilsu Hwang, Sooim Jeong, Sangeun Joo, SoYoung Jung, Woon Jung, Seokyeong Kang, Chinwook Kim, Dong Yoon Kim, Gemini Kim, Ingeun Kim, Jay hyung Kim, Minae Kim, Terry Kim, YoonJung Kim, Rae Koo, Hyeyoung Ku, Soon-Hak Kwon, Bommsoon Lee, Eunkyung Lee, Jaeyeon Lee, Luna Jungeun Lee, Junghwa Lee, Locco (Jung-woo Lee), Sunju Lee, Yeon Lee, Ilsun Maeng, Jung Wook Mok, Sejin Moon, Hyemin Park, Hyung Jin Park, Jihye Park, Jinhee Park, Kye Jung Park, Kyunghee Park, Yeojoo Park, Changwoo Ryu, Kiwoun Shin, HeeSeung Sung, Jiho Won, Seoyeoung Won, Hyesoo You

>Discover Korean Food #50: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon’s "Tteokjjim, Braised Rice Cake Rod Stuffs"

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Tteokjjim is a dish of rice cake rods, beef, and vegetables braised with seasonings. It is said that in olden days, the court kitchen ladies prepared tteokjjim for the king, who lacked physical exercise and sometimes suffered from indigestion, because it was thought to ease stomach troubles.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
300 g white rice cake rod, 40 g beef (top round)
60 g carrot, 400 g (2 cups) water, 1 g (¼ tsp) salt
60 g (4 ea) chestnut, 5 g (1 sheet) brown oak mushrooms
3.5 g (1 tsp) pine nuts, 16 g (4 ea) jujube, 25 g (12 ea) gingko
60 g (1 ea) egg, 15 g watercress, 2.3 g (1 tsp) wheat flour, 4 g (1 tsp) edible oil
100 g beef (shank), 800 g (4 cups) water
* Sesame soy sauce : 3 g (½ tsp) soy sauce, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
* Seasoning sauce ① : 6 g (1 tsp) soy sauce, 2 g (½ tsp) sugar, 2.3 g (½ tsp), minced green onion, 1.4 g (¼ tsp) minced garlic, 1 g (½ tsp) sesame salt, 0.1 g ground black pepper, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
* Seasoning sauce ② : 27 g (1½ tbsp) soy sauce, 12 g (1 tbsp) sugar, 7 g (½ tbsp) minced green onion, 5.5 g (1 tsp) minced garlic, 2 g (1 tsp) sesame salt, 6.5 g (½ tbsp) sesame oil

[Preparation]
1. Cut the white rice cake rod into 6 cm-long, and put knife slits on 4 places, taking care not to apart both ends. Season them with sesame soy sauce (280 g).

2. Clean blood of beef (top round, shank) with cotton cloths. Mince the top round finely and season with half of the seasoning sauce ①.
3. Cut the carrot into 2.5 cm-square and trim the edges (46 g). Skin the chestnuts (40 g). Stir-fry the gingko and skin. Soak brown oak mushrooms in water for about 1 hour, remove stems, wipe water with cotton cloths and cut it into 2~4 pieces (12 g).
4. Remove tops of the pine nuts, wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloths. Wipe the jujube with damp cotton cloths, cut the flesh and roll up (14 g).
5. Panfry egg for yellow/white garnish. Pan-fry watercress after coating with wheat flour liquid and beaten egg, then cut into 2 cm-long of diaper shape.

[Recipe]
1. Insert the seasoned beef into the slits of the rice cake rods.
2. Put the shank and water in the pot and heat it up on high heat. When it boils, reduce the heat to medium, simmer it for 30 min. Take out the meat and cut then into 2 cm-wide, 3 cm-long and 0.7 cm-thick. Mix them with remained half of the seasoning sauce ①. Strain the broth through cotton cloths (300 g, 1½ cup).
3. Pour water in the pot and heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald the carrot with salt for 2 min.
4. Put the shank, carrot, chestnuts, brown oak mushrooms, broth and half of the seasoning sauce ② in the pot. Boil it for 5 min. on high heat, add the rice cake rods, jujube and remained seasoning sauce ②, reduce the heat to medium and boil it for 13 min. Put the gingko and pine nuts.
5. Place in a dish, garnish with yellow/white egg strips and fried watercress.

[Tips]
* If the rice rod is dried hard, scald it in boiled water to be soft.
* Do not put the rice rods in the pot from the beginning, or it may be burst.

>Oxford University Korea Society “Soul of Seoul” at Oxford Union

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Date: 23/02/2011, 19.00 – 23.00pm
Venue: Oxford Union Chamber, Oxford

Every year, the historical Oxford Union Chamber, having been graced with the presence of the most eminent scholars, politicians, and celebrities over the years, hosts an unforgettable Korean night, SOUL of SEOUL.

On 23rd February 2011, the Chamber will again be filled with the cultural landmarks of Korea, from the immensely popular bibmbab and traditional alcohol to taekwondo and hanbok showcases.

SOUL of SEOUL is “THE” Korean night in Oxford, aimed at promoting awareness of Korean culture amongst the future leaders at Oxford. It is truly an extravaganza, featuring the very best of Korea: Bibimbab, Korean snacks, Taekwondo, Korean alcohol, Korean B-boy, K-pop, Korean Calligraphy, Traditional Costumes, Traditional Music… and so much more.

The event is indeed a celebration befitting of our nation’s beautiful culture and has been serving as a milestone in entrenching the presence of Korean community.

Last year’s festival was a great success, with the tickets selling out well before the event. This year, the Oxford University Korea Society aims to make it even better.

>Keeping Pace with Technology- the Nissan Experience, Professor Andy Palmer, Senior Vice President The Nissan Motor Co.

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Date: 28 February 2011, 12:00pm (Please note that the lecture will begin promtly at 12.00pm and guests are asked to arrive by 11.50am)
Venue: JETRO London, Midcity Place, 71 High Holborn, London WC1V 6AL
Tel: 020 7828 6330
Email: events@japansociety.org.uk
Web: http://www.japansociety.org.uk/
Organiser: The Japan Society

Keeping pace with fast-changing technologies, environmental demands and global developments is a challenge for all companies but particularly for those whose markets and manufacturing bases are entirely global. In this business group lecture by a distinguished Japan-based UK citizen, we will hear about Nissan’s experiences. Being responsible for some of the company’s most advanced products, Professor Palmer will be covering topics which have immense relevance for many members.

This is an important topic, particularly for those involved in long-term decision-making on developments and investment. Keeping pace with technology has particular challenge for those countries where the level of manufacture is not as high as it was and where developments are heavily regulated and yet in which competition remains very keen. Professor Palmer will use the Nissan experience to explore these challenges and help us understand how his company has remained a world leader and continues to invest heavily in the UK.

Prof Palmer is one of Nissan’s top 10 executives and sits on the company’s executive committee with global responsibility for its product axis.

He has global responsibility for Planning (Corporate & Product) and Program management; Marketing & Communications; the companies Business Units, such as LCV, Luxury and electric vehicles; and the group IT division. During his distinguished career in Nissan, he personally devised the LCV breakthrough strategy which led to a 5 fold increase in global sales between 2002 and 2010. More recently, he led Nissan’s product launch offensive, launching vehicles such as the new Micra, the Qashqai and the 2011 European Car of the Year, the Nissan LEAF. His experiences have always been along the interface between engineering, and management.

To book your place please contact the Japan Society office on tel: 020 7828 6330 or email: events@japansociety.org.uk. Please remember to state your company position when applying.

>’Dynamic Korea’ Event – 23rd February

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Date: 23rd February Arrival: 6.15 for 6.30pm
Screening: 6.30 to 7.30pm, follow by drinks and snacks, to end at 8.15pm.
Location: Korean Cultural Centre, Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BW
Nearest tube station: Embankment or Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo, Circle and District)

The evening event, on February 23rd, is an opportunity to discover about advances in the field of energy by Korean companies, in particular new fields such as nuclear fusion.

In this hour long talk, followed by traditional Korean drinks and refreshments, KSCPP (Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project) presents a side of Korea that may well be unfamiliar to you.

Alongside the hidden treasures of its past, including the invention of the world’s first printing press and extraordinary feats of combined human achievement such as the Tripitaka Koreana, present day Korea is exploring new technologies to solve the dilemma of the world’s growing energy needs.

The documentary will take viewers through the evolution of power in Korea, into the exciting and unknown territory of the future.

To register for entry, please reply to this email or register here.