Yes I am, through and through. I adore and admire my dad, and I’m not ashamed to admit that as a little girl, I used to declare to everyone that I want to marry someone just like my dad, but without the baldness.

My dad always tells me I am 99.99% just like him. We’re both strong-willed, emotional, type-A personalities with a temper that flares up and cools down just as fast as a banana flambé. We both love to read, think, write, and talk. We’re passionate about the people and things we love, and we’re both nerds— cool nerds. And yes, we even eat alike.

My dad’s ancestral side of the family were mostly scholars and artists. My mom’s ancestral side were mainly generals and warriors. While my maternal side (and my brother) loves their meat and proteins, my paternal side (and me) digs vegetables and carbs. My mom and my brother needs at least a bowl of rice a day, while my dad and I are happy just slurping up noodles and chewing on bread. Back when we used to have dinner together every night, there was always a Great Divide. Let me elaborate.

My dad and I used to have a favorite dish which neither my mom and my brother liked very much. Thus it was always a treat when my mom made it for us, and when she did, both my dad and I would dig in like famished hyenas, slurping and splattering everywhere while the other two family members rolled their eyes. When we were done, we asked for more until our bellies could take no more. Then we would lay back, pat our pot bellies, and burp out loud.

And each time, my dad would pat me on the head and say proudly, “This little girl here, she is truly my daughter through and through.” And I would beam with pride at the thought that I was just like my daddy.

Well, ever since my eating disorder, we haven’t had that dish together since. My favorite dish became too scary for me, because of the high-carb and calorie content. I remember a few times when my mom would make it, desperately hoping I would take at least a few bites, but I would refuse and run out in a fury. From then on, even my dad seemed to have lost the joy in relishing that dish, because there was no one to enjoy it as much as he did.

But today, I once again took up the role of Daddy’s Girl. We took a trip back to memory lane and slurped up this nostalgic dish again with just as much gusto…

Soo Jae Bi
(Or Korean “gnocchi”…no wonder I love gnocchi!)

Dough:

• about 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• pinch of salt
• water

Condiments:

• 1 Korean zucchini, julienned
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 2-3 eggs, beaten
• toasted nori

Soup:

• water
• dried anchovies*

*If you don’t have dried anchovies, then you can just use chicken broth or beef broth for the soup

For the dough, just mix all the ingredients except water together. Slowly dribble in enough water to make a nice dough. Then start kneading it and kneading it until it becomes smooth and pliable:
Leave it to sit for half and hour:
Next, boil up some water with the anchovies. Once the water is boiling, grab a fistful of prepared dough, and start pulling it apart:
Stretch them out into thin pieces of dough:
Drop little pieces of stretched dough into the boiling broth:
Once the dough starts rising to the surface, ladle them out.
Meanwhile, in another pan, sautee the zucchini and onions with some oil until soft and cooked:
You can add some fish sauce if you have that in hand for intensified flavor.

On another frying pan, cook the beaten eggs into a thin omelete, then roll it up and slice them up into thin strips.
Once all the dough is cooked, ladle them into serving bowls. Pour the broth over, and pile on the condiments. Shred some toasted nori on top. Serve!
Hello, old friend!

You can basically put any toppings you like, but our family prefers the Korean zucchini.
Oh and that “gnocchi” is so chewy and smooth and slippery! This is one messy dish because you gotta slurp it up good! Like ramen…remember? Hee hee.
The toasted nori adds so much flavor when it softens into the broth.
I like to drink the broth first, then slurp up the “gnocchi” one by one because that’s my favorite part!
And of course we eat it with some homemade kimchi!
I have to say, this brought back tons a great memories as my dad and I sat side by side, splattering everywhere again together as we used to. We both chewed like cows, and slurped like barbarians, but I sure didn’t feel like one…because at that moment, I just felt like Daddy’s Girl!

Question of the day: Are you a Daddy’s Girl? Or a Mommy’s Girl? With whom are you more alike…your father or your mother?

P.S. Anybody else with WordPress having trouble commenting on Blogspot? I have to hit the comment button several times before they accept my open ID address! >:-( Another reason why you should switch to WordPress

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1. No Longer Me, Myself, and I
2. From Victim to Victor
3. Transit to America
4. Hi, I’m a Grocery-holic
5. Killing You Softly…With My Words…

Tagged as: eating disorder, eggs, fear food, kimchi, nori, pasta, soup