Soul Food

I moved bay area, San Francisco, in 2010 from South Korea. I live in here over the decade. Living in another country is a great opportunity and a life challenge. It is fun to make friends, attempt new environments, eat various food, and face diverse cultures. In contrast, it is not easy to get used to the way to live in another country. Especially, living in another country and getting sick is the most difficult emotionally and physically, then I miss my hometown and my family's care and want to eat  mom's food, even if it's not a big illness.

Once I was sick from food poisoning. I didn't have any special meal that day, but I had a stomachache. I threw up and had diarrhea all day long. I was worried that I might get sick badly, and no one is not near me. Finally, I went to the emergency room—the doctor who examined me, and I had no other diseases and was addicted to food. I got treatment and prescription of medicine, and I came home. I couldn't eat properly for the next week because I had a terrible stomachache. My friend texted me what I was up to these days, and I replied her about my illness. She lives near my house. Her children are all grown up and live in another state or around her house. We bumped into each other in the neighborhood, and one of her daughters had visited some Asian country and lived for a few months, and She became interested in me who flew to America from some part of Asia. We sometimes had coffee in a local cafeteria, took a walk together in the evening, or had dinner together at her house. And she gave me pumpkins or radishes she had raised in her yard. She is a friend who gives me a warm and cozy feeling. After my texting reply, and early the next evening, my house bell rang, and when I opened the door, she was standing with a pot. She seems to have walked and brought pot with food gloves on. She passed me standing at the door with a surprised face.  She said, heading to the kitchen."Eat it now. It is still warm. Were you sick a lot, right? Why you did not contact me?" and she looked for the bowl. I closed the door and walked to her, saying, "Are you looking bowl?" She said, "Please sit at the table. I will prepare it for you." I sat at the table, and she brought a bowl of steaming milk-colored soup. The smell and steam looked so delicious. She said, "When I was sick, of course, when I was not sick, but especially when I was sick, my mom made me this soup. And I made this food, especially for my children when they were sick, not necessarily sick, but when they were sick. Try it. It is chicken noodle soup. Chicken gives you energy, and it is easy to digest." My heart touched from her thoughtful, warm actions and words, and thinking of my mom’s food and care. She said again. "I put the leftover in the fridge, so heat it and eat it again." And she got up from her seat, and said, "I am going, so eat slowly and after taking a rest. I hope you get better. See you." After she left, I ate soup slowly and comfortably for a long time. I felt perfect, and I did not even dig my stomach.

Korea also has chicken soup. We call this "Samgyetang." Especially during the summer season, people eat it on the hottest days of 'Chobok,' 'Joongbok,' and 'Malbok.' These days are calculated in the 24 solar terms. 'Chook' is located between 'Soseo' and 'Daeseo.' 'Soseo' is one of the 24 solar terms, meaning the day when the heat begins. 'Daeseo' is the 12th day of the 24th solar term, and it is a day of great heat. In other words, the summer begins and progresses. Korean eat "Samgyetang" in the hottest day during the Summer by dividing it into three parts between ‘Soseo’ and ‘Daeseo.’ The reason why to recover weak energy from the summer heat. ”Samgyetang" is made of various healthy ingredients, such as abalone, ginseng, jujube, or nut. Traditionally, when a son-in-law visits his mother-in-law's house, her mother-in-law catches chickens and gives her son-in-law, “Samgyetang” his healthy, because mom believes that her daughter's happiness is from her husband healthy. And my mom also made me “Samgyetang” when I caught a cold, when I was tired or had no appetite because I was weak. “Samgyetang” is a portion of food that one finds when one feels the need to take care of one's health or energy. Beyond tradition and food culture, “Samgyetang” is still popular soul food all year round. The chicken soup which my neighbor friend made reminded me of “Samgyetang” and I felt the comfort of my soul.

While living in America, I can make “Samgyetang.” and “Chicken noddle soup” now. I learned how to make “Samgyetang” by phone from my mom, and my friend gave me her “Chicken noodle soup” recipe. I want to explain how to make these two foods. First of all, the main dish of “Samgyetang” is whole garlic. You can add chestnuts, jujube, or ginseng as long as you can get them, but whole garlic is the most important. Put them all in a pot and boil them. Usually, I put rice in the chicken and later eat porridge, but once I cook the chicken and eat it, I put glutinous rice in the remaining soup to make porridge. Seasonings are salt and pepper. It almost tastes like mom’s “Samgyetang.” The point of “Chicken soup” that I learned from my neighbor's friend is celery and butter. Put onions, carrots, celery, and chicken in a pot, stir-fry them with butter, then pour water and boil. I boil the noodles separately and put them in a soup. It almost tastes like my friend’s “Chicken soup.”

This is “Samgyetang” which I cooked. I just made it with whole garlic and Chicken with salt and chopped leeks.  Once I made “Samgyetang” and invited my chicken soup friend to eat it together. She ate it saying it was so delicious, and I taught its recipe.

This is “Chicken noodle soup” which I cook usually.

I cooked these two foods most confidently now. These are soul foods both. I can't tell which one is better. When my heart and soul feel that these foods are necessary, I go to the market and buy chicken. And if I  buy whole garlic, I cook "Samgyetang," and if I buy celery and noodle, I cook, "Chicken noodle soup."  Only these two ingredients are significantly different, and the cooking ways and times are almost the same. From the time I prepare the ingredients and the smell of the food being cooked, it makes my soul healing.