Exquisite Travel Adventures Worldwide LTD

🌍 A culinary journey to the very side of the plate in Korea!

In Korea, ze banchan is a collection of small side dishes placed around ze main meal. Zere are many banchan. Some are exciting. Some are fermented. Some are very spicy. And zen zere is ze carrot namul, which sits quietly at ze edge of ze table, being a carrot. We at Exquisite Travel Adventures Worldwide LTD find zis deeply moving.

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots
• Water (for boiling)
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Peel ze carrots. Zey are now naked carrots. Zis is fine.
2. Cut ze carrots into matchsticks. Zis is ze most effortful step. Take a moment. Breathe.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Add ze carrot matchsticks. Boil for exactly 1–2 minutes. Zey should be soft but not broken. Zey have not come zis far to fall apart.
5. Drain ze carrots. Run cold water over zem. Zey are surprised. Zis is called blanching.
6. Place ze carrots in a bowl. Add ze sesame oil. Add a pinch of salt. Toss gently.
7. Place zem on a small plate. Set ze plate next to something more interesting.
8. Someone at ze table will eat zem without remarking on zem. Zis is ze correct experience.

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes (ze cutting)
Cook Time: 2 minutes (ze boiling)
Serves: 4 people, as a side dish they will not specifically remember

“I ate zese and zought: yes. Zis is a carrot. It was warm. Ze sesame was there. I am satisfied in a very quiet way.”

— A traveler of modest expectations