Seven contestants participated in the Korean preparatory cooking class organised by the Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The cooking class is in preparation for the final of the contest scheduled for Aug. 31.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contestants, which comprise one team of one and eight individuals, were selected from the first and second round of the cooking competitions held on Aug. 16 and 17.
NAN also reports that one team of one, Pearl Ogbalu and Mamofede Layefa and one individual, Yahya Bindir, were absent at the preparatory cooking class.
The seven contestants present are Adenike Mogbojur, Francis Anna, Mmadubueze Cynthia, Victor Mac-Adonai, Hauwa Ibrahim, Halima Jibrin and Patience Berepele.
The cooking class is aimed at preparing the contestants with cooking skills to participate in the final cooking competition.
The finalists demonstrated their zeal in preparing their various dishes which they are expected to prepare at the final.
The dishes prepared by the contestants were Japchea, Dakgangjeong, Bapsang (Korean side dish), Sogogi Muguk (Beef Radish soup), Bulgogi(fire meat) and Ssambap.
A contestant, Patience Berepele, who prepared Ssambap (Korean rice lettuce wraps), said preparing the Korean dish was interesting.
Berepele said the Korean Ssmbap recipe is steamed rice wrapped in steamed cabbage and served in spicy beef Gochujang sauce.
According to her, Ssambap Korean rice lettuce wrap is eaten with a sauce prepared with beef and accompanied by soya soy paste, soybean paste stew, which is popular in Korea.
“Basically, I made two side dishes, the stew and the sauce both had soybean paste, Gochujang, red chilli pepper paste, garlic, sesame oil, and scallion (spring onion).
“I also made eggplant side dish (Gaji-namil), side salad by using jang sauces.
” I am prepared for the final. I am actually looking forward to the final, because of my cooking skill and what we were taught regarding speed and accuracy,” she said.
Another contestant, Halima Jibrin, said preparing Sogogi Muguk (beef radish soup) made with Gochujang was a great experience.
Jibrin said South Korea, known for their winter season, were good at making spicy soups and Sogogi Muguk happens to be their traditional soup.
” Though I am very prepared and anxious, there is nothing one can do except to pray and be focused by doing his or her best.
“I am very thankful to KCCN because with the cooking class, I got to know what my limits are and how I can move forward with those limits.
“My dream is to become a professional Korean chef. So cooking their dishes will make me like and appreciate the Korean food culture more ,” she said.
She further said that the cooking class has made her know so much about Korean foods.
” I have an online Korean restaurant, being here has also opened my eyes to new Korean recipes that I can also add to my menu and I am grateful to KCCN,“he said.
Francis Anna, a contestant, said she would continue to explore Korean cultural food such as ‘Korean meat dishes’.
Anna said that since she started attending Korean cooking class, she had added a lot to her home menu.
” I look forward to the final competition and I pray that I emerge the winner. I am very prepared because I never knew that I could get to the final,” she said.
Ms Lee Hyerim, KCCN Culture Event Officer, commended the contestants for their outstanding cooking skills that made them to get to the final.
According to her, the contestants actually did their best in preparing delicious Korean delicacies and she is so proud of them.
” It is not just making Korean dishes, but the young talented Nigerian youths’ efforts in studying Korean food.
“I am so impressed with Nigerian youths knowing about Korean food culture, components of Korean proper meal and how it is being served,” she said.
Hyerim urged them to be more focused in preparing any of their dishes at the final, as such would help them to excel in the competition.
Also speaking, Ms Habiba Yakubu, Culture and Event Officer of KCCN, said the preparatory cooking class is aimed at moulding the contestants’ cooking skills.
Yakubu said this would help them to have the experience of preparation, cooking time, arrangement of recipes, as well as time management.
” We are here to give them all it takes to be in contest class in order for them to know how to maximise the time allocated to them.
” The contestants should take a deep breath and remain focused, Korean cooking is about meal preparation and stir frying,” she said.
According to her, a contestant will move faster, when he or she has the mentality of breaking down the processes of preparing Korean dishes.
”Understanding some tips and tricks will help the contestants do better. For instance, “If you can do your cutting on one side, then you know you have stir fry the other side,” she added.
NAN reports that the winner of the Korea Food Contest will go home with N1 million cash prize, while the second and third place winners will take home N700, 000 and N400, 000 cash prizes.(NAN)
