My love for chillies, 나의 고추사랑

Hello everyone,

It's Okja. I hope you had a nice day???
Today, I want to introduce you to my beautiful chilli plants.😆
Koreans are fond of spicy food and the hotter the food is the better.
Some of you might have heard of Korean spicy noodles called " fire chicken noodle"????

안녕하세요 여러분 옥자예요 !
오늘은 저의 고추작물을 소개시켜드리려해요 !
한국에서 너무나도 맛있게 먹었던 아삭이 고추의 추억때문에 저는 매해 고추를 기르고 있답니다.
한국은 매운음식이 열풍이여서 외국사시는분들도 이 불닭볶음면에 대해서 알고계신분이 꾀있는데요.
드셔 보셨나요????

By the way, This noodle is not for the faint hearted.
I heard so many people suffered from stomach aches after eating this noodle.
If you have any stomach problems, don't touch it! 😘
Me? Personally Im not a big spicy food eater.
I can take some but I rather prefer mild chillies.

저는 매운걸 잘 못먹어서... ㅎㅎ
시도해보지도 않았지만 앞으로도 먹을생각 없답니다.
매운거 잘드시는분들 부러워요 !!!

Two years ago, I planted a few cayenne pepper seeds.
Although the package said its hot I thought It can't be that hot ! ( What a stupid thought??)
Anyway, I took very good care of it.
I watered it with care and moved them to new homes when they looked uncomfortable.
I nurtured them with organic plant food in case they needed more nutrients.
Finally, they showed me the most beautiful flowers!

2년전 아삭이고추의 그리움을 담아 케이안 고추씨를 심었어요.
그땐 고추에대해 잘알지도 못했기에 매운고추라고 포장지에 써있어도 얼마나 맵겠어 ?? 하고 무시했죠.
정말 씨가 자라서 식물의 형태로 변하고 자라기까지 많은 사랑과 열정과.... 돈을 ㅋㅋㅋ 쏟아 부었답니다.
(결론은 고추는 사서먹는게 싸다.. )
그리고 한참이 지난후 !! 이렇게 이쁜 꽃이 피었어요

I never knew how beautiful chilli flowers were.
I had them inside which meant there were no bees or butterflies to pollinate them.
So I had to sex them individually with cotton buds.
It's very easy, just rub each flower with a cotton bud repeatedly every day​.

너무 이쁘죠???
고추를 집안에서 기른탓에 벌이나 나비 일꾼이 없어
제가 손수 면봉으로 수분을 해야 했답니다.
아침에 눈뜨면 잔뜩 기대된 마음으로 고추식물에게 면봉들고 달려가곤 했지요.

Look at what Ive got after a week of labour??? A little chilli fruit !!
Isnt it gorgeous?? As soon as i saw this little achievement, my head was debating whether i should or shouldn't​ taste my little gorgeous chilli. My conclusion was its too early to taste them.

그렇게 일주일정도가 지난후에... 이렇게 이쁜 고추열매가 열렸어요 !!
먹어봐? 말어?? 이 갈등을 몇일이나 했는데
결론은 기다려 ! 였답니다 ㅎㅎㅎ

So I waited​ and waited..until​l...​

These beauties had grown this big !
I remember the first day I​ tasted these chillies​.

IT WAS A DISASTER !!!!

It was way too hot which meant I couldn't eat them raw with rice.
I was so disappointed and didn't know what to do with so many chillies.

고추가 어느정도 자랐을떄 맛을보려 상을차려 준비한후
첫 입을 댄순간...
아뿔사....
이렇게 매울줄은 정말 상상을 못했죠..
고추는 주렁주렁 자라있고 이많은 매운것들을 어찌해야하나... 고민스러웠어요

SO ! I came up with an idea of using them for pickling!​!
I love pickles and I​ don't​ mind them being a bit hot.

그래서 고안해난 방법은 피클을 만들자 ! 였답니다.
피클은 조금 매워도 감칠맛나거든요

These are my pickling collections. you may ​not see any chillies here because I only put a few of them in the jars.
I also made some chilli​ pickles for my friends which were​ a big hit too !

보이시나요 저의 피클들이?? 고추가 워낙 매워서 3-4개만 넣어도 피클이 칼칼했어요.
매운걸 좋아하는 지인들을 위해 고추피클도 만들어 선물드렸답니다 !

We Koreans also use chilli leaves as a side dish that I will introduce to you soon.
Those chilli plants served me well for the last 2 years and now they are retired!
I have new members of chilli plants now.

고춧잎도 많이 열려서 한동안은 고춧잎 부침개, 무침 등등 반찬만들어 먹었네요.
고추는 한해작물이아니라 길게는 5년동안 계속 여름마다 고추가 열린데요.
2년동안정말 많은 열매와 잎을 준 고추들과 이만 작별을 했답니다.
그리고 이제는 안매운 고추를 기르고 있답니다 ㅎㅎㅎ

They are still young but cant wait to taste them! ( This time they are mild:) )
업데이트 종종 보여드릴꼐요 ^^

So long everyone !