Whenever I go grocery shopping at Korean supermarkets, which are about 30 minutes away, there are a few items I always stock up on out of necessity – bean sprouts and tofu are among them. Tofu is great because its packaging ensures it lasts a while without frequent trips to the store, though its long shelf life does sometimes make me a bit uneasy. Still, it’s worth it for the occasional pot of doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). The real challenge, however, is with bean sprouts. They tend to get mushy very quickly. One night, as I was about to go to bed, I suddenly remembered the bean sprouts I’d bought a few days prior. I sprang up, rushed to the kitchen, and started gathering the bean sprouts and fish cakes. My son, who is quite the night owl, even more so than me, asked, ‘Are guests coming tomorrow?’ Haha, no way! Guests during this time? My mom is just trying to save a bag of bean sprouts at this ungodly hour! The next day, my daughter tasted the bean sprout stew I had made and fell deeply in love with it. For over two weeks, I’ve been making it almost non-stop. It’s a tiring but rewarding story… This simple yet incredibly delicious dish is a testament to how resourceful Korean home cooking can be!