womens' day and mom's soup

today, i get to have evening off to...
housework!

and knowing that i have to dot around the house, i bought some vegs on way home to make dinner.
i bought some big, fat, short korean radish, and some sliced rice cakes.

i diced the radish in big chunks, threw them all into the pot that is at least 20 years old, tossed in a chunk of beef that's been patiently waiting in the fridge for a week, one single garlic (bruised), two bay leaves, some potatoes, lotsa celery and threw in some water and fish sauce. put it on medium-low heat. lid on.

i sweep the floor and meanwhile soaked a handful of rice cakes in cold water.

by the time i finish sweeping, the pot is humming with scent. i open it up, toss in the rice cakes on top, so it will steam. turn the heat down to low.

i fold some socks that's been rolling around the bottom of the drawer. do some email.

and when i return to the pot, the dinner was ready. some sea salt and grinded pepper and i serve myself a bowl.

the mildness of the braised radish fills my mouth.
warm. savory.

and briefly, i am back in my parents' house back in south korea. a little kid, in middle of busy dinner table, two boys and parents and a granny all sharing from the whole table, so close to one another, sitting on the floor with cushions under our butts.  we shared our side dishes, but everyone got their own bowl of rice and soup.

and this radish beef soup is one of my mom's best.

she always did the simple soups best.

even as a little kid, i could feel the drool in my mouth, the savory smell making me even hungrier, as i dig into the soup with kiddie spoon, and though it's a little bit too hot, i still put the whole spoon into my mouth and silently say loudly in my head: mmmm!! so good!!!

and across the town from her today, while she is wearing an extra sweater and coughing and sneezing a little bit, i sip this soup for dinner. more like a stew, a bit more white-washed than her soup from south korean days, perhaps.

i dont think she knew about bay leaves. i bet she does not know about them even now.

she once laughed at me, a little child, closing her eyes with soup spoon in her mouth, going: mmm.

'is it that good?'
'MMM!!'
'okay, take that spoon out though.'
'mmm.'

international women's day continues with my mom's soup in my soup.
thanks to all the women who took care of us, fed us hot soups, taught us how to nourish ourselves, in case they cannot/will not/wont be able to take care of us, because

women do give.
through their bodies, and through their lives.