Conversations with Buddha

Entering the restaurant we were greeted by the owner who looked like an older version of a Geisha that looked resident to a wax museum. Her smile cracked through a thick layer of white make up and her stiff hair stood on end slightly resembling Frankenstein’s wife.

You’ve got to be kidding Buddha. I whispered. Why would it not surprise me if we got seated beside Gandhi, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and possibly Winnie the Pooh?

Sitting down we finally caught up. Buddha told me about his time away, but more so, sat with an open heart and listened to my crazy past year. With compassion, he was there for me.

[Freeze frame]

Sometimes, Buddha annoys me. He does this all the time. He challenges and makes me think. Truthfully, I do enough thinking, but this through me for a loop. I had healed, I had gone for therapy, travelled and now I was focused…Buddha was on crack. Buddha doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

[Unfreeze frame]

[Our food comes]

There on a hot plate we slapped on slices of raw beef on one half as Buddha had some seafood and veggies on the other. An array of mini bowls arrived filled with condiments that for the rest of the evening would be refilled at no additional charge. Las Vegas Korean BBQ, I think I love you.

Trying out each individual one, I fell in love with one in particular – Kimchi. Maybe it’s the season where my body is drawn to pickled foods with sour flavours drawing us inward, but I loved it. So on my way home, I began to think of pickling since it hasn’t been something I’ve touched upon. So of course, it made sense to provide you with a little sexy kimchi therapy.

1 large daikon radish

2-3 large collard green leaves roughly chopped

1 tbsp grated ginger

2-3 green onions chopped

2 cloves garlic minced or chopped finely

3 tbsp Himilayan or sea salt

2 tbsp fish sauce

1/4 cup Korean ground chili paste

1 tsp honey

Peel and thoroughly wash daikon radish.

Chop the radish into cubes and throw into a bowl and add some of the salt. Rub the salt into the cubes. Oh ya, get right in there.

In a smaller bowl, add the rest of the salt, plus the other sauce ingredients (pretty much everything except the green onions).

Pour sauce over cubed radish, collards and add in chopped green onions. Toss gently until coated.

Place into mason jars. Cover it loosely with a lid or a cloth. Once kimchi starts to give off a fermenting smell (which could be several hours to day depending on the climate of the room), fasten a lid on the jar and put into the fridge to allow for a slow fermentation. Typically, kimchi was buried in the ground to ferment and really draw the energy of the earth inwards. Quite beautiful actually. After a 3-4 days your kimchi is ready to eat. If you want it to taste a fresh, consume it right away otherwise, it will become more bitter as it sits. A more bitter kimchi is excellent in flavouring rice, soups and stews. Yum.

The idea of fermentation dates back to ancient times and it’s benefits are vast. It aids in digestion supporting intestinal flora by promoting the growth of healthful Lactobacillus acidophilus. Plus fresh food becomes more scarce during this time, so it’s important to conserve by pickling our food and allowing them to draw energy inwards to reflect and ferment. Psychologically, fermenting is a gentle internal motion of the constituent parts of the fluid. It is to set into motion and excite internal emotion. There’s more energy in those little jars then we think and during the colder months, it’s exactly what we need.

That evening, Buddha and I finished our plates savouring every last bit on our hot plates and little bowls (that somehow resemble my faux china set when I was four…every little princess needs a faux china set). He looked at me and touched my hand with compassion.

Comforted, I smiled back and realized he was right, I hadn’t healed 100%, but I certainly was on my way and for the first time in a while, I’m excited about the future.

Trust it, versus control it…that is my intent.

Listen and be open…that is my heart’s lesson.

And sometimes we need to reinforce ourselves with positive energy to trump out our mind’s negativity that can restrain us. It shines through from good friends, family and our food which is an extension of ourselves – so forming a connection is key. We are a mirror to the food we eat and those around us…which makes me question Geisha’s role in this.

Freaked out, I searched for my reflection through a framed signed photo of Nelly Furtado and Geisha. I check my hair…okay, I get it, less hair spray, maybe a little lighter on the foundation. Got it.

Yes, lessons are certainly everywhere.

Peace, love and kimchi.