The number of Korean restaurants across the world has increased due to the immense popularity of Korean shows. Korean food products are now available in local supermarkets of many countries. But there are authentic dishes that would definitely taste different in its hometown. Here is a list.
1. Kimchi
Kimchi is undoubtedly the most famous side dish in Korea. It is similar to pickles. It is usually fermented cabbage, spring onions, or Korean radish. Recently, cucumber Kimchi has been getting a lot of attention. Kimchi is very spicy and can be eaten with ramen or rice.
2. Jjajangmyeon
Korea’s favourite dish to order in is Jjajangmyeon. What adds to the flavour of Jjangmyeon is the black bean paste. This gives a savoury flavour to the dish. The noodles used in this dish are generally wheat noodles. Meat and vegetables are also added.
3. Tteokbokki
This student’s favourite street food is nothing but simple and spicy rice cakes. Due to its fame, Tteokbokki has a lot of variations and is also available in ready-to-eat forms. But the traditional recipe generally includes rice cake, gochujang (red chilli paste), and some garnish.
4. Gimbap
Gimbaps are so popular in Korea and fans of the show ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ will know this better than anyone. It is a seaweed roll filled with sticky rice, meat, and vegetables. Triangle gimbaps available in convenience stores are another form of this dish.
5. Hotteok
Finally, something sweet is on the list. Hotteok is also known as a Korean pancake. It is a popular winter snack, and is made of a dough that consists of wheat flour and sugar. Fillings include honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and peanuts. Hotteok lovers have been experimenting with the dish and it now has other fillings including spicy ones.
6. Fish Cake
Fish cakes are one of the most important dishes in Korean street markets. These can be stir-fried or boiled. The most common version of fish cakes is boiling them in the broth, and these fishcakes are attached to a skewer. They taste the best in winter.
7. Jjinppang
Jjinppang is the Korean variation of steamed buns. Years ago, it was made using fermented dough, but these days sourdough is not used. It has a filling of red bean paste. The buns have to be eaten immediately after they are steamed. This allows the soft texture to remain.
8. Bibimbap
Bibimbap is a common dish for lunch and dinner and includes a lot of ingredients. The main ingredient of the dish is rice. The toppings include soybean or red chilli paste and vegetables or meat of choice. All the ingredients are given a good mix before eating.
9. Gamja Hotdog
Most food trucks in Korea sell this dish. Korean hotdogs are deep fried and there is no bun. Gamja (potato) hot dogs are fried potatoes that are added to the dough with breadcrumbs before frying. These hotdogs sometimes include cheese and are served with mayo or ketchup.
10. Japchae
This might be hard to believe but this traditional Korean dish is made of sweet potato noodles. Also known as glass noodles because of its texture, japchae includes vegetables, soy sauce, meat and sesame oil. The dish is prepared during celebrations or special events.
