Korean food refers to authentic Korean cuisines. Koren foods stand out from other cuisines from different parts of the world, with rice being at the core of almost every Korean meal. In some cases, noodles will replace the rice, but what makes Korean cuisines unique are the various side dishes that come with it.
Koreans have perfected the art of preserving ingredients, and their foods are usually freshly spiced, especially the side dishes to make bold, intensely flavored, and savory dishes. Below are some Korean foods that will live your mouth watering.
Gopchang
Gopchang refers to small intestines from cattle or pork chopped into small rounds that can either be grilled, stir-fried, or cooked into soups. Grilled gopchang contributes largely to Korean barbeque culture, and it forms a perfect dish with a combination of soju.
Kimchi
Kimchi is one of the Koreans’ traditional side dishes made with fermented and salted vegetables such as Korean radish or napa cabbage. With various seasonings of spicy ingredients and herbs such as garlic, ginger, pepper, and scallion, it has a unique taste and is one of the most iconic Korean cuisines. There are over a thousand kimchi recipes out there, but if you want to get adventurous, go to a Korean restaurant and try it out.
Soy sauce crab (gejang)
Soy sauce crab is a traditional Korean food made of soy sauce marinated crab. Nowadays, the chefs marinate fresh crabs in mild soy sauce, and then it is served after a few days. Soy sauce crab is so addictive that is is often called the ‘rice thief.’ The reason being, you can keep eating more and more rice to enjoy the soy sauce crab because it is so good.
Samgyetang
Samgyetang refers to Korean chicken soup. It comes with the fact that Koreans love eating hot boiling dishes during summer most searing days. It is a thick glutinous boiling soup with a stuffed chicken floating in the middle. The Korean signature of the meal narrows down to the appealing and aromatic flavor that the chicken leaves in your mouth since it boils into juicy tenderness.
Haemul pajeon
It is crunchy Korean pancakes stuffed with shellfish or cuttlefish or other types of seafood. It comes with an accompaniment of Korean rice wine or makjeolli, being a suitable flavor for a rainy day.
Sundae
Sundae is a Korean sausage whose contents are similar to blood pudding and has roots in Mongolian cuisine. ‘real’ sundae comes as pig intestine with noodle, meat, or vegetable stuffing. It is familiar with street vendors who use a synthetic replacement of the pig intestine but still, you will enjoy the liver and lungs on the side.
Ox-bone soup
It is milky white in clour and contains finely chopped scallions, noodles, and some few meat pieces. It can be accompanied by Korean rice or kimchi and makes a perfect meal for winter days.
Japchae
It is a combination of noodles, vegetables, and pork sauteed in soy sauce to make a tasty side dish. The vegetables can be of assorted varieties.
Gyeranjjim
With gyeranjjim, the cook beats an egg into a bowl, salts, and lightly steams to form a spongy pale yellow cake and is a perfect companion for eating spicy foods.
Instant noodles
Instant noodles are easy to make. In boiling water, you pour the noodles and sprinkle the spice in the package. But Koreans will add extra flavors such as cheese, eggs, and canned tuna for a spicy taste.