Korean street food has taken the culinary world by storm, offering an explosion of flavors and textures that will delight your taste buds. From savory to sweet, spicy to tangy, these 10 must-try Korean street food dishes will take your palate on an unforgettable journey. – Tteokbokki The Spicy Rice Cake Sensation Tteokbokki is a beloved Korean street food dish made with chewy rice cakes cooked in a spicy gochujang-based sauce. To recreate this mouthwatering dish at home, follow these steps: Boil the rice cakes until they become soft and tender. Prepare the spicy sauce using gochujang (Korean chili paste), soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Add vegetables, such as cabbage, carrots, and green onions, along with fish cakes or boiled eggs. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the rice cakes. Serve piping hot and experience the fiery and addictive flavors of tteokbokki! – Japchae Stir-Fried Glass Noodles Japchae is a popular Korean street food made with sweet potato glass noodles, stir-fried with an array of colorful vegetables and seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. Here’s how to make it: Soak the glass noodles until they soften, then cook and drain them. Sauté a mixture of vegetables like carrots, spinach, mushrooms, and onions. Combine the cooked noodles with the vegetables and season with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a touch of sugar. Toss everything together until well coated and serve warm. The chewy noodles and vibrant flavors will leave you craving for more. – Hotteok Sweet and Fluffy Pancakes Hotteok is a delightful Korean street food dessert that features fluffy pancakes filled with a sweet mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts. Follow these steps to enjoy this mouthwatering treat: Prepare the pancake batter using flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and water. Make the filling by mixing brown sugar, cinnamon, and crushed nuts. Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of a pancake, fold it over, and seal the edges. Cook the pancake until golden brown on both sides. Allow it to cool slightly before biting into the gooey and aromatic goodness of hotteok. – Kimbap The Korean Sushi Roll Kimbap is a Korean street food staple that resembles sushi. It consists of seasoned rice, various fillings like vegetables, meat, and pickled radish, all wrapped in seaweed. Here’s how to make it at home: Lay a sheet of seaweed on a bamboo sushi mat. Spread a thin layer of seasoned rice over the seaweed, leaving a small margin at the top. Arrange your preferred fillings, such as strips of carrots, cucumbers, cooked beef, and pickled radish, in a line across the rice. Roll the sushi tightly using the bamboo mat, applying gentle pressure to ensure it holds its shape. Slice the kimbap into bite-sized pieces and serve as a delicious grab-and-go snack. – Sundae Korean Blood Sausage Sundae is a unique Korean street food dish made from pig’s intestines filled with a mixture of sweet potato noodles, pork, and various spices. If you’re feeling adventurous, here’s how to make sundae: Clean and boil the pig’s intestines until they are thoroughly cooked. Rinse them well and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix together cooked sweet potato noodles, ground pork, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Stuff the mixture into the intestines, tying the ends securely. Steam or boil the stuffed intestines until they are fully cooked and firm. Slice the sundae into thick rounds and serve with a side of spicy gochujang sauce for a uniquely flavorful experience. – Odeng Korean Fish Cake Skewers Odeng, also known as eomuk, are fish cake skewers that can be found on nearly every street corner in Korea. Here’s how to enjoy this popular street food: Purchase pre-made fish cake slices or make your own by blending white fish, starch, salt, and seasoning. Skewer the fish cake slices onto bamboo sticks. Simmer the skewers in a flavorful broth made from anchovies, kelp, soy sauce, and other aromatics. Once the fish cakes are heated through, remove them from the broth and enjoy them with a side of spicy dipping sauce. – Mandu Korean Dumplings Mandu are delicious Korean dumplings filled with a mixture of ground meat, vegetables, and seasonings. Follow these steps to make your own: Prepare the filling by combining ground meat (pork, beef, or a combination), vegetables like cabbage and onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Place a spoonful of filling onto a dumpling wrapper and fold it in half, sealing the edges with water or egg wash. Steam, boil, or pan-fry the dumplings until they are cooked through and the wrappers become slightly crispy. Serve mandu with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and a touch of chili flakes for a delectable snack or meal. – Twigim Korean Street Food Fritters Twigim refers to a variety of Korean street food fritters, such as fried vegetables, seafood, and even sweets. Try making your own savory twigim: Prepare a batter by mixing flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and water until smooth. Dip your choice of vegetables, like zucchini, onions, or sweet potatoes, into the batter, coating them evenly. Fry the battered vegetables in hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain the excess oil and serve the twigim hot with a side of tangy soy-vinegar dipping sauce. – Bungeoppang Korean Fish-shaped Pastry Bungeoppang is a popular Korean street food dessert that features a crispy fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet red bean paste. Make this delightful treat at home: Prepare a pancake-like batter using flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt. Heat a fish-shaped mold and grease it with oil or butter. Pour the batter into one side of the mold, add a spoonful of sweet red bean paste, and cover it with more batter. Close the mold and cook until the pastry turns golden brown and crispy. Remove the bungeoppang from the mold and enjoy the warm, sweet, and slightly chewy treat. – Gyeran-ppang Korean Egg Bread Gyeran-ppang is … Read more
