Korean food has created a buzz around the world, as it is directly linked to the popularity of the Korean culture. Thus, the rising preference and emergence of Korean Entertainment content has played a very important role in bringing the Korean Culture, especially its food, to people’s notice. Most of the Korean delicacies we know are by seeing our favorite k-Pop idols or K-Drama actors enjoying it.
Hence, the urge to try them has been stronger than ever.
The most commonly known Korean foods are Kimchi, Jjajjangmyeon and Ramyeon. These are the most talked about items, but the cuisine is not just limited to them. There are so many food items which are not as famous as they should be. So, here we are with a list of 10 Korean delicacies that are not really known, but are equally wonderful.
Must-try Korean foods that are bound to leave you wanting more
10. Sundubu Jjigae
Sundubu Jjigae is a stew (jjigae) made with freshly curdled tofu. The stew is mostly made only with tofu, but sometimes, additional ingredients are added, such as onions, mushrooms, seafood (like oysters, mussels, clams and shrimps), meat (mostly beef and pork), and other assorted vegetables.
The gravy/soup of the stew is made with either gochujang (Korean red chilli paste) or gochugaru (Korean red chilli powder). This spicy stew is filling and tasty, perfect when you are hungry, too tired to make anything, but not in the mood for ramyeon.
9. Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki are soft and chewy garae-tteok (rice cakes) either dipped or simmered in a spicy stew, often also savored by adding Eomuk (fish cakes), boiled eggs and scallions. Colorful and delicious, tteokboki is a widely enjoyed street food, proper. The people who absolutely adore spicy food should surely add this to their list of favorite foods.
8. Hotteok
Hotteok or Hoeddeok is a sweet delicacy often served as a street food. It is a sweet pancake made with wheat flour dough and a filling of brown sugar syrup mixed with nuts, mostly peanuts. This food item is perfect for a light dessert which, even though simple, is mouth-watering and absolutely delicious.
7. Patbingsu
Patbingsu is also a dessert, but one of the “cold ones.” Bingsu is a shaved-ice dessert with various toppings like chopped fruit, condensed milk, and fruit syrup. But bingsu served with sweet red bean paste is called Patbingsu.
This dessert is perfect for summers and probably one of the easiest desserts to make.
6. Haejangguk
Haejangguk is basically a Korean Hangover soup made with any ingredient that contains guk (soup). The most preferred form of hangover soup includes a soup made with kelp (Kombu), broth made from beef, and soybean paste.
True to its name, the soup is the perfect remedy for the weekend hangover, and helps you face the Monday blues. A must try for when you have partied hard but need something for you hungry and hungover self.
5. Samgyeopsal
Samgyreopsal is Korean barbeque, one of the most favored type of food, often made at meet-ups, parties and camping trips. Basically made by cutting strips of pork belly and grilling them on barbeque. Often paired with ramyeon, this food item is a must have for all trekking outings.
4. Soondae
Soondae is a Korean Blood Sausage made by steaming and stuffing the intestines of a cow or pig with tasty fillings. It is also made with squid and eaten with glass noodles and glutinous rice (Barley, fermented soybean paste, kimchi, soybean sprouts, and perilla leaves crop up in regional variations of the sausage too.)
The mixture makes for a squishy, slightly gummy body. If you like chewy, mochi-textured things, similar to tteokboki, then you will probably like soondae.
3. Haemul Pajeon
Haemul Pajeon is a Korean seafood pancake with the base ingredient of scallions (pa). It contains a mix of seafood like shrimp, oysters, clams, and squid with scallions, mixed with rice or all-purpose flour, making a thick batter. After shallow-frying it in a pan, it will be crunchy from outside, while the inside is filled with hot, savory, and chewy mouthfuls of meat and vegetable goodness.
This is perfect for a quick yet heavy breakfast, especially when you are running late for work and need a quick snack.
2. Kongguksu
This dish is actually soy milk noodle soup served cold. The soup is a seasonal dish made with soybean and milk broth, paired with roasted nuts or sesame seeds to enhance the nutty flavor of the soup. Since it is served cold, it is usually drunk on summers, which is the perfect season for its mild taste. This soup is perfect for people who enjoy food with subtle flavors.
Before we go to the final entrée of the list, here are some honorable mentions:
All items made with kimchi, such as Kimchi Pancakes (Kimchijeon).
a) Kimchi Stew (Kimchi-jjigae)
b) Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokumbap)
Bungeo-ppang (Carp Bread)
Chimaek (Korean chikin ‘fried chicken’, and maekju ‘beer’)
Mandu (Korean Dumplings)
Gamja Hot Dog (Korean Corn Dogs)
And the best underrated Korean Food award goes to…
1. Miyeok Guk
A traditional Korean food made on auspicious occasions, Miyeok Guk is a seaweed soup made with kelp, garlic, and meat. This is a dish which is a very important part of so many Koreans’ memories. This soup is made for people’s birthdays and after women’s pregnancies.
Seaweed soup on birthday is a tradition. As it is highly nutritious, this Korean food is often served to a woman who has just delivered a baby, because the nutrients that are contained in the seaweed are known to help with the recovery and also help in producing br*ast milk.
While these dishes are mostly non-vegetarian, vegan and vegetarian alternatives of the meat are also available. These dishes are now being popularized by Korean mukbangers {‘eating’ (meokneun) and ‘broadcast’ (bangsong)} and are slowly on the way to be rightfully known.
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