Korean Food is considered one of the healthiest food in the world as most dishes are prepared with vegetables and little oil. Apart from being healthy, they combine a lot of different flavors, which make each bite a wonderful and delicious experience. Every Korean meal includes a bowl of rice with a few side dishes that complement each other. This variety allows you to experience different textures, fragrances, and flavors in one meal. From the spicy and fermented kimchi to the gentle taste of the seaweed soup, there are endless options to choose from. Although it’s not easy to narrow down all the iconic dishes of Korea, here’s a list of the 5 Korean Food you cannot miss out on!
Kimchi
It’s difficult to talk about Korean Cuisine without mentioning the most famous and relevant food: Kimchi, the Korean national dish. This crunchy and delicious food is considered to be a perfect side dish, however, it’s also the main ingredient for other different Korean dishes. Kimchi is basically seasoned vegetables. Although the most well-known variety of Kimchi is spicy and fermented cabbage, there are a lot of different variations that you can try. From fresh and salad-like kimchi to the classical fermented one. What is more interesting about kimchi is that it can be made from different vegetables, such as cabbage or radish. In case you don’t like spicy food, there are also some variations that aren’t spicy at all.
Spicy Rice Cake (Tteokbokki or Ddeokbokki)
The Spicy Rice Cake, also known as Tteokbokki or Ddeokbokki, is a highly popular street food in Korea. This dish has an interesting mix of flavors, as it’s sweet, spicy and also salty. The main ingredient of this Korean snack is garaetteok or Korean rice cake, which is soft and chewy. This peculiar texture is what made the Tteokbokki very unique and it goes very well with spicy sauce and fragrant fish cakes. This dish is also prepared with some vegetables, such as carrots, onions and also garlic. For that reason, it’s not only heartwarming and delicious but also healthy. It also goes fantastic with other foods that can be added, like ramen, dumplings or even some seaweed.
Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae)
Another beloved dish in Korea is Japchae, also known as Korean Glass Noodles. This dish has Korean glass noodles, beef, vegetables, and mushrooms. In case you’re vegetarian, there is also a version without beef that it’s as delicious as the original version. These noodles are made from sweet potato, which adds that touch of sweetness to the saltiness of the soy sauce. An interesting aspect about this dish is that every ingredient is cooked separately so that they can be tastier and in their exact cooking point.
Raw Crab Marinated in Soy Sauce (Ganjang Gejang)
If you love seafood and are always looking for new experiences, Ganjang Gejang is the best option for you to try when you are visiting Korea. This food is considered to be an exotic Korean dish for foreigners but it’s one of the favorites of Korean people. Ganjang Gejang is one of the tons of varieties of marinated seafood. Although there’s a variation of shrimps marinated in soy sauce, this marinated raw crab goes amazingly well with white rice. Highly recommended. As it’s not only marinated with soy sauce but also some onions, apples and dried chili; there’s a flavor explosion in your mouth after having only one bite. The most amazing aspect about this dish is the soft texture of the marinated raw crab.
Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyeok Guk)
Miyeok Guk is made of simple ingredients such as garlic, miyeok or Korean seaweed, beef broth, salt, and sesame oil. But believe it or not, a small mouthful of this soup can bring you a lot of good. The Miyeok or seaweed used in this soup is very chewy and fresh, it’s certainly the type of food that will make you feel better, only the smell of the sesame oil will make your heart warmer.
Koreans believe that this beef seaweed soup can bring luck and prosperity to people who drink it, for that reason, it’s considered to be essential to drink it on birthdays. However, don’t drink it if you have an exam! Otherwise, you’ll fail, as it’s believed that passing an exam may become as slippery as the seaweed. Beside this, it’s also drunk by mothers who have just given birth because it helps people with the healing process. This Korean soup is not only delicious and fragrant but also has many health benefits, as well as low calories. What are you waiting for to try it?
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