Food In Korea (푸드 인 코리아)
What to eat in Korea. Where to eat in Korea. The best Korean food and where to get it. Want to cook in Korea? Here are some great Korean recipes tried and tested. (한국에서 무엇을 먹을까. 한국에서 식사하는 곳. 최고의 한국 음식과 그것을 어디서 구해야 하는지. 한국에서 요리하고 싶으세요? 여기 몇 가지 훌륭한 한국 요리법이 있다.)
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Korean Cooking: How to make Korean Seaweed Soup
Known as the birthday soup in Korea, though it can be eaten any old time, miyeok-guk (미역국), or seaweed soup, is one of my favorite Korean soups. Seaweed soup is a household staple but it’s also a great restaurant option too. I had it every day for every meal when I was staying at a post-natal hotel in Seoul. If you want to make your own seaweed soup Korean style, follow the recipe below. This is my go-to meal when I’m feeling low on energy. It’s the pick-me-up I need. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking…
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Oh Sae Gyae Hyang: The Most Popular Vegan Restaurant in Insadong
Looking for vegan food in Seoul? A lot of tourists headed to Seoul message me each year with questions about one thing or another and the ones that usually make me search the most pertain to food choices and allergies. Never wanting to steer anyone wrong, I check and double check before recommendations. So, for those vegan tourists out there headed to Seoul, I’ll tell you it won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible. There have been more and more vegetarian and vegan restaurants opening in Seoul in the past decade. If you’re visiting Insadong, my top suggestion for lunch or dinner is Oh Sae Gyae Hyang (오세계향). It’s delicious,…
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Moon Bird Only Thinks of the Moon: The Best Traditional Tea House In Insadong
(Unfortunately, I’ve found out this long standing tea house in Insadong is now CLOSED!) Little wooden doorways that open up into dark cinnamon and ginger scent filled tea houses are scattered around Insadong, but it can take a trained eye to spot the good ones in this popular touristy district of Seoul. There are bigger, brighter and busier cafes that sit on the main Insadong drag, but if you want the intimate experience, you have to head down the small alleys and keep your eyes peeled. These little doorways that slide open can seem uninviting when closed and it’s easy to pass by assuming the establishment inside is not open…
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Korean Eating: Wait… I’m eating mud? Korean Loach Soup Actually
There have been a few times in Korea when I was glad that I wasn’t told what I was eating until after I was done eating it and chuotang (추어탕) was one of those times. Usually the issue is just with translations though in my experience. Who wants to hear they’re eating the cow’s third stomach? The translations are just never as appetizing as the dishes that are served. With chueotang however, it isn’t the translation that’s the issue, it’s just the name of the fish. Called mud fish stew or loach fish soup, this Korean soup looks like mud but is so so good and healthy too. If you’re…
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Korean Cooking: A Pickled Ginger Side Dish for the Table
A couple weeks ago I really had a craving for ginger. I love love love ginger, or gari, with sushi and decided I’d make my own pickled ginger side dish for our table. It may not be a normal Korean side dish, but our table has become quite the place for fusion meals. Pasta isn’t complete without some fermented garlic between bites and eggs and hash browns in the morning are pleasantly accompanied by kimchi. I think ginger on the table will be just the thing with fish or chicken or just as a palette cleanser at the end of a meal. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I…
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Korean Cooking: How to make Yukgaejang
Yukgaejang (육개장) is a Korean beef and veggie stew that I manage to forget that I like before being reminded that I liked it multiple times a year. It’s a classic dish in any Korean household and after we’d gone out to eat it quite a few times in the past few weeks, I decided to try and make it myself. After having good experiences with Korean side dishes, my confidence was high to try another soup. If you like Korean food with a spicy kick, this is a good soup to learn how to make but also, it’s pretty palatable for people that aren’t so good with spicy food.…
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Korean Eating: The Different Kinds of Korean Bean Sprout Soup
Bean sprout soup, or kongnamul-guk (콩나물국), is one of my favorite dishes in Korea. It’s simple and clean, if that is a good adjective to use with food. It’s fresh and delicious and hits the spot no matter what mood I’m in. And if you’re in Korea you may be in for a surprise every time you order it. Why? Depending where you are and who is making it, the broth can be completely different. In some places, Korean bean sprout soup served with a clear broth, in some places it’s served with a red broth, and in some places it’s served with a cloudy broth and yet on the…
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Apple Infused Makgeolli, Oh My!
Almost every place in Korea has some special food they’re famous for, or at least the locals proclaim the fame, even if they’re the only ones to believe it. In Cheongsong, apples are the claim to fame, or one of many things that they proclaim, and boy are they truly delicious. Another one from this Slow City in Korea is a high-in-iron chicken dish that turns blue once it’s cooked! On the way to the Juwangsan National Park, some makgeolli infused with the delicious apples, as well jujube and Korean bellflower root was spotted and I LOVE a good bowl of Korean rice wine, don’t you? (This post contains affiliate…
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Korean Eating: Cheongsong’s Iron Fix
We were touring around Cheongsong, Korea with the Korea Tourism Organization to view the autumn foliage in Juwangsan National Park, pick apples at the Cheongsong Apple Festival and even paint our very own unique white Korean porcelain bowls and now we were off to eat and sustain ourselves with some healthy eats famous in the region. Usually when one travels, whether or not the water is drinkable is a question that is high on the list of queries to be answered before departing. Heading down to Cheongsong, Korea, this was not a question that had topped the list, nor should it have but apparently the water is something to be…
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Have you tried Yuk-hoe? Yuk-What?
The first time I saw yuk-hoe (육회), or Korean steak tartare, on the table I thought they were going to stir fry it on the grill. Of course, I’d be forgiven as you often have yukhoe in bbq restaurants where there is a big grill right in the middle of the table. Alas, for this dish, it’s best enjoyed straight up raw. Was I intent on eating a raw egg and raw beef the first time I saw it? I was not, but I’m glad I did because yukhoe is not one of my favorite Korean delicacies. It’s delicious, full of umami, and a must eat if you’re visiting Korea.…
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Korean Eating: A Fishy Feast Called Haemultang
As I’ve mentioned before, living on a peninsula has given me the opportunity to try shellfish everything, fish there aren’t English names for aside from the biological terms, and everything in between. Haemultang (해물탕), or a Korean fish stew is a dish that puts all of them together into one deliciously spicy fishy stew. Haemultang is a fish stew you’ll often find on the coasts of Korea. If you’re headed down to Busan, Jeju Island, or some other coastal region and need a spicy warm-up, definitely seek out some seafood soup like haemultang. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you…
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Korean Cooking: A Korean Potato Side Dish
Growing up in the American Midwest with a family of English and German descent means my starch of choice is almost always potatoes. With that in mind when we head to the market I stock up on potatoes like my mother did. She always had one of those big mesh bags in the cupboard with about fifty potatoes on hand at all times. I don’t really buy that many at a time, due to the fact that we have to carry everything home without a car, but there’s sure to be a good amount of potatoes in my house so I’ve learned a few Korean recipes for them. I tasted…
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Korean Cooking: How To Make A Pickled Garlic Side Dish
When you eat out in Korea there is never a shortage of side dishes. Well, some dreadful monsoon rainy summers there have been shortages on kimchi, but that aside, eating out provides an opportunity to try oh so many Korean side dishes, or banchan, and one that quickly became a favorite for me was pickled garlic (마늘장아찌). Not having learned the art of pickling or fermenting prior to coming to Korea, when I decided to delve into making my own banchan, I decided pickled ginger was going to be one of the first side dishes I’d make. With the help of my Korean mother-in-law, her recipe in fact, I’ve now…
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Korean Eating: Pig’s Trotters or Jokbal Is What’s For Dinner
Want to have a picnic on the Han River and do it Korean style? There are a few Korean delicacies that often grace a Korean picnic blanket. You might be surprised to find out that braised pig’s feet, or pig’s trotters, called jokbal (족발) is one of them. This rich and savory meal can be picked up in traditional markets or restaurants easily to go and makes for a delicious lunch or dinner treat. Want to learn more about jokbal? Korean pig’s trotters? You’ve come to the right place. Get ready to eat pigs feet in Korea: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of…
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Korean Cooking: How to make Korean dumplings
Mandu (만두), or Korean dumplings are easy to make and because you can put anything in them, you can cater to everyone’s tastes. Dumplings are one of those universal foods that you can find all around the world with some version in every culture. Little dough sacks filled with goodness. They can be sweet, savory, or cheesy. It’s amazing. I found some dumpling skins at our local market in Korea and decided to make some Korean pork and tofu dumplings. See how the Koreans… or my husband, makes them, and then make your own… any way you want! (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage…
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Korean Cooking: Sesame Bean Sprout Side Dish
The women at the market are always filling my bags to overflowing and of course the idea that bigger is better leaves me departing satisfied until I get home and realize we have way too much food than we will be able to devour before it goes bad. Of course, we always end up eating it all or inviting friends over to eat with us so nothing goes to waste. But, every week as soon as I get home with my grocery bags full it’s inevitable that my brain goes blank and I have no idea what I could possibly make with all of this food. This week I had…
