Top 15 Street Foods in South Korea You Can't Miss

Top 15 Street Foods in South Korea You Can't Miss

As is the case in other Asian countries, Korean cuisine is dominated by rice, seafood, and meat. At the same time, it's hardly fair to describe these dishes as healthy food because of the amount of oil, carbs, and hot spices.

To get acquainted with Korean culture, it is vital to try street food; it is thought that tourists will experience a sense of complete relief after doing so. As a result, it's no surprise that the strange things they see on the trading stalls - such as maggots, sweet fish, potato spirals, strange hot dogs, and amazing ice cream - provoke plenty of gagging.

Tteokbokki

It is composed of Garage-tteok - rice flour products made into sticks that have a neutral taste. This dish ranks among the most popular Korean foods.To get ready Tteokbokki, it is important to blend Garage-tteok with a glue of matured soybeans and bean stew peppers (gochujang).  It was once reserved for kings and courtiers, though it is now one of the cheapest options for a snack. Tourists should be aware that this is a spicy dish that can be considered inedible by some individuals. Other ingredients can be added to this dish, such as odeng, boiled eggs, green onions, and noodles.

Gimbap

Both are different than American sushi since gimbap is hand-held without needing chopsticks. The difference between them is that kimbap does not use soy sauce when eaten. Thirdly, kimbap does not include raw fish and seafood. A true main component of this dish is rice, sautéed with sesame oil. But when choosing fillings, there are many to choose from - including beef, tuna, squid, cheese, kimchi, takuan, carrots, cucumber, crab sticks, spinach, and many others. Along with that, these ingredients are wrapped in nori sheets. Gimbap is usually sold as a triangle or roll, sliced into segments.

Kkochi eomuk

Jokbal is a traditional Korean dish which is usually found in every street food cart. With its different appearance, it is difficult to mistake this dish for anything else. It is important to remember that this food is most popular in winter because of its warming properties. What is kkochi eomuk? Raw fish is mashed into paste, combined with various spices, and rolled into flattened dough-like sheets. These are usually skewered and then boiled in water. Korean kkochi eomuk dish typically includes green onions, chili peppers, gochujang paste, radish, and seaweed. Koreans credit the dish as a traditional cure for hangovers.

Pajeon

It is a variation of Korean pancakes, with ingredients of wheat and rice flour, eggs, and lots of onions. Pajeon, without pepper, can be bought at any store without the risk of it having a fiery hot flavor. These pancakes are fried in large amounts of oil, but this goes smoothly into the mixture of the eggs and flour. This food contains high fat, so it is often served with alcohol as a meal and kind of pajeon (with seafood like octopus, shrimp, and squid) is called haemul pajeon.

Gyeran-ppang

It is a common breakfast choice and one of the tastiest versions of vegetarian Korean delicious Korean food. Gyeran-ppang is a Korean-style hamburger with a scrambled egg on top, but the yolk remains relatively runny. Ham, cheese, and parsley are often added to this dish. The bread is usually served hot or warm, with both a sweet and salty taste. Not to be outdone by kkochi eomuk, this dish is equally warming.

Bungeoppang

These fried goldfish have definitely been seen on social networks. These cakes are often filled with a dark mass that resembles chocolate. Bungeoppang often causes confusion with travelers who are hoping for a sweet taste. However, the cake contains a red bean paste; koreans consider it to be the favorite topping for a number of different desserts, even though it may seem quite specific. It is recommended to purchase Bungeoppang freshly baked with a crisp crust and warm filling in order to enjoy it to the fullest extent. Occasionally you can find this dish with nut butter or cream, but the classic recipe with beans remains the most correct.

Mandu

Currently, this dish belongs to the best Korean dishes. This dish has pork, onions, and kimchi. Not only do people have the opportunity to eat mandu, which are traditionally steamed or deep-fried dumplings made with a wheat flour-based dough, but there are different varieties that may be made with the addition of red beans, pork, ginger, mushrooms, seafood, and cabbage. Pairing these dumplings with soy or oyster sauce and sesame oil is a good idea.

Odeng

Also known as hot fish cakes with spices and vegetables, these snacks are served on a skewer and taste similar to kkochi eomuk, or odeng or oden. For that reason, odeng is a winter dish as these patties are served with soju (Korean rice alcohol) and are sometimes accompanied by fish broth and green onions.

Tornado Potato

As it is an unusual analogy for chips, this dish consists of spirals of potatoes on skewers that are deep-fried until crisp. Tornado Potato is frequently seasoned and flavored with cheese spices. A relatively new dish from Korea, it is sometimes flavored with barbecue, onion, or just salt.

Beondegi

Beondegi is a kind of Korean street food which includes the preparation of silkworm pupae with spicy spices. Usually this dish is enclosed in a small cellophane bag or paper box. By the way, these insects do not look very appetizing. Unprepared individuals can also be intimidated by its unpleasant smell. From time to time, canned beondegi are stocked in supermarkets, but for the most part, it's not uncommon to eat it as a side dish.

Beondegi in a frying pan © NothingIsEverything / Shutterstock

Sannakji

A dish very similar to bondage is worthy of ranking first in the rank of the most unusual street foods. In some cases, it can even be life-threatening. It is a live octopus cut into pieces, seasoned with sesame oil, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Even the parts that have been cut off move for a few hours and cling to all surfaces with suckers. Carelessness with the use of Sannakji can lead to strangulation. Octopus pieces can block the airways of a person if they're not chewed well before swallowing. Additionally, it serves as a snack with alcohol, served with spicy Ssamjang paste and green tea.

Gamja dog

South Korean corn dogs are based on sausages strung on a skewer. Corn dogs are similar to them. Gamja dogo is a fried fish topped with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise. It does not have a dough shell like its counterparts overseas.

Jipangi

It is famous, not because of its taste, but because of the shape of the cone. It is made from corn and then cooked in an ice cream machine in the shape of a cone. Often, chocolate and vanilla are added to this ice cream.

Hotteok

Hotteok is an exotic Korean street food that goes under the heading of desserts. It is essentially a sweet pancake that is filled with cane sugar and cinnamon, which turns into granular caramel. Additionally, the pancakes are filled with red bean paste, black sesame seeds, peanuts, walnuts, honey, and sunflower seeds.

Chimaek

The name of this dish comes from the English word chicken and the Korean word 맥주 (maegju) — which means beer. One example is сhimaek which is a popular pairing of fried chicken and beer. This dish is often served with honey sauce, sesame seeds, garlic, peanuts, and chili flakes. Additionally, it gets a crispy crust thanks to double roasting. Apart from the chicken, you can order fries.