With the head-over-heels love stories, who isn’t a simp over K dramas? But while binge-watching popular Korean dramas like Love Scout, When The Phone Rings, XO Kitty, and so on, it’s only natural to have a craving for Korean food. Even though you might not be able to master their elaborate meals, why don’t you start small with Korean street foods?
Whether it's the famous Tteokbokki from the book “I Want to Die, but I Also Want to Eat Tteokbokki” or the sweet Bungeoppang, you must have watched the Korean actors binge, here is a list of the famous yet easy-to-make dishes. So, the next time you’re watching a Korean series, make it the best experience by recreating Korean street foods at home.
Ttekbokki
Ttekbokki, which are essentially spicy rice cakes, are one of the most popular Korean street foods. If you have a high spice tolerance, you can make it at home by cooking chewy rice in red chilli sauce. While the rice is traditionally cooked in gochujang, i.e., a red chilli paste that’s readily available in Korea, you can use red chilli powder, dried red chillies, or even a chilli sauce. Add in soy sauce, a little sugar, and minced garlic. For a non-vegetarian twist, you can add fish cakes and eggs and serve with green onions.
Hotteok
Hotteok is the perfect Korean street food that you can enjoy during the winter season. To make sweet Korean-style pancakes, you can knead dough with flour, water, sugar, and yeast. Let it ferment, and then take small portions of the dough and fill it with cinnamon, brown sugar, and dry fruits. You can then shallow fry it till crispy and pair it with your tea or coffee.
Gimbap
Often confused with Japanese Sushi, Gimbap is a Korean seaweed rice roll that is popularly made in the streets and in high-end restaurants. All you need to do to make it in your kitchen is soak some short-grain rice and cook it with water, oil, and a little salt. Then, spread a sheet of seaweed and add a layer of rice. Top it with chopped veggies, fish, and meat. Roll it tightly using a bamboo mat, slice it into thin pieces, and serve.
Dakgangjeong
If you are a fan of fried chicken, you must try Korean Dakgangjeong. It can be made by taking fresh chicken and chopping it into bite-size pieces. Coat the chicken in cornstarch and deep fry till golden brown. Then, prepare a sauce with soy sauce, gochujang, a little honey, and oil. Cook the fried chicken in the sauce, garnish it with sesame seeds, and dig in.
Bungeoppang
If you are a fan of K-Pop and K dramas, you must have spotted the fish-shaped pastries called Bungeoppang. With its crunchy exterior and mouth-melting core, it is a haven for people with a sweet tooth. You can simply make it with your usual pancake batter and cook it in a fish-shaped mould. Then, fill it with a sweet red bean paste, cover it with the same batter and cook till the Bungeoppang is crispy on both sides.