Sentinel Digital Desk
Kimchi consists of Korean cabbage, radish, pumpkin, onion, ginger, and scallion with chili powder, crushed garlic and salted seafood, which is then left to ferment. With more than 200 variations available in Seoul, this traditional cuisine is eaten on its own or with white rice, and added into porridges, soups, and rice cakes.
The most common bibimbap consists of warm rice topped with mixed vegetables, beef or chicken, and raw egg, as well as soy sauce and a dollop of chilli pepper paste for seasoning.
Tteokbokki is a traditional Korean street food that’s made with thick slices of garaetteok (boiled rice cake), fish cake, onions, diced garlic, salt, sugar and assorted vegetables that are stir-fried in sweet red chili sauce
Bulgogi consists of thin slices of marinated beef sirloin that are cooked alongside sliced onions, green peppers, and garlic using a charcoal burner, resulting in a distinctive smoky flavour. Prior to grilling, the meat is marinated between 2 and 4 hours in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic, onions, ginger, and sugar to enhance its flavour and tenderness.
This Korean stew usually contains meat, seafood or vegetables in a broth seasoned with hot pepper paste (gochujang), fermented miso (gaenjang), soybean paste, or salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot). Usually served as a palate cleanser between heavier dishes, jjigae has a similar consistency to a western stew.
Korean-Chinese fusion dish, jajangmyeon uses thick handmade wheat noodles topped with raw cucumber slices and a mixture of salty black soybean paste, diced pork and vegetables. Priced from 5,000 won onwards, this hearty noodle dish is great for when you need a quick meal that doesn't break the wallet.
Samgyeopsal is another staple Korean dish that requires little culinary skills, where chunky slices of pork belly are cooked on a grill at the diners’ table. It's then wrapped in lettuce or sesame leaf with dipping sauces and accompaniments such as button mushrooms, green chili peppers, green onions, raw onions and garlic, as well as kimchi.
Unlike its American counterparts, the chicken is coated with a sweet and spicy sauce (some restaurants add green pepper inside the batter for a spicier kick) before double frying it in vegetable oil.