When people think of Korean Food, most people think of Korean BBQ, Kimchi, and Bibimbap.
However, these only scratch the surface of what Korean cuisine is all about.
Without further ado, here is my top 10 list of Korean Foods you’re probably not familiar with but definitely need to go and try.
10. Galbi-tang (갈비탕) – Beef Short Rib Soup
Image SourceBy Beeniru [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Galbi-Tang is a clear broth based soup often cooked with Beef Short Ribs, ginger, onions, radish, and garlic.
The short ribs are often simmered for an hour to an hour and half to bring out the beefy flavor in the soup while obtaining that tender, fall-off-the-bone goodness of the short ribs.
If you’re looking for a soupy, ‘home-y’ dish but want some luxury from the premium cuts of beef, this is the one for you.
9. Shik-hye (식혜) – Korean Rice Punch
Image SourceBy gliuoo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/gliuoo/2540277984/) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
This Korean Rice Beverage is a sweet, chilled dessert drink often made by mixing cold fresh water, barley malt, partially cooked white rice, sugar, and pine nuts. The ingredients are simmered in a pot and chilled afterwards to bring out the flavors of the sweet barley and rice. If you’re a fan of drinks like Horchatas, you’ll surely love this refreshing and summer-y rice punch.
8. Jja jang myun (짜장면) – Black Bean Noodles
Image SourceBy 아침꿀물 at Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/morish/4079464860/) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
If you’ve ever tried the Chinese version of this, Zhajiangmian, you’ll definitely know what this dish is all about. Jja jang myun is a black bean noodle dish that is the staple of Korean-Chinese fusion food. It is often mixed with onions, zucchini, potatoes, and beef or pork all melded together in a saucy, curry-like consistency black bean sauce. This dish is very popular among Korean people and if you get the chance of trying out this dish, I highly recommend checking out some of the other dishes in Korean-Chinese cuisine.
7. Dak Galbi (닭갈비) – Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken
If you want to mix up your Korean BBQ game, dak galbi is a great dish that takes the same, enjoyable eating experience of traditional Korean BBQ, and adds a completely different flavor profile.
Dak-galbi is a spicy stir-fried chicken dish that includes chicken thigh, rice cakes, and vegetables like cabbage, carrots, potatoes and perilla leaves, that are all mixed together in a spicy gochujang (Korean chili paste) sauce. Many restaurants will melt mozzarella cheese over the top of the dish to add a satisfying gooey texture while also cutting some of that gochujang spice.
6. Bo-Ssam (보쌈) – Boiled Pork Belly Wraps
Who doesn’t love themselves some good bacon or pork belly?
While it’s common for many people to prepare pork belly roasted or grilled, this Korean dish is prepared in a way that is both healthier and cleaner tasting while still retaining that fatty goodness of the pork belly.
Bo Ssam is pork belly or shoulder boiled together with garlic, ginger, onion, and rice wine and is often served with Radish Kimchi and Nappa Cabbage.
If you want to amp up the flavor profile on this dish even more, many restaurants will also serve this with fresh raw oysters either separately or mixed in with the radish kimchi.
With the creaminess of the fresh oysters, the crunch of radish kimchi, and the fatty goodness of the pork belly, this is a dish you may crave day after day.
5. Yuk-Hye (육회) – Korean Beef Tartare
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If you’ve never had raw beef or beef tartare before, this dish may look a bit intimidating to you.
Yuk-Hye is a Korean beef tartare made with julienned filet mignon that is seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, salt, and sugar and topped off with Korean Pear, Pine Nuts, and a raw egg yolk.
If you’re a fan of sushi or tartares in general, I guarantee that you will absolutely love this dish.
When mixed all together, the egg yolk adds a pleasant creamy texture to the tender filet mignon strips while the minced garlic and Korean pear add a subtle sweet and spicy kick. When done correctly, this is one of my absolute favorite appetizers.
4. Ho-Dduk (호떡) – Korean Sweet Pancakes
Image SourceKorean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
For all you dessert lovers out there, this sweet pastry is a crispy Korean pancake filled with a sweet mixture of honey, brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Its crispy, doughy exterior is made with flour, yeast, milk and sugar and when fried, creates a crispy and soft texture that matches perfectly with the sweet honey inside. Pair this with some cold fresh milk or ice cream and you have a match made in heaven.
3. Soondae (순대) – Korean Blood Sausage
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Blood sausage…not the most appetizing name for a dish but don’t let the name deter you from trying this popular food item.
These bite sized sausage pieces are filled with sweet rice, sweet potato vermicelli, and pork blood.
Although there’s no actual meat inside of this dish, this sausage has a meaty pork flavor and is often served with other less conventional meats such as stomach, tongue, and liver.
I know this probably doesn’t sound the most appealing for less adventurous eaters, but you’re going to just have to trust me on this one. Try it in a soup or dip it in tteokppoki sauce and you will not regret trying this dish!
2. Gye Jang (게장) – Marinated Raw Crab
Gyejang is a traditional dish made from raw blue crabs marinated in a mild soy sauce based brine. The freshness of the blue crabs really shines through in this dish as the creamy texture of the crab meat pair nicely with the umami flavor of the soy sauce brine.
There is also a spicy version of this dish called yangnyum gye jang (양념게장) which is often made with gochugaru (Korean chili powder), soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, and ginger. Grated fruits like Korean Pear are sometimes added to the marinade to add a natural sweetness to the dish.
Gyejang is a relatively uncommon dish and you will normally be only able to find it in restaurants that really specialize in it. But if you’re lucky enough to find a place that does gyejang well, definitely give it a try and don’t forget to eat it with rice!
1. Dak-Bokkeum-Tang (닭볶음탕) – Spicy Braised Chicken
Last but not least, my top pick for a Korean dish that I recommend you need to go and try is dak-bokkeum-tang (or also known as dak dori tang).
Dak-Bokkeum-Tang is a spicy braised chicken dish made by slow cooking bone-in chicken in a sauce blend made of Korean pepper paste, pepper flakes, soy sauce, garlic, onions, and sugar. The chicken is braised together with potatoes and sometimes carrots to create a wholesome hearty meal that pairs greatly with rice. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and because this dish is slow cooked for hours, the spicy marinade blends with the chicken broth created to form an amazing stew of spicy and savory flavors.
The reason I placed this on the top of my list is because this dish is rarely found in many restaurants, and even the restaurants that do serve this, often don’t specialize in it. If you want to try to make this dish yourself, there are some great recipes online that are both delicious and easy to make.
