Food Diary: Korea 2013 | Part 1

This post was brought by my still prevalent, withdrawal feels from staying in Korea last semester. This wasn’t just some one week excursion with the family – no, it was a FOUR month stay in the majestic land of the morning calm. I have my university to thank for the opportunity as they let me be a part of a yearly hosted student exchange program. Thus, for 4 months, I slept, studied, breathed and ate all things Korean – and it was AMAZING. Just a total dream come true. If it wasn't obvious enough, I’d just like to put it out there that I am obsessed with all things Korean – the food, fashion, music and shows. 

Without a doubt, one of the best part of my trip – other than the male specimen and sightseeing – was the MOUTHWATERING FOOD! And to make sure I remember ever bite that I’ve savored, I’m posting bind-ups of what I ate and drooled over during my four month stay. A disclaimer: my pictures do not do the food justice, so please bear with my lack of photography skills. 

Part 1: Traditional Korean Meals
Since this post will compress four months worth of food, I’m dividing it into 2 parts and will be starting the post off with the commonly eaten traditional goodies in Korea.

Bibimbap @ Sinchon

A filling and healthy meal, Bibimbap is one of Korea’s most known and staple dishes. In it you get a heaping scoop of rice, various veggies (like carrots, lettuce, beansprouts, mushrooms and dried seaweed), and finished off with a dollop of kojuchang (sweet chilly paste) at the top. Mix these all together, then shove a spoonful into your mouth and you’ll be screaming HALLELUJAH for the entire day. Yeap, it’s that good. Tip: if you could find restaurants that serve it in a hot stone pot, then it becomes ALL THE MORE gratifying. Heh.

Bulgogi @ Incheon

Bulgogi is a popular beef dish made with thinly sliced sirloin marinated in a sweet and savory mixture. Each bite is filled with tender and flavorful meaty bliss. Usually, it’s grilled or pan-fried. However, for me and my lovely lot of friends, we had our bulgogi pot-style – which means, as seen in the picture, that the beef was served raw and broiled in its own broth. I KNOW. Just hajkhjskhfkjshf heaven on a plate. Enoki mushrooms were also added to the pot, and much like any other Korean meals, a lot side dishes (called banchan) were served along side. It’s safe to say my stomach was this close to erupting after eating all that. 

Jjajangmyeon @ Korean National Museum Cafe

Jjajangmyeon, i think, is a cult favorite of many Koreans. It’s like their version of Chinese takeout; even various dramas show the main character stuffing their face with these black noodles. Looking back in history, the inspiration for jjajangmyeon came from the Chinese dish ‘jja jiang mien’, meaning deep fried noodles. But rather than using a brown bean paste, the Koreans changed it up by cooking the noodles in a black bean and soy sauce mixture, thus producing that distinct tar color. It’s definitely an acquired taste, because contrary to how it looks, it is very VERY sweet. And gloopy. And heavy. And an all around sinful little treat. If you want an authentic Korean experience, this dish is a must try!

Jjajangmyeon @ Korean National Museum Cafe

To date, one of my most memorable meal in Korea is Andong Jjimdak. First off, it’s a dish I was able to enjoy with both my friends and family. It’s a dish close to my heart *tears*. Secondly, the flavors hit something close to home – a little bit of sweetness, a whole lot of kick, and heavy on the tum-wum. A plate with a smorgasbord of chicken, various veggies, potatoes and starchy noodles braised in a spicy soy-based sauce is sure to win my fat-filled heart. Man, it was so good! Just looking at the picture literally made my mouth water.

Bibim Naengmyeon @ YumSem, Edae

The image on the left is how the dish should look like. The image on the right is what happens when you play with your food too much, and if you take crappy photos. Now, bibim naengmyeon is the drier and spicier version of the normal naengmyeon – a dish of buckwheat noodles immersed in a tangy broth, topped with veggies such as carrots and cucumbers, and seasoned with vinegar and Korean mustard. My dish is this, minus the broth, plus a bit of chili paste. It’s by no means bad, but it’s not the most flavorful of dishes. And! Be warned, a few spoons into this and I felt very full. So it’s a dish that’s best eaten with another…or three.

Bibim Naengmyeon @ YumSem, Edae

Jokbal is seasoned and steamed pork trotters. I know, the first reaction to it is O.O But trust me, once you get a bite of this delicate piece of meat, you’ll want to love it like you haven’t loved before. Essentially, imagine eating ham but with a blander and simpler flavors of soybean sauce and ginger. What livens up the dish its the condiments that come along with it. Basically, to have an orgasmic experience, you put the sliced pig-feet on a lettuce leaf, top it with kimchi and a small dollop of ssamjang (pepper and fermented bean paste). Shove it in your mouth and BAM! heaven. True story.

Jjambbong @ ECC, Ewha University

This was the first official meal I had in Korea. And holy hell, was it HOT. When I had my first bite, I was quite enjoying it. And by my second spoonful, my mouth was on FI-YAH (translation: fire). I would not recommend this to people with medium to low tolerance on heat. I, for one, have learned my lesson and now am passing on this nugget of wisdom to you. *bows* So this dish has the same kind of idea as jjajanmyeon, the difference is that the noodles are drenched in broth and seafood has been tossed into the mix. If it wasn’t so spicy, I might have had enjoyed it. 

Samgyetang @ Myeongdong

On my mother’s insistence, my family and I tried the holy samgyetang. I say holy because the logic of this dish astounds my puny brain. Do you know the concept fight fire with fire? Well, this is what the dish is trying to accomplish. Because of its many health benefits such as boosting the immune system, Koreans eat this steaming hot dish during the SUMMER. Samgyetang has bee believed to replace any minerals and vitamins that’s been sweated out in the heat, so eating this makes you healthy and wealthy like Pop-eye the sailor man. A whole chicken boiled in broth with Korean ginseng, garlic, ginger, rice and jujube fruits is definitely something uniquely delicious in my book.

Pajeon @ Nami Island

Pajeon is a Korean-style pancake popularly eaten as an appetizer or snack. Its base is that of a typical pancake batter, but instead of being sweet, the batter’s been mixed with savory ingredients such as scallions, kimchi or seafood. To end a little taste of heaven, you dip a slice of pajeon in a soy sauce and vinegar mixture. Me and my friends had this when we were on a “cultural school trip” at the famous Nami Island (sounds familiar? think Winter Sonata). The view was impeccable, the food delicious, and the company just the best – what more could I ask for?

Soondubu Jjigae @ Myeongdong

To end this massive post, I’m introducing a known Korean soup dish called soondubu jiggae – literally translated to soft tofu stew. Typically these jiggae (pronounced jig-gay) can be made with different bases like miso, kimchi, and such. This one in particular is tofu based, and is hella delicious. The tofu has a very silky texture to it, and each bite has tons of flavor that comes from the chili paste, garlic, meat, seafood and veggies that’s been simmered along with the tofu. It’s a very cheap and hearty dish great for any chilly night in the beautiful night of Seoul. 

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So this is the end of Part 1. Expect parts 2 and 3 to be filled with the same sarcasm and praise towards these delicious Korean food. Annyeong for now!