Korea’s food is famous due to its diversity in taste and flavor. The dishes vary from spicy to sweet and savory, from light meals to heavy meat dishes, from drinks to unique desserts. Altogether, Korean food is considered unbelievably delightful with a delicious taste. If you love the spicy and unique taste, Korean food is impossible for you to resist. It’s an ecstasy for food lovers!
“Cheese makes it better.”
Demand for cheese in Korea increased massively after exposure to western dishes such as pizza, creating a koreanized version of the pizza culture. Now South Korea is the sixth-largest importer of American dairy. Cheese has transformed Korea’s local food and is widely used in Korean street food and many traditional dishes.
With all the cheesy popularity, a question that comes to mind is whether you can use cheese in every Korean dish? The answer to this question lies in your imagination as it can go well with every Korean dish adding a savory flavor.
Does Cheese Go Well with Korean Food?
A primary reason it can go well with Korean food is that Korean food is usually spicy and has a strong flavor—fats and protein in cheese help neutralize that spicy stimulation. Many common types of cheese are available that can be used in different local and traditional Korean dishes.
“Ramyeon and Kimchi is a way of life for Koreans. It creates a sense of home and comfort for Korean people wherever they are.”
Samyang food, an instant noodle manufacturer, released a carbo version of chicken ramen with a creamy cheese powder, a massive hit among Koreans. Imsil Cheese Theme Park, in Imsil country, South Korea, is a fun park dedicated to all cheesy things. It will not be wrong to say that “Koreans are in love with cheese.”
Korean cuisine has evolved over the years, offering so many different flavors. With the changing food trends, there’s always something new one can try. It was included among the 20 best countries in the world for food.
Are you feeling hungry with all the cheesy food talk? Hold up, wait no longer! I’m going to share 9 heavenly Korean dishes you must try once in your life.
Bibimbap
Bibimbap is typically a rice dish with meat and vegetables. It is a popular Korean food eaten worldwide. “Bibim” means mixing ingredients, and “bap” refers to rice. Hence the name mixed rice, aka Bibimbap. It is served as a warm bowl of rice topped with meat, gochujang, Kimchi, soy sauce, sautéed veggies, and a raw egg. All the ingredients are mixed before eating. Bibimbap is a classic Korean dish with different forms depending on the ingredients used, like microgreen bibimbap, yangpun bibimbap, dolsot bibimbap, Hoe-depbap, and vegetarian bibimbap.
Tteokbokki
Tteokboki is a famous Korean street food that has a delicious and addictive unique taste. Also known as Ddeokbokki or Dukbokki, it can be found almost everywhere in Korea. It is usually prepared with garaetteok, odeng (fish cake), gochujang, soy sauce, vegetables like onion, garlic, spring onions, and boiled eggs. It comes in endless varieties that include jajang-tteokbokki, curry-tteokbokki, galbi-tteokbokki, seafood tteokbokki, and so on.
Budae-jjigae
Budae-jjigae, or Army stew, is a famous Korean hot pot dish. It is not a traditional Korean dish but a fusion of American processed food and Korean stew. “Budae” is a term of the military unit, and “Jjigae” is Korean Stew. This delicious and easy to make hot pot dish was first introduced during the post-war impoverishment. Budae-jjigae is a spicy sausage stew usually prepared with spam, sausage, ham, Kimchi, bacon, vegetables, gochujang, ganjang (soy sauce), as well as rice cakes, and ramyeon noodles.
Kimbap
Kimbap or Korean sushi roll is a cheap snack that is light both on the palate and wallet. ???? It is a lunch staple and can be found premade in every cafeteria or convenience store. As sandwiches are the go-to picnic meal in the West, Kimbap is a go-to picnic food in Korea. Kimbap is usually made with beef, vegetables, cooked rice, eggs, sesame oil, gim (edible seaweed), and sweet pickled radish. All the ingredients are layered on the seaweed sheet, rolled, and then sliced into bite-size pieces. There are different Kimbap available, depending on the ingredients used in the making. Tuna Kimbap, Bulgogi Kimbap, Yachae Kimbap, and so much more. (Here is your guide to different types of Kimbap.)
Jjajangmyeon
Jjajangmyeon is a blend of Chinese noodles dish. Koreans modified the thin Chinese noodles into thick handmade wheat noodles. It is as popular as Kimchi, and most Koreans have it at least once a week. Jjajangmyeon is served with diced meat, onions, and black bean sauce topped on the noodles. The sauce is mixed with noodles before eating. Sweet pickled radish is usually paired as a side dish to minimize the black bean paste’s greasiness.
Bulgogi
Some Korean dishes serve the purpose of balanced food, incorporating nutrients from every food group, making it the best choice to eat again. Bulgogi is such a savory and juicy dish made by grilling the marinated beef. It is cooked together with green peppers, garlic, sliced onions, sesame oil, and soy sauce to enhance its amazing taste and flavors. It is served with ssamjang, Kimchi, and leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, or perilla leaves to wrap the Bulgogi. It was ranked as the 23rd tastiest food globally in a report published by CNN Travel in 2017.
Japchae
Japchae is a popular Korean glass noodle stir fry made with a mixture of vegetables, sesame oil, soy sauce, meat, and the main ingredient dangmyeon (glass noodles). It offers a savory and sweet taste and is commonly served as a side dish. Japchae is mostly present on special occasions like weddings, birthdays, or the new year but it can be offered as a main dish paired with rice.
Kimchi Stew
When it comes to Korean food, one cannot miss the traditional side dish Kimchi, which is eaten almost with everything. Koreans have different types of Kimchi. It is typically fermented vegetables made with various seasonings comprising garlic, ginger, spring onions, onion, gochugaru, and jeotgal.
“Koreans can hardly survive two days without Kimchi.”
Kimchi stew is the most popular broth in Korea and is served in many traditional restaurants. It offers a spicy and savory flavor and is equally popular among foreigners. The stew can be made easily at home with meat, tofu, garlic, onions, doenjang (fermented bean paste), gochujang, and of course, the heavenly Kimchi.
Bottom line
Korean cuisine has many other yummy foods from spicy to savory, from cakes to sweet desserts, and so much more. Korean Dishes are tasty and healthy, offering various delicious flavors to try.
We’ve compiled the top 8 Korean dishes that you must try. Let us know if you have tried any Korean dish before? Or the Korean dish you want to try at least once in your life.