Dwaeji gukbap is a popular South Korean soup made with pork, soy sauce, miso, rice wine, sesame oil, and bone broth. When served, the soup is accompanied by a variety of side dishes such as rice, shrimps, onions, noodles, kimchi, garlic, and green peppers, which can all be added into the steaming bowl of soup.
Dwaeji gukbap started as a poor man's meal, dating back to the Korean War in the 1950s, when refugees from North Korea used to prepare it with beef. Over time, the soup became a popular local dish, especially in Busan. Today, most people enjoy this unique dish while drinking liquor, and it is especially beneficial for women who are recovering from childbirth.
MOST ICONIC Dwaeji gukbap
View moreIn many ways similar to its North Korean counterpart naengmyeon, which is based on buckwheat noodles, this Busan specialty is differentiated by the use of wheat noodles. The dish usually combines icy cold broth with wheat noodles, while the toppings include boiled eggs, cucumbers, radishes, and beef.
Although there are many theories about its origin, the most probable says that milmyeon first appeared during the Korean War when many North Koreans fled to Busan. In an attempt to recreate their favorite dish, they replaced buckwheat with wheat since it was widely available through the American army.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Jeon, also known as Korean pancakes, represents a number of pancake-like dishes in Korean cuisine that are often served as appetizers, side dishes, or consumed as snacks. Although jeon are typically prepared in savory versions, there are also some sweet varieties of these flavorful pancakes.
At their simplest, it is food that is first coated in flour and eggs, then pan-fried in oil. Jeon incorporates ingredients such as thinly sliced meat, poultry, seafood, and various vegetables. The pancakes are traditionally prepared every year during the Korean Lunar New Year and Korean Harvest Festival, although they are eaten daily throughout the year.
VARIATIONS OF Jeon
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pajeon is a variety of jeon (Korean pancakes), made with a batter of rice flour, eggs, and green onions (pa), the key ingredient in this dish, hence the name. It is a popular snack or an appetizer that is usually served with rice and a combination of soy sauce and vinegar, used as a dipping sauce.
There are endless variations of the dish prepared by adding other ingredients to it, such as vegetables, kimchi, or seafood. The pancakes, which are easily recognizable by the green onions sticking out from all sides, can either be cooked as small discs or one large pancake that is then cut into individual portions.
Patbingsu is a popular South Korean dessert, its name meaning red bean ice flakes. It consists of shaved ice, condensed milk, and sweet azuki bean paste. It is often topped with pieces of Korean rice cakes known as tteok, fresh fruit, or cereals, although there are numerous variations with different toppings that are added according to personal preference.
Patbingsu is at the peak of its popularity during summer, although it is typically available from May to October. The treat is praised for its combination of flavors and textures - crunchy, creamy, and chewy. Although the dish is composed of a number of distinct layers, all ingredients are customarily stirred together before consumption until the shaved ice melts, transforming it into a kind of sweet, cold soup.
Jokbal is a popular South Korean dish consisting of boneless seasoned and steamed pig's legs. The meat is usually seasoned with a combination of soy sauce, ginger, and black taffy, giving the dish a unique flavor. Jokbal is traditionally served with side dishes such as kimchi, buchu, and shredded radish, while the condiment of choice is usually ssamjang, which is a combination of fermented bean paste and pepper.
It is recommended to serve jokbal wrapped in lettuce leaves.
It's hard to say which is better: the succulent meat or spicy side dishes that define bulgogi, the Asian barbecue style in which thin slices of marinated meat are quickly cooked over high heat on top of a perforated, round metal plate that covers the grill's piping hot coals.
The name of the dish stems from bool and kogi, Korean words denoting fire and meat. The earliest form of the dish originates from the Goguryeo period, when the meat was marinated before grilling, unlike the standard Chinese practice of seasoning the meat after it has been grilled.