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
MOST ICONIC Jeon
View moreTteokbokki is a spicy stir-fried dish that usually consists of cylinder-shaped rice cakes, sweet red chili sauce, and fish cakes. It is considered to be one of the top street food items in Korea, and can usually be bought from street vendors known as pojangmacha.
The dish originated during the Joseon Dynasty period, when it was used as a cure, and it was also one of the royal court's dishes. Originally, tteokbokki was called tteok jjim, a braised dish of sliced rice cakes, meat, eggs, and seasonings.
MOST ICONIC Tteokbokki
Bungeoppang is an unusual fish-shaped South Korean pastry filled with red beans. The outer shell is made with a simple batter consisting of eggs, flour, raising agents, sugar, and water. It is poured in fish-shaped molds, and a dollop of smooth or coarse red bean paste is then placed in the middle.
Enclosed in the mold, the pastry is baked on the stove until golden brown and crisp on the edges. The red bean filling is evenly distributed within the pastry and stays safely tucked inside. One of the most popular varieties of this sweet snack is known as ice bungeoppang, the factory-produced treat which combines ice cream with red bean filling.
MOST ICONIC Bungeoppang
Korean corndog is a unique twist on a hot dog prepared by coating a sausage in corn dog batter, dipping it into french fries, then deep-frying the whole thing in oil. The dish is presented skewered on a stick and it is usually consumed on the go.
Hot dog vendors sell them throughout Korea, and there are a few variations, so they can also be wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, or seaweed, while tomato ketchup is typically used as the main condiment.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Bindaetteok is a savory mung bean pancake which first appeared in a cookbook in the 1670s under the name binjatteok. Originally, it was topped with savory chunks of pork and was mainly enjoyed by the rich, while the plain varieties were reserved for the lower social classes.
Next to ground mung beans, modern-day bindaetteok usually employs a wide variety of other ingredients such as cabbage kimchi, sprouts, onions, glutinous rice, or ground pork. Fried in shallow oil, bindaetteok is best eaten fresh when it is still crispy on the exterior.
MOST ICONIC Bindaetteok
Gyeran-ppang is a South Korean snack consisting of small bread-like loaves that are filled with whole eggs, and sometimes ham, cheese, or parsley. The base is made with a simple egg batter, while the finished loaves may be topped with nuts, tomato sauce, or cheese.
These snacks are usually prepared at street stalls where vendors bake them in specialized, oblong molds. They are usually associated with the winter season and are best enjoyed warm and freshly prepared.
Salty, sticky, and chewy, sannakji is a South Korean dish consisting of raw baby octopus that is chopped and traditionally served drizzled with sesame oil. Interestingly, as the dish is served instantly after chopping, some of the pieces are still in motion, twitching on the plate.
The dish can be commonly found at Korean street food stalls, and it is recommended to pair it with ssamjang and green tea. A popular Korean movie with a cult following called Oldboy (2003, dir. Park Chan-wook) depicted the dish in one of its most disturbing scenes.
MOST ICONIC Sannakji
Beondegi is a classic South Korean street food consisting of silkworm pupae insects. These tiny animals are usually boiled or steamed and then seasoned before they are served in small cups. Although of an acquired taste, beondegi is available at numerous street stalls throughout the country, while the canned version is occasionally found in supermarkets.
Some restaurants even serve the insects as a side dish. Beondegi became a popular option during Korean War when food was scarce, and there was a shortage of protein-rich ingredients.
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