Jjapaguri is a Korean dish that consists of two types of instant noodles. It's also known as ram-den, a made-up word popularized in Boong Joon-Ho's movie Parasite, denoting a combination of ramen and udon. Jjapaguri combines Korean instant noodles such as Chapagetti (jajang ramen noodles) and Neoguri (udon noodles in a spicy seafood broth) for a budget comfort food item, while in the movie Parasite, the dish looks a bit fancier because it's topped with premium beef (hanu), showing how affluent the upper-class family really is.
In order to prepare ram-don at home, just combine Chapagetti and Neoguri, then top it with a well-marbled sirloin steak and garnish it with chopped green onions, if desired.
Japchae is a South Korean dish made by stir-frying glass noodles and vegetables. The dish is often served with beef and additionally flavored with sugar and soy sauce. The name of the dish is translated to a mixture of vegetables. The original japchae did not contain meat nor noodles, and it was invented by King Gwangaegun's servant, who prepared the meal for a royal celebration.
The king loved the dish so much that the servant got promoted to an upper rank. Since many Korean foods feature five colors, japchae also meets that criterium: green for spinach, red for carrots, black for mushrooms, and yellow and white for a fried egg, typically used as a garnish in japchae.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
This Korean stew usually combines kelp and anchovy stock with kimchi, baked beans, spam, and hot dog sausages, while the common addition also includes ramen noodles, pork, potato noodles, rice cakes, or tofu. Also known as army stew, budae jjigae was created as a true fusion dish sometime in the 1950s, in the aftermath of the Korean War.
Since the food was scarce, the locals would smuggle processed meat products that they could find at American army bases, and through ingenuity and resourcefulness, they created budae jjigae. The dish is believed to have originated at an army base located in Uijeongbudong.
Thin somyeon noodles make the base of this spicy Korean dish. The noodles are cooked and tossed with a cold sauce that usually combines gochujang (chili paste), rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame seeds, while the toppings typically include sliced, fresh vegetables, kimchi, hard-boiled egg, seaweed, pickled radishes, or sprouts.
The dish is always served cold, and it is usually enjoyed as a refreshing and nourishing summer classic.
MOST ICONIC Bibim guksu
Kalguksu is a favorite summertime dish of many South Koreans, usually served during rainy seasons and on windy summer days. It consists of handmade wheat flour and egg noodles in a broth that is usually made with shellfish, dried anchovies, and kelp.
The noodles are cut with a knife, giving the dish its name, kalguksu, which literally means knife noodles. Although seafood kalguksu is the most popular variety, there are other versions of kalguksu such as spicy (jjanppong kalguksu), chicken (dak kalguksu), and mushroom kalguksu (beodeot kalguksu).
MOST ICONIC Kalguksu
In 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.
MOST ICONIC Milmyeon
Kongguksu is a Korean summer classic that combines noodles and a cold, soy milk broth. Traditionally, the broth is made from scratch by cooking and puréeing soybeans, occasionally with the addition of sesame seeds or different nuts. The dish is usually prepared with somyeon noodles, and it is finished off with the addition of different toppings such as finely sliced cucumbers or tomatoes.
Occasionally, ice cubes can be added to chill the soup.
MOST ICONIC Kongguksu
Janchi guksu is a Korean dish consisting of somyeon wheat noodles served in a clear anchovy or beef broth, which is occasionally flavored with kelp. The dish is typically garnished with thinly sliced egg (jidan), seaweed (gim), carrots, shitake mushrooms, or zucchinis, and it usually served with yangnyeomjang – a spicy, soy sauce-based dip.
The name janchi translates as a banquet, suggesting that the dish was once traditionally served on special occasions.
Makguksu is a traditional noodle salad originating from South Korea, and it’s a specialty of the Gangwon province. The salad is made with a combination of buckwheat noodles, chicken, and vegetables, and it’s always served chilled. There are numerous variations on this cold noodle salad, but it often incorporates ingredients such as chicken breast, carrots, red bell peppers, cabbage, cucumbers, endive, lettuce, chili peppers, onions, gochujang (hot pepper paste), and soy sauce.
Some people even like to add beef, pork, potato pancakes, or mung bean pancakes to the mix. This dish is especially popular on hot summer days.
Hand-pulled, wheat noodles are the star ingredient in this hearty Korean soup. The broth is traditionally flavored with anchovies, dry seaweed, and occasionally shellfish, while the additional elements may include sliced vegetables such as scallions and potatoes, or kimchi.
The dish was once considered a rarity that was only enjoyed on special occasions, but nowadays it is a common home-cooked meal. The name sujebi roughly translates as hand folded—referring to the process of pulling small pieces of dough by hand.
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