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Gamjatang is a flavorful Korean stew made with pork spine and potatoes as the key ingredients, along with bean paste, chili powder, and garlic which are also simmered in the pot. The dish is usually topped with sesame leaves and served with a bowl of rice on the side.
Gamjatang has origins in the Incheon area, famously full of construction workers who used to cook it throughout the day so it could be consumed when they would finish working. The stew would often be paired with a few shots of cold soju. Today, gamjatang is a popular hangover cure in Korea, and it has spread to other territories such as Europe, USA, and Southeast Asia.
MOST ICONIC Gamjatang
View moreYukgaejang is a spicy Korean soup consisting of shredded beef, preferably brisket, scallions, gosari (eagle fern), bean sprouts, leeks, or mushrooms. The soup is seasoned with chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes, while some versions may also include glass noodles.
Yukgaejang is best served piping hot, with a bowl of rice on the side. The variation prepared with chicken is known as dakgaejang.
The star ingredient in this nourishing South Korean soup is dried seaweed, typically wakame variety that is known as miyeok in Korea. The soup consists of a hearty broth and a choice of protein that may include anything from beef, prawns, oysters, mussels, or tofu, while it is typically flavored with sesame oil and soy sauce.
Interestingly, due to the beneficial properties of wakame, this soup is a staple dish enjoyed by women after they have given birth. Tradition also suggests eating it on birthday celebrations, but it is mostly is enjoyed as a comforting everyday dish that is served with rice and various Korean sides.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kimchi-guksu is a traditional noodle soup originating from South Korea. The dish is usually made with a combination of kimchi, gochujang (hot pepper paste), wheat flour noodles (somyeon), nori, scallions, vegetable stock, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt.
The noodles are boiled in stock until they're chewy and soft. Once drained, they're divided into soup bowls and covered with the hot stock. A mixture of kimchi, gochujang, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sugar is added to each serving, and the dish is garnished with nori sheets and scallions before it's served hot.
Samgyetang is a flavorful soup from South Korea, consisting of a whole young chicken cooked with ginseng, garlic, and rice. In Korea, ginseng is revered for its medicinal properties, as it lowers blood sugar and boosts the body's immune system and stamina, making samgyetang an ideal soup for hot summer days, when people fall into nutrition deficiency due to excessive sweating and loss of appetite.
The flavors of the soup are somewhat milder than other Korean and Chinese herbal medicinal soups, and the key to its popularity during the summer may also be in its price, as it is generally pretty inexpensive. If consumed in a restaurant, there will often be a small bottle of insangju ginseng alcohol served on the side, believed to boost physical and sexual stamina.
MOST ICONIC Samgyetang
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
Galbitang is a Korean soup made with beef short-ribs. This delicious soup is eaten as a stand-alone meal, and it is prepared by boiling short-ribs and a whole radish for about 4 to 5 hours. When cooked, the meat is flavored with scallions, garlic, ground pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt.
It is then placed back into the broth along with the sliced radish. This soup is similar to seolleongtang, which is made with ox bones. Due to the fact that beef ribs are an expensive cut of meat, galbi-tang is considered to be a rather special dish, thus being served on special occasions, such as weddings and banquets.
Seolleongtang is a hot, invigorating South Korean bone soup prepared by boiling cow's bones, feet, head, organs, brisket, and shank for a long time until the broth develops a creamy white color. The soup is a staple in numerous Korean households, especially during the cold winter months.
It is believed that the soup was invented because King Seonjong of the Joseon Dynasty needed to feed a large number of people at a worship ritual for the god of farming, during which a cow would be sacrificed. The name of the dish is derived from the word Seonnongtang, meaning soup boiled at Seonnongdan, and later on, the word evolved into Seolleongtang.
MOST ICONIC Seolleongtang
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 moreThe base of this traditional Korean soup is made with anchovy or beef-based stock, but the star ingredients are mandu—traditional Korean crescent-shaped dumplings usually filled with beef and vegetables. The soup also mainly includes shiitake mushrooms and onions, or occasionally sliced tteok rice cakes.
In some parts of South Korea, manduguk is served on the first day of the Lunar New Year, a tradition that is believed to stem from the ancient belief that happiness was securely wrapped inside these bite-size dumplings. The soup is typically served garnished with sliced scallions and thin strips of eggs, while the side dishes include kimchi and other types of pickled vegetables.
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