5 top South Korean dishes you must try!
by: Safia Belal
South Korean food is now everywhere in Egypt especially in Maadi and Zamalek, rom street vendors along narrow alleyways to classy restaurants within 5-star hotels. Many of these delicacies have existed for more 2,000 years and were only consumed by royal families in Korea.
In current days, Korean food becomes very popular, as tourists and locals are more likely to try the food and enjoy it as if they are in the clouds, even if the food is spicy and have a lot of spices, they still enjoying it.
1-Kimchi
Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish. This signature Korean dish has been around for more than 2,000 years, dating back to the Shilla Dynasty. Kimchi consists of Korean cabbage of fermented vegetables, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. It has a sour, spicy, and umami flavor that varies depending on the ingredients and the length of fermentation. Kimchi is eaten as a side dish or as an ingredient in many Korean dishes, such as soups, stews, fried rice, and noodles. Kimchi is also a healthy food that contains probiotics and vitamins also it usually eaten beside white steamed rice.
2-Bibimbap
Depending on the region and ingredients used, bibimbap can be served as a meat-based or vegetarian dish. The most common bibimbap consists of warm rice topped with mixed vegetables, beef or chicken, and raw egg, as well as soy sauce and and a spicy sauce called gochujang. The name bibimbap means “mixed rice” because the ingredients are mixed before eating.
3-Red rice cakes ( tteokbokki )
Tteokbokki, or simmered rice cake, is a popular Korean food made from small-sized garae-tteok called tteokmyeon or commonly tteokbokki-tteok. Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food made of soft, chewy rice cakes cooked in a sweet and spicy sauce made of Korean red pepper paste, also called gochujang. Usually it is eaten with Ramen (Korean noodles), boiled eggs and fish cake. It can also be as a side dish, snack, and main course.
4-Bulgogi
It consists of thinly sliced beef that is marinated in a sweet and savory sauce and grilled on a barbecue or a stove-top griddle alongside sliced onions, green peppers, and garlic using a charcoal burner, resulting in a distinctive smoky flavour. Prior to grilling, the meat is marinated between 2 and 4 hours in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic, onions, ginger, and sugar to enhance its flavour and tenderness. The name bulgogi means “fire meat” in Korean, and it is one of the most well-known and popular Korean dishes.
5-Korean BBQ
Korean BBQ dish is a general term for various grilled meat dishes that are popular in Korean cuisine. Korean BBQ dishes are usually marinated in a sauce that contains soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and other seasonings, and then cooked over charcoal or gas grills. Some of the most common Korean BBQ dishes are, Galbi which is beef short ribs that are cut across the bones, Jeyuk Bokkeum is Spicy pork bulgogi that is marinated in a sauce made with gochujang, and Dak Bulgogi is Chicken bulgogi that is marinated in a sauce that is slightly different from beef bulgogi. Dak bulgogi is tender, juicy, and flavorful. Korean BBQ dishes are usually served with rice, lettuce, perilla leaves, kimchi, and other banchan (side dishes) that can be used to make wraps or eaten separately. Ssamjang (a sauce made with soybean paste and red pepper paste) is a common dipping sauce for Korean BBQ dishes.
