Favorite Korean Snacks

Finals are right around the corner, and we probably need energy to stay up. Here is a list of my top 10 favorite korean snacks to help you through the long study sessions.

1. Pepero: Cookie stick, dipped in chocolate syrup.

2. Choco Pie: Two layers of chocolate dipped cake with marshmallow filling.

3. Banana Kick: Similar to Cheetos, but banana flavored.

4. Kahn Cho: Small cookie with chocolate filling.

5. Sae Woo Kang: Shrimp flavored snack.

6. Yan Yan: Cracker stick that you can dip in chocolate,strawberry, or vanilla cream.

7. Yang Pah Ring: Onion Rings.

8. Ppushu Ppushu: ramen noodle snack. It's basically an uncooked ramen noodle package but they turned it into a snack.

9. Gam Jah Kang: Potato stick snack.

10. Crown Sando: Cookies with chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry filling.

Head over to the korean market!

Things to eat with Ja-jang-myun

Ja-Jang-Myun, which is Korean noodles in a black bean sauce, is cheap ($6) and super filling. In the sauce there are onions, meat, and potatoes. Not all Korean restaurant's have Ja-Jang-Myun on the menu because to Korean people it's thought of more as a fast-food type of dish. I go to get Ja-Jang-Myun at Tae Hwa Gwan restaurant in Olney, Philadelphia.

If you ever decide to get Ja-Jang-Myun you should also get side dishes that most people order with the dish.

1. Mandoo - fried dumpling

2. Tang Soo Yook - Sweet and sour pork

And to compliment the noodles, these are brought out for free to eat with the meal.

1. freshly cut onions

2.dan mu ji (yellow japanese pickles)

Most people like to put vinegar on the onions, and dan mu ji for more flavor.

Give it a try!

Duk Gook (Rice Cake Soup)

Duk Gook is a traditional meal prepared on New Year's Day to welcome and celebrate the new year! I know it's not not New Year's yet but it's also a commonly made soup. It takes about 30 minutes to make, and you can add dumplings and beef to make it a tastier meal.

Ingredients:

1. store bought Dduk (Rice Cake) flat, oval shaped.

2. boil beef and water to make the broth.

3. soy sauce.

4. two eggs, fried, thinly sliced.

5. dried seaweed sheets, cut into thin slices with kitchen scissors.

Steps:

1. soak rice cakes in cold water for about 20 minutes

2. bring broth to a broil

3. season broth with salt, pepper, and soy sauce.

4. add rice cakes, and cook for 10 minutes.

5. enjoy!

it's even featured in People magazine!

I really appreciated this article because it did not just skimp out on the true details of a Korean New Year, but the author went in-depth on the details of her day. I wasn't surprised to see an asian writer, Thailam Pham, cover the story. It's typical of any news outlet to put someone of the same race to cover a particular event. Although, Pham, is a Vietnamese last name, and I'm sure did not know much about Korean New Year, People magazine thought it was a good idea for an asian person to write about it. I don't think it's racist but I wish more people would realize, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and other asian ethnicities are not the same!

Dduk-bok-kee (떡볶이)

Spicy Rice Cake!

I've previously mentioned how much I love spicy things, and i'll say it again: I love eating spicy things. It's probably not very good for me, but it's okay :)

This dish is easy to make because you literally just throw things inside a pan and you're done!

Ingredients:

1. Dduk: Thawed packaged rice cake.

2. Korean hot pepper paste

3. Odeng (fish cake): you want to cut them up into small pieces and cook them with the dduk (rice cake).

4.Hard boiled eggs: you want to cook them and cut it half to add to the dish.

5. 4-5 cups of water to boil.

Steps to making dduk-bok-kee:

1. Boil water. (the water will shrink as you cook).

2. Add the cut odeng (fish cake) and cook it for 3 minutes before adding dduk.

3. Add dduk and cook until it is semi soft but not fully cooked.

4. Add the hot pepper paste to the mix and measure it to how spicy you want it.

5. Add a hint of sugar and salt depending on your taste.

6. Lastly, add the hard boiled egg and mix it in with the sauce to finish it off.

it's really up to you what you want to put in the dduk-bbok-kee. You can add vegetables, and any type of meat you like. All you need is the hot pepper paste and water to complete the popular dish!

Omurice: 오무라이스 (omelette fried rice)!

As a poor college student, omurice is the best thing to make. All you need is an egg, mixed veggies, rice, and ketchup! The name is derived from omelette + rice. It's a great way to stop your hunger quickly and efficiently.

Steps and ingredients:

1. Mixed Vegetables

2. Rice

Stir fry the cooked rice and mixed vegetables, until the vegetables are cooked. You can also add any type of meat if you'd like.

3. Eggs

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl and add a little salt and pepper and fry. /

4. Put the cooked egg on a plate and add the fried rice on top.

After the rice and egg is in this position, fold the egg over the rice (rice is in a pocket of egg now).

Then, flip it over so the rice is not showing and there is a dome like shape.

Lastly, add some ketchup on top.

Enjoy!

Kimbap!

Most people think of chips, cookies, and other small desserts to be snacks. But in Korea, kimbap is considered as a snack. It's interesting because rice is usually eaten for dinner and for hearty meals, but that is not always the case. Kimbap consists of rice, strips of vegtables, egg, some type of meat (most common is beef), all rolled up in dried seaweed. It looks just like sushi rolls but without the sushi, and the seaweed is on the outside.

Kimbap making steps

1. Get the ingredients ready. Cut cucumber, imitation crab, and cooked eggs long way.

2. Get fully cooked rice and mix in seseme seeds, a little salt, and seseme oil.

3. Place a sheet of dried seaweed on a bamboo mat. (you can buy this at a korean grocery store for $1-$2) and put about a cup of rice on the seaweed. Spread the rice so it covers about 2/3 of the area. Then add the ingredients in a single line on one side and roll it up slowly. To seal the roll add a little water on the ends. The water will act as a glue!

4. Now, the roll is ready to cut into pieces to share with friends!

Enjoy!

Soon du bu Jjigae (soft tofu stew)

Since the weather is getting colder, it's the perfect time for some hot stew. I've said I liked spicy food and this is one stew I love extra spicy.

One of the places that is known for making Soondubu Jjigae is a Korean restaurant called Jong Ka Jib located in North Philly. Check out the restaurant at http://www.zagat.com/Verticals/Menu.aspx?VID=8&R=104754&HID=17879

I very much recommend www. zagat.com, because it is a great tool to use to find out whether your eating at the right places. I know this is a very established rating site because most people have never heard of this small restaurant. In an organized and concise way, the website offers the menu, reviews, and the location in an easy tabbed view. If you're ever looking to find a great korean restaurant go on this website!

There's a variety of Soondubu Jjigae and the list does not end here.

Here are the options at the restaurant:

1.Kimchee Soondubu Jjigae

2. Seafood Soondubu Jjigae (Shrimp, Clam, Oyster + Soft Tofu)

3. Beef Soondubu Jjigae

4. Pork Soondubu Jjigae

5. Mushroom Soondubu Jjigae

The meal usually comes with side dishes called Ban Chan, and raw eggs to crack open in the hot stew. (This helps to cool the stew and it makes it more flavorful with the egg). There is also an option of making it spicy, and very spicy!

Try it! it's good!

Bibimbap (Mixed rice with vegetables and meat)

This is one of my favorite meals, because it's very filling and it makes you eat vegetables for a good dose of nutrition!

Ingredients:

1. cooked rice

2. sunny side up egg

3. sliced and sauteed cucumbers

4. sliced and sauteed carrots

5. sauteed spinach

6. bean sprouts

7. cooked ground beef

8. Korean hot chili pepper paste

• If you like things spicy like I do, you want to put in about 3-4 spoons.

9. sesame oil

• It's up to you how much oil you want to put in but I put in about 2 spoonful

10. shredded lettuce

you put all these ingredients together and mix! and you get a wonderful meal!

Chuseok! Korean Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was the first day of the Korean Thankgiving.

Korean Thanksgiving is a three day holiday at which Koreans return to their hometowns to pay respect to the spirits of their ancestors. Rituals are performed to give thanks to ancestors such as a visit to the tombs of their immediate ancestors. At the tomb, families offer food, drink, and crops.

Because Chuseok is a major holiday, korean businesses close down, and people are given time off from work. Hotels are even giving out special deals, to encourage people to stay at their hotels since it will be more vacant due to people going home for the holiday. In an article on korea.net, the author talks about Chuseok and says, "Korean society and culture continues to revolve around the consumption of food and drink, and emphasis is always placed on using the freshest and healthiest ingredients. It goes without saying that to a people so deeply intertwined with their agrarian past, celebrating the harvest would be of the utmost importance." The connection between the two websites, show the significance of the holiday in Korea. Hotels are taking the holiday into consideration and creating special rates, and the official website of Korea is making sure to detail the importance of the festival. I chose to make my personal blog about Korean food because of the long history and importance of food in our culture.

One of the major foods prepared and eaten during the Chuseok holiday is songpyeon (송편), a crescent-shaped rice cake, steamed, with crushed sweet pine nuts inside. The rice cake is found in many different colors but in my experience they all taste very similar.

Other foods commonly prepared are japchae (noodles), bulgogi (beef) and fruits.

Chuseok is such major holiday in Korea that is even celebrated by Korean people in the United States. I personally do not celebrate it with my family, but my family does enjoy eating seongpyun to participate in a small way.

I would love to go to Korea and experience Chuseok first hand someday!