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I am a picky eater. I always have been. My go-to dish is chicken strips and french fries. When in doubt, order that. So when I visited South Korea to see my husband who’s living there, I was very nervous about the food! In fact, our first time going to a Korean restaurant made me break out in a sweat. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t like anything! And not knowing what you’re ordering or even eating once it arrives didn’t help matters.
For those of you who may be feeling panicked at the thought of trying these new foods, I’ve created this guide to Korean food to help you stay calm in the midst of ordering.
The word literally means “mixed rice.” Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with sauteed vegetables and chili pepper paste, soy sauce, or doenjang, a salty soybean paste. Beef or another type of meat is usually included. A raw or fried egg is added to the top of the bowl. It will be served with everything separately in the bowl, but it is eaten once you mix it all together.
This is a fermented side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. Many describe it has spicy and sour. Koreans will ferment this dish inside jars that are buried underground for months at a time. There are tons of varieties of kimchi, but most are made with cabbage, radish, or cucumbers as the main ingredient. The most common seasonings used include brine, scallions, ginger, garlic, shrimp sauce or fish sauce.
Mandu means “dumpling,” and yaki refers to the way this dish is cooked. Dumplings are usually eaten on their own or in a soup. Yaki mandu are stuffed with meat (usually beef or pork), tofu, onions, mushrooms, and seasonings. They are fried to a golden brown and served with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce and vinegar.
The word literally means “fire meat” and is basically marinated beef that has been grilled. It is made of thin slices of beef, usually sirloin, that has been marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, pepper, scallions, ginger, onions and mushrooms. The meat is traditionally grilled, usually with garlic, onions and green peppers. This dish is sometimes served with cellophane noodles. Sometimes it is also served with lettuce, which is used to wrap the meat.
This dish has several names, and don’t ask me how you pronounce it! But basically, this is a steamed dish made with beef or pork short ribs. Soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, minced garlic, ginger juice, and other seasonings are mixed together with the ribs and are simmered in a large pot very slowly. When the meat is almost cooked, things like carrots and pine nuts are added. The dish is boiled, and mushrooms and chestnuts are added at the end.
This literally translates to “seaweed rice.” This dish, also known as Kimbap, is made from steamed white rice (bap) and various other ingredients rolled into sheets of dry seaweed (gim). This dish is served in bite-size slices. The other ingredients can range from fish, eggs, meat, and vegetables that are either fresh, roasted, or pickled. This dish is often served with sweet radish pickle slices.
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Yaki Mandu is a Korean dumpling that can be steamed or fried. They look a lot like Chinese pot-stickers. Yaki means fried in Japanese and Mandu means dumpling in Korean. They’re great for parties or as an appetizer.
Mandu means “dumpling,” and yaki refers to the way this dish is cooked. Dumplings are usually eaten on their own or in a soup. Yaki mandu are stuffed with meat (usually beef or pork), tofu, onions, mushrooms, and seasonings. They are fried to a golden brown and served with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce and vinegar.
For those of you who may be feeling panicked at the thought of trying these new foods, I’ve created this guide to Korean food to help you stay calm in the midst of ordering.
This is a fermented side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. Many describe it has spicy and sour. Koreans will ferment this dish inside jars that are buried underground for months at a time. There are tons of varieties of kimchi, but most are made with cabbage, radish, or cucumbers as the main ingredient. The most common seasonings used include brine, scallions, ginger, garlic, shrimp sauce or fish sauce.
I am a picky eater. I always have been. My go-to dish is chicken strips and french fries. When in doubt, order that. So when I visited South Korea to see my husband who’s living there, I was very nervous about the food! In fact, our first time going to a Korean restaurant made me break out in a sweat. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t like anything! And not knowing what you’re ordering or even eating once it arrives didn’t help matters.
The word literally means “mixed rice.” Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with sauteed vegetables and chili pepper paste, soy sauce, or doenjang, a salty soybean paste. Beef or another type of meat is usually included. A raw or fried egg is added to the top of the bowl. It will be served with everything separately in the bowl, but it is eaten once you mix it all together.
Tako is the word for octopus, and the –yaki of the takoyaki derives from the fried flour and egg mixture that is cooked with sliced octopus, pickled ginger, and green onion. To achieve its circular shape, the ingredients are poured into a piping hot pan shaped by small holes and then rapidly turned. In addition to those addictively delicious sauces (the mayo and Worcestershire), a serving of 6-7 takoyaki may also be topped with bonito flake, more green onion, and aonori. The street snack is very popular in Osaka, but I can still remember the first time I tried this dish at a popular stall in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market: ooey, gooey, chewy goodness.
Much like the Japanese cartoon character Doraemon, I too could probably eat a whole pile of this delectable wagashi sweet. Similar to Taiyaki, the base for dorayaki is akin to pancake and waffle batter. Modern variations for fillings now exist, but my favorite is still that traditional red bean paste. There is something so undeniably addicting about biting into two fluffy little pancakes as the sticky, sweet, and slightly chunky anko sandwiched in the middle fills me with childlike happiness.
In 20th century Okinawa, stationed WWII Americans actually began to appropriate yakisoba. As a result, the westernized dish was prepared from spam, spaghetti, ketchup, and any available vegetables. Chopped hotdogs also became a popular addition, as well as ham, chicken, and pork; these iterations are still eaten in Okinawa today.
Yakitori in Kyoto, Left to Right: Octopus brushed with basil pesto, bell pepper with tare, and eggplant dolloped with a sweet, yellow miso mixture.
We’ve really only just begun to scratch the surface of yaki cuisine. There is still teppanyaki, monjayaki, yakiniku, robatayaki, and much, much more! It’s time to expand your yaki vocabulary; so grab some friends, get some drinks, and stumble upon a yummy yaki spot one of these cool summer evenings.
Yaki Mandu, Fried Korean Dumplings
FAQ
What are Korean dumplings called?
What is the difference between yaki mandu and Gyoza?
Is Mandu a Gyoza?
Is Yaki a Japanese word?
Yes, Yaki is a Japanese word and it means to ‘cook on direct heat’ which includes cooking methods of grilling, pan-frying or boiling. I believe this is something that happened after the Japanese occupation of Korea when many Koreans were so used to speaking Japanese words that they often mixed Korean and Japanese words when they spoke.
Why is it called dorayaki?
Dorayaki has also been called Mikasa. It is a reference to Mt. Mikasa in Nara prefecture, which is very close to Osaka, the street food capital of Japan. Get Addicted to some Dorayaki in New York:
What is the difference between yakisoba and Soba?
Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat, and while the most luxurious soba is made from 100% buckwheat, yakisoba is more often derived from wheat flour. Nonetheless they have a wonderfully chewy texture, which make them perfect for frying up into slightly crunchy, slick and satisfying yakisoba.
Can yakisoba be wrapped in an omelet?
Yakisoba can even be wrapped in an omelet, creating another satisfying beast called omusoba. In 20th century Okinawa, stationed WWII Americans actually began to appropriate yakisoba. As a result, the westernized dish was prepared from spam, spaghetti, ketchup, and any available vegetables.