Korean culture is profoundly known for the social values it harbors. There is support for harmony, respect for elders, the importance of family, and a mutual love for humanity massively seen in Koreans.
Korean food is for its juicy and healthy ingredients. One of the oldest vital dishes in Korean cuisine is Kimchi. It is a spicy and sour dish that is made with love and savoured heartfully. Korean BBQ has its unique importance in Korean culture. They usually have a nice mix of meat, veggies, and carbs. Korean BBQ might get a bit spicy at times but is always tasty. The process of making Korean BBQ has its fun. As Korean BBQ includes a lot of vegetables, it appeals to a huge group of people who have distinct eating habits. Korean BBQ originated from the Northern Nomadic or Cavalry cuisine. It is more related to the Maek Tribe and mostly contributes to the Korean population.
We are here to present you with some Korean delicacies that are sure to leave your mouth watered. The following are ten Korean BBQs that are quite famous in the region. Korean restaurants are unique for their tabletop grilling setups so that guests can grill their food by themselves. We have also started a brief history of each so that you may know which is your region-specific BBQ!
Grilled Pork Belly
Grilled pork belly is a grilled dish that has a gui texture. It is usually made with garlic and green onions. You are served with the ingredients at your table and can grill the BBQ at your table. The vegetables lay aside and are there for you to enjoy as a salad. Almost every Korean restaurant serves Grilled Pork Belly BBQ. Tong Tong Dwaeji is a famous restaurant serving the best Grilled pork belly in Korea.
The meat of pork belly gives a mild, loin like flavor. You get a rich, unctuous taste as the layers of the fat break down and covers the meat. This richness is offset by accompanying it with citrus, fresh herbs, scallions, and cucumber.
Consuming Pork Belly started thousands of years ago in China. People used to cook pork with bacon fat that was a cheap alternative to beef. In Korea, grilled pork belly became the epitome of south Korean cuisine in 1997.
Ddeokbkki
Who doesn’t love rice cakes! Ddeokbkki is a south Korean dish that is mainly spicy rice cakes. One can make them in many different ways but the most popular one is to add fish cake, cabbage, and hard-boiled eggs in it. You can cook it at home as well and find it in many restaurants in Korea.
Ddeokbkki is a set of long tubular glutinous rice cakes that are covered with spicy and sweet sauce. It has a chewy texture with a saucy surface. It is mostly served in anchovy broth and contains fish cakes in it. You can find this Korean dish in any Korean restaurant. “Mom’s Hand tteokbokki” is a famous restaurant selling this dish at its finest.
This dish came into exitance back in Joseon Dynasty. There is the oldest recipe of the dish stated in a cookbook which was written in the Joseon Dynasty. The modern recipe was made by Mabokrim in 1953. It is an affordable snack and hence is consumed a lot in Korea.
Bibimbap
This Korean dish is a bowl of steamed rice which is topped with different toppings. You can choose to add either meat, veggies, a fried egg as a topping. You can further add spicy soybean paste often named as ‘gochujang’. A restaurant named Manna is serving the best Bibimbap.
The vegetables used in Bibimbap are lightly cooked and have a mild texture. The meat and rice have a flavor and texture that always makes you have one more bowl of heaven’s gift.
Bibimbap has been existing in Korea for centuries now. The ease of its creation ie one can add different ingredients as per liking in it has made Bibimbap quite a loved dish for years. It originated when early Koreans used to utilize leftover vegetables with rice and served them in a bowl.
Kimchi
A very popular Korean BBQ dish that is loved by all. It has seasoned vegetables or cabbage. The flavor of Kimchi can be made spicy or mild as per liking. If you are making Kimchi at home you can customize the ingredients and also the spice level.
This is a traditional Korean dish that uses the process of pickle fermentation to preserve the fresh veggies. The spicy and crunchy vegetables are given a bold flavor by adding garlic and different spicy seasonings.
Kimchi is known as a living history in Korea. Ancient Koreans used to preserve their vegetables just the same way kimchi is made. It was created by earlier Koreans to be able to enjoy fresh vegetables even in the months of winter.
Galbi
Galbi is a Korean word for ‘rib’. This BBQ dish is made of beef short ribs. They are marinated in garlic soy sauce. They are grilled at Korean restaurants and are served on a skillet. Vegetables like onions are served with Galbi to add to the flavor. You can find Galbi at Sura KBBQ in Korea.
Galbi dish has ribs that are sweet in flavor. They are cooked in pear and sugar which add a sweetening flavor to the ribs and the soy sauce makes the meat darkened and caramelized. The perfect Galbi has meat that is tender and moist, easily torn from the bones.
It is heard that Galbi first became popular in Koreans of LA but later became equally famous in Korea itself just like other traditional dishes. You can enjoy the best Galbi in restaurants like Korean Gangnam-gu.
Korean Seafood Pancake
This dish can be customized and you can add your favorite seafood with scallions wrapped in a shell that is batter-based. You can also choose the dipping sauce or pair it with salad, soup, or Kimchi.
This dish mostly includes wheat flour, corn starch, and sometimes baking powder. These pancakes have a chewy and crispy texture. Shredded potatoes and other veggies can also be added to add flavor and liking of the consumer.
Bulgogi
This is also a beef dish. It contains finely sliced marinated beef. It is marinated with garlic, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, and brown sugar. This dish can be grilled at your table in Korean restaurants.
The thin slicing of the beef allows the marinade to perfectly absorb in the meet and give a honey-sweet flavor. It is slightly spicy because of the soy sauce addition in the margination mix. The Bulgogi is crispy in texture and has a rich and complex taste.
It is believed that Bulgogi came into existence in the Goguryeo era in Korea. It is a national cuisine of Korean people.
Soon Doo Boo
This is a soft tofu soup and is quite popular in Korea. It is spicy but you can customize the spice level and can also order a beef broth or a vegan-friendly Soon Doo Boo. It is topped with pork belly, beef, kimchi, jalapeno chicken, or mushrooms.
This dish has a spongy texture and is pressed. It comes in many variations depending on how much water is pressed out. You can have a soft or super-firm Soon Doo Boo as per your preferences.
Soon Doo Boo originated in Korea and is associated as a national Korean cuisine. It is mostly consumed in winter due to its warming feeling. Its original dates of existence are still not quite clear.
Yangnyeom Tongdak
This is a Korean BBQ chicken recipe. The chicken in this dish is deep-fried and is later topped with a sweet and spicy sauce. It is also added with ‘gochujang’ which gives a spicy flavor to it. You can also lessen the spice levels if you are not a big fan of spices.
The chicken in Yangnyeom Tongdak is double-fried which gives it a crispy skin. The thinly sliced onions on top add to the flavor combined with the sweet and tangy Asian dressing. The onions offset the chicken flavor and give you a dreamy experience.
Jap Chae
These sweet potato noodles are mixed with veggies like spinach, carrots, and onions to make Jap Chae. These noodles turn clear once cooked and are sometimes called Korean glass noodles. Some Korean restaurants also add beef to Jap Chae.
This dish has a rubbery texture and can be made spicy or mild as per liking. The sesame added over it also gives it a nutty flavor.
Now as you know ten most popular BBQ dishes that you can savour with friends or family in your favorite restaurants. A fun dining experience is waiting for you to come and enjoy Korean history through its cuisine.
