A Sampling of Popular Korean Dishes

A few popular Korean food delicacies

1. Bulgogi: A juicy, savoury dish of grilled marinated beef, bulgogi is one of the most popular Korean meat dishes throughout the world.

2. Samgyeopsal: One of the most popular Korean dishes in South Korea, samgyeopsal consists of grilled slices of pork belly meat that are not marinated or seasoned. They are commonly dipped in seasoning made of salt and pepper mixed in sesame seed oil, and then wrapped in lettuce.

3. Kimchi: Kimchi is a spicy and sour dish made up of fermented vegetables. It is prepared with various kinds of ingredients, but the most common main ingredient is cabbage.

4. Bibimbap: Bibimbap is essentially a bowl of mixed ingredients including, but not limited to, rice, namul (seasoned and sautéed vegetables), mushrooms, beef, soy sauce, gochujang (chili pepper paste), and a fried egg. 

5. Godeunguo Gui: (Grilled Saba fish). Godeungeo gui is a grilled Saba(mackerel) dish. Grilled fish is enormously popular in Korean cuisine. The fish is simply salted and either grilled over an open flame or pan fried. You can do the same with any fish.

Bulgogi 

Samgyeopsal

Kimchi

Bibimbap 

Godeunguo Gui 

6. Jjajangmyeon: Although originally a Chinese dish, Koreans have taken the noodles and created a thicker, yummier version that holds only a vague resemblance to its Chinese predecessor.

It would not be an understatement to say Korean diets would not be the same without this dish -- most Koreans eat it at least once a week.

Although originally a Chinese dish, Koreans have taken the noodles and created a thicker, yummier version that holds only a vague resemblance to its Chinese predecessor.

7. Samgyetang

Continuing along the masochistic strain, Koreans have a saying that goes, "fight heat with heat." What that means is they love to eat boiling hot dishes on the hottest summer days.

The most representative of these is samgyetang, a thick, glutinous soup with a whole stuffed chicken floating in its boiling depths.

The cooking process tones down the ginseng's signature bitterness and leaves an oddly appealing, aromatic flavor in its stead -- a flavor that permeates an entire bird boiled down to a juicy softness. 

8. Ganjang gejang (Soy Sauce Crab), or crab marinated in soy sauce, can be so addictive that it's often affectionately called "rice thief," the joke being that you keep eating more rice just so that you can have more gejang since it's just that good.

Slightly tangy, tantalizingly bitter, pungent and cold, the taste may come as a shock for first-timers. But among South Koreans, gejang has been carving out a niche for itself as more of a centerpiece than a sideshow to other seafoods.

9. Haemul Pajeon (Korean Pancake)

Crunchy and filling, Korean pancake tastes best when it comes studded with shellfish, cuttlefish, and other varieties of seafood, to make haemul (seafood) pajeon.

And with its traditional companion of Korean rice wine, makgeolli, pajeon makes the perfect meal for a rainy day.

10. Galbi (Ribs - Chicken, Pork)

Galbi means "rib," which can't technically come from pork and even chicken, but when you just say "galbi" sans modifiers, you're talking about thick slabs of meat marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, chopped garlic, and sugar and grilled over a proper fire.

Of course, beef galbi can be used to make soup (galbitang) and steamed galbi .(galbijjim). But these dishes, while excellent in their own right, are overshadowed by their grilled leader.

--Raja Mitra