health
10 Korean dishes to savor now
The cuisine is booming in the UK, with more places than ever to try bibimbap, bulgogi or tteokbokki. Here’s what to eat – and where to find it
TL;DR
- Korean cuisine is rapidly gaining popularity in the UK.
- Popular dishes include Korean fried chicken, bulgogi, bibimbap, gimbap, jeon (pancakes), kimchi jjigae, budae jjigae, mandu (dumplings), tteokbokki, and hotteok.
- Key ingredients like gochujang (chilli paste), kimchi (fermented cabbage), soy sauce, and sesame oil define the cuisine's bold flavors.
- Korean fried chicken is known for its thin, crispy coating achieved through double-frying.
- Bulgogi, meaning "fire meat," features marinated, caramelised slices of meat.
- Bibimbap is a rice dish topped with meat, vegetables, and a fried egg, often mixed with gochujang.
- Gimbap are rice rolls wrapped in seaweed, seasoned differently from Japanese sushi.
- Jeon are pan-fried Korean pancakes with various fillings like seafood or kimchi.
- Kimchi jjigae is a classic, comforting stew made with kimchi, tofu, and pork.
- Budae jjigae, or army-base stew, is a fusion dish incorporating ingredients like Spam and sausages.
- Mandu are Korean dumplings with thinner skins compared to Chinese varieties.
- Tteokbokki are chewy rice cakes coated in a spicy, sweet gochujang sauce.
- Hotteok are sweet or savory stuffed pancakes, traditionally cooked on a griddle.