I’ve lived in Korea for fifteen years. I’ve grown to love Korean food, almost as much as my “home” food of Canada – although I’m not quite sure what that would be (poutine?). I’ve been in Korea for so long, that Korean food has become my “home” food. It’s at the point now that when I leave Korea, I miss the Korean food I’m accustomed to! Below is a list of foods that I absolutely crave whenever I’m traveling abroad. I now know that I need to pack these with me whenever I go somewhere!
Kimchi
Of course, I have to start with Kimchi. When I first moved to Korea I wasn’t sure what to think of it, but it really is a food that grows on you. I worked in Korean public schools as a teacher for six years, and every day was able to eat the Korean cafeteria food (called 급식). Every day there was some sort of Kimchi. I personally really like the cabbage kimchi that I linked previously, but some people also like Radish Kimchi or even Green Onion Kimchi. When I was working for the schools, I would typically have one or the other or the other with my lunch. As much as I do like the Radish or Green Onion varieties, there is nothing like wrapping the usual Kimchi around rice and eating it! Delicious!
SSamjang (for Korean BBQ)
I’ve grown to love Korean BBQ so much. The beauty of it is that you don’t even need to go to a restaurant to enjoy it! All you really need is some pork belly from the super market, and you can fry everything else you would need on the fry pan at home (onions and garlic, mostly). The only thing you would need extra is something to dip the meat into as a sauce. That’s where Ssamjang comes in. This is the go-to “sauce” for Korean people to dip their pork belly into when having Korean BBQ, and for good reason! It’s delicious!
Doenjang (for soybean soup)
My wife makes the best Doenjang Jiggae (된장찌개), and the main ingredient you will need for it is Doenjang. It’s actually quite easy to make, as all you need to do is boil up chopped onions, zucchini, potatoes and tofu in a pot. The only other ingredient that you would need in addition to those four ingredients (that you probably can’t find at a typical super market wherever you are) is Doenjang. This is a hot soup that you can enjoy just with rice, and it reminds me of Korea so much whenever I’m abroad! This is especially useful for me and my family because of my children. My kids love the soup, and it’s so easy to boil up a pot and use it for meals (with rice) for a couple of days.
Tteokbokki
My guilty pleasure (especially on a cold night!) is Tteokbokki. It’s the perfect blend of texture and spiciness. When it’s a cold night and you’re staying in and watching a movie, there’s nothing like some spicy Tteokbokki. Bonus points if you have some Ramen on the side!