Eggs for breakfast are quite popular in most cultures. While the English like to have runny poached eggs and the Indians enjoy their masala omelette, the Koreans are a huge fan of eggs too. And not just for breakfast, eggs feature in their street food as well, like this Korean egg bread. Korean egg bread isn’t any ordinary bread dipped in eggs or a slice with a hole filled with eggs. This bread is closer to thick and fluffy pancakes. The oval-shaped bread is stuffed with eggs inside and packed together like a sandwich. It is so soft and fluffy that it literally melts in the mouth. For an eggetarian, this egg bread is a delicious cross between an egg sandwich and pancake.
Koreans really enjoy eggs at any given time of the day. From a breakfast dish to a lunchbox meal or a quick snack, eggs are so versatile that they can be a part of any meal. Interestingly, eggs are valued in most Asian cultures. For instance, Chinese consider eggs to be really auspicious and they have a tradition of preserving eggs which leads to black eggs called century eggs. Mixed with quicklime, salt and clay, these eggs are known for their longevity and hence, the name has been given.
In Korean culture too, eggs are viewed as a powerhouse of nutrition. The fact that they are loaded with protein is no stranger to us. Most Koreans enjoy hard-boiled eggs, which are not only a delicious bite but also carry some meaning to them. It is said that in the olden days, these eggs were presented to children and heads of families as an expression of love and care. The tradition has been carried on ever since and you’ll find plenty of hard-boiled egg recipes in their cuisine.
Korean egg bread is one of them. This street snack is a warm and fuzzy treat during mornings and evenings. The bread batter is prepared using cake mix and includes all-purpose flour, baking powder, melted butter and sugar. This creamy and smooth batter is prepared and poured into a machine called Gyeran PPang (which means egg bread in Korean) which has oblong-shaped slots in it. Once the batter is poured in each slot, whole eggs are cracked into each one of them. These are then cooked to perfection. Once the bread becomes fluffy and thick with a nice golden-brown colour, it is taken out and served with some parsley, diced ham and grated cheese. These days, some even add bacon to this combination.
Although not much is known about how and why this egg recipe came into being, it is believed that the sweet and savoury snack was first made in 1984 at the University of Inha. Today, this is popularly sold across South Korean and relished by one and all. Not just this, there are other kinds of egg dishes that are special to Korean culture including the Sauna eggs which are made on an elvan stone and believed to release any harmful metals from the body.
Do you want to try the Korean egg bread today? Here’s a detailed recipe.