When there’s little time to whip up a good breakfast before work, one usually resorts to a simple toast. The basic understanding of toast is that it is a slice of crispy bread, topped with something like butter or jam. However, for Koreans, that’s not the case. A popular breakfast item in Korean homes as well as on the streets of the region is the Korean Street Toast. And well, let’s just say that it is nowhere close to being a humble toast.
Koreans love to have elaborate meals, featuring rich and filling dishes as well as several side options to go with it. And that’s the case with the traditional Korean breakfast too. One food item that is quite commonly eaten in almost all meals is egg. The protein-rich food is an intrinsic part of their daily diet, and it finds a place on the breakfast table too. How, you ask? In the form of the Korean Street Toast, which is actually more of a sandwich.
Also known as Gilgeori Toast, it translates to street toast in the native language. As the name suggests, take a stroll on the streets of Korea and you’d find people whipping this hearty sandwich in food carts. What is this toast, then? It’s an amalgamation of sweet and salty flavours, all in one place. The crispy Korean bread is layered with crunchy vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and onions, along with beaten eggs and classic condiments like Gochujang and Kimchi Mayonnaise.
Melted cheese is also added to the toast in many cases and sugar is lightly sprinkled at the end to finish off the dish. Not only is the toast a classic breakfast, it is also a popular street snack. For many people, it transports them to their childhood days, bringing back old memories.
Each element that goes into the making of the Korean Street Toast lends it a new layer of flavour. With time, newer additions have found place in the sandwich-like toast. These include crispy bacon or other forms of cooked meat. In fact, the sugar is often replaced by jam flavours of different kinds too. What was once a simple cabbage and egg toast has become a hearty and filling meal over time, with more and more stuffings, making it ideal for lunch and dinner too.