South Korea is a diverse place that has made headlines because of its crazy music, culture and appetising food. The movies and TV series from South Korea have made a buzz around the world for bringing out-of-the-world romance onto the celluloid. People around the world have finally got to see the South Korean culture that hasn't been given its due credit for a long time.
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As a fanatic of the South Korean entertainment industry, most people already know about the special food from South Korea. In fact, due to the popularity of South Korean culture in India, a lot of South Korean restaurants have opened up in the country . These restaurants serve authentic South Korean dishes that one can try without having to visit South Korea. If someone is planning to visit South Korea or just going out on a South Korean food date then here are five South Korean street foods that are a must-try
* Gimbap
Gimbap can be called the Korean version of Japanese sushi. Gimbap is usually wrapped in dry seaweed, which is also called gum in South Korea. The rice is called bap and the combination of two important parts of this dish gives it its name. The seaweed that is used to make this popular South Korean snack is combined with flavourful rice that has a taste of sesame oil. It has a lot of different types of stuffings that include pickles, radish, spinach, tuna, egg and carrots. Generally, the rolls of this snack are often served in bite-sized pieces so that it's easier for a person to eat it in one go. It is a very popular street snack in South Korea and must be tried if somebody wants to truly explore the South Korean street food culture.
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* Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki, or rice cakes as they're called in India, is one of the quintessential street-style snacks from South Korea. These are chewy and soft rice cakes that are made with boiled rice and then dipped into spicy orange sauce. The sauce is a mixture of some famous South Korean spices, water, soya sauce, red chilli flakes and some sugar. The special gochujang paste is also put inside the sauce. This paste is made from some red chillies and fermented soybeans and adds a burst of flavour to the gravy. Tteokbokki is an extremely popular snack and is enjoyed by the people of South Korea during the evening after they come back from their work. It is also a very important snack that is served during social gatherings. One can also make the snack easily at home by arranging all the necessary ingredients and cracking the recipe.
* Dalgona Candy
Dalgona Candy is also popularly featured in a lot of South Korean dramas and the protagonists are often seen enjoying this delicious candy. This candy is of golden colour and quite light. It is often made in the shape of squares, hearts, circles and fishes. It is generally made with the help of melted sugar and baking soda. This is sold very frequently on the streets of South Korea and one might even get it for free in many places in South Korea. This became popular in South Korea in the early 1960s and since then has been enjoyed by both children and adults in the country. This candy has a very nutty and sweet taste and resembles burnt marshmallows.
* Bungeoppang
Most people think that Korean Street food only has a huge number of spicy food options. But South Korean desserts are equally delectable and worth a try. The street food scenario in South Korea is filled with a lot of appetising sweet snacks. Bungeoppang is a sweet waffle that is served in different shapes in the streets of South Korea. One of the most popular shapes is the shape of a fish. These waffles are extremely crispy on the outside and mouth-melting on the inside. From the inside, they're stuffed with hot red bean paste, and one might find a lot of other stuff in the variants, like Nutella and strawberry cream. One can also make these waffles at home.
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* Mandu
These dumplings are also a very important part of the South Korean street food culture. These dumplings are available in both steamed and dried versions and filled with some ground pork, green onions and spicy kimchi to give it a nice and sultry flavour. There are a lot of other variants of Mandu that one may find in South Korea that come with different types of stuffings. These dumplings are generally served with some vinegar and soya sauce as dips and taste extremely good.
These are some delicious South Korean street snacks that are a must-try for everyone.