Everyone loves something cozy and steaming hot to keep them warm during the winter. People will light up their fireplaces, drink hot chocolate, and break out their winter boots. However, food is just as important when it comes to staying warm and happy during the frigid winter months. Everyone has their favorite food go-to’s for every season, but have you tried these popular Korean dishes for the winter?
Check out these five popular Korean dishes for the winter:
The first of the popular dishes: Hotteok
Hotteok is one of the popular Korean dishes that you can find from street vendors during the cold months. It is like a pancake and made from a similar type of dough. Then it’s filled with a sweet and gooey mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and peanuts or sesame seeds. The ball of dough, pressed flat into a disk on a greasy griddle, cooks. The disk is then served hot to the customer. As you can see, it is easy to carry and eat with your hands, so you can grab it and go while walking to and from classes, to work, or even on a fun day out.
If you didn’t want to go out and about to try Hotteok, then you can purchase the mix from the store and make it at home. With the simple ingredients, it would almost be like making filled pancakes at home on the griddle or in the frying pan.
Bungeoppang
Bungeoppang, also known as carp bread, is another popular Korean dish that you can find in street stalls since it is also easy to make, carry, and eat. This hot pastry is shaped like a fish and has a sweet red bean paste filling on the inside. There are other variations of this pastry, but this is the most common. It is pressed into a hot waffle-like mold to bake and keep its shape, then served piping-hot to busy customers on the go. I’m sure it’s popular among students running to and from classes on a cold day, with busy professionals, and those walking about for errands or fun. You can eat this sweet pastry with your hands fairly easily and stay cozy and warm in the cold weather.
Patjuk
Patjuk is a winter staple in Korea, especially around the Winter Solstice (Dongji). This heart-warming meal is a red bean and rice porridge. Some describe it as similar to oatmeal or cream of wheat. Amidst the red beans and rice are little dumplings. As you can see, it’s an interesting yet cozy meal that is quite tasty. You can make Patjuk at home for the holidays and share it with others. With the symbolism around Dongji and the new year, Patjuk wards off bad luck and illness. Maybe this next Winter Solstice you should try Patjuk to warm your soul and start off the new year on the right foot!
Jjim Dalk
Jjim dalk or Jjimdak, is a braised chicken dish in Korea. It typically braises in a sauce with vegetables and sweet potato noodles. There is a more popular version, Andong Jjimdak, which is the spicy version. It has a sweet, savory, and spicy taste with the addition of chili peppers to the recipe. This is another popular Korean dish to eat in the winter, and it can be served in restaurants or made at home. Check out the recipe here, and try it yourself at home!
The last of the popular dishes: Jjigae
Jjigae is another staple dish in Korea, especially during the winter. There are several versions of Jjigae, like Kimchi Jjigae, Budae Jjigae, and Sundubu Jjigae, but the version in the photo above is Kimchi Jjigae. Jjigae is a hot, savory stew and often eaten with rice and several side dishes. This dish is also a type of sit-down meal. You can find it at restaurants or even make it at home for a cozy dinner with family and friends. If you want to try it out at home, check out the recipe here!
These are all great Korean dishes to try this winter. However, if you can’t make it to a restaurant or street vendor (or don’t live in South Korea), then there are some hot dishes listed that you can make at home.
If you enjoy trying different foods and want to learn more about Korean food, click here or watch the video below!
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