Korean Cuisine - the 2nd Course

I previously shared some culinary delights from Korea, and I thought I'd add on a second course of foods and recipes for all my foodie friends out there - enjoy!

Patbingsu - 팥빙수 (also patbingsoo or just bingsu) is a popular Korean summer treat consisting of shaved ice with sweet toppings, such as fruit, condensed milk, and red beans - my favorite so far has been the mango one pictured.

Bindaettok - 빈대떡 (also called nokdujeon) - is a Mung Bean Pancake usually made with ground mung beans, green onions, and kimchi, and is served with a whole slew of Korean side dishes.  We had a tasty one at a restaurant in Insadong.

Gimbap or kimbap - 김밥 - is a popular Korean dish made from steamed white rice (bap) and various other ingredients, rolled in gim (sheets of dried seaweed) and served in bite-size slices. 

Korean Fried Chicken - 치킨 - Korean fried chicken differs from American fried chicken in that it's fried twice, resulting in the skin being thinner, crunchier, and less greasy.  It's often served with pickled radishes, seasonings, and sauces, and is popular for delivery, as well as at Chicken and Beer restaurants. Koreans usually call the pairing chi-maek (치맥), an abbreviation of chicken and maekju (맥주, beer).

Naengmyeon - 냉면 - Cold Noodles, with buckwheat in them, served in a savory broth and topped with various vegetables and meats.  This is a popular dish during the hot summer months in Korea, and may take some getting used to, but it is a refreshing option to the hot soups also available at this time of year.

Jajangmyeon - 자장면 - go to a Korean "Chinese restaurant" and you will find this noodle dish with black bean sauce, vegetables, and pork. It's very tasty, often served with a pickled vegetable side dish, and is a popular meal choice on Black Day (April 14th) for those who did not give/receive any gifts on the previous two Valentine's Day holidays (Valentine's Day, on February 14th, and White Day, on March 14th).

Orion Choco Pies - 쵸코파이 -  a gwaja (과자), which means “confectionery snack” -  that is highly addictive.  It's a chocolate covered spongecake snack with a marshmallow center - the Korean version of the Moon Pie.

YNot Takeout - For awhile, we were lamenting our lack of ability to order take-out (a language barrier can seriously cramp your pizza and Chinese ordering abilities!), but then we found YNot Takeout and are now in food ordering Nirvana - pizza or Chinese?  Sure.  But how about some Korean, Moroccan, Indian, Thai, or West African cuisine?  Yummmmmmy!!  Thank you, YNot!!



Now, do you want to laugh?  Cause this next BuzzFeed video will probably get you to...or gross you out...but here are some Americans eating strange Asian delicacies - ones that I will most likely NOT be trying (warning, some adult language):

Americans Taste Exotic Asian Food