10 Delicious South Korean Soups and Stews to Try Out
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Loading... - Alex Pinyin
- 19 May 2022
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Nowadays, having soup with meals is a less common tradition for young people, who tend to have simpler meals, but older generations generally think it would be strange to have any meal without including a soup of some kind. Soups are considered soul food in South Korea, food that soothes and relaxes both mind and body.
Here are the top 10 Korean soups and stews that restore and heal the minds and bodies of gourmets worldwide with their warmth and taste.
1. 김치찌개 (Kimchi Jjigae: Kimchi Stew)
Kimchi is one of the most significant dishes in Korean cuisine. Admittedly, there are many recipes with this Korean staple food.
Kimchi Jjigae is a stew based on kimchi. It is a representative Korean stew and has been selected as one of South Koreans’ favorite Korean dishes. Many Koreans have it with rice as a meal, but it is also perfect as a side dish when drinking soju, an alcoholic drink of Korean origin.
It is simple to make Kimchi Jjigae. Stir fry kimchi, add water, and boil it for a while—that’s all! As a matter of fact, the important thing is the kimchi, regardless what recipe you follow.
The kimchi should be fermented to the point where it tastes sour to make the best ingredient for Kimchi Jjigae. If the kimchi itself is tasteless or under-fermented, it is difficult to produce delicious Kimchi Jjigae, no matter what you do.
2. ëœìž¥ì°Œê°œ (Doenjang Jjigae: Korean Soybean Paste Stew)
Doenjang Jjigae is a popular stew that is eaten very often. The ingredients people use vary from region to region, but it’s safe to say that you will see it served everywhere in the country.
It’s a cinch to cook. To make Doenjang Jjigae, you make an anchovy broth by boiling anchovies and dried kelp together. Then, you just add some Doenjang (soybean paste) to flavor the broth. Now, you simply add vegetables that you like. Potatoes, zucchini, tofu, and onions are common ingredients. To give the stew more flavor, you can also add beef brisket.
3. 부대찌개 (Budae Jjigae: Army Base Stew)
Budae Jjigae is an original fusion stew of South Korea. Budae indicates military base and jjigae means stew, so the name literally means ‘military base stew.’ After the Korean War, South Korea went through a period of time when food was scarce and people were starving. Thus, South Koreans had to scavenge for food in order to survive.
Leftover ingredients from US military bases were used as an alternative source of food. People picked out sausages, cheese, and canned ham and beans, which were turned into a stew along with red pepper paste. Now, the stew is a trendy meal, with restaurants serving it opening up everywhere.
For South Koreans, Budae Jjigae is a reminder of the period of hardship after the war. But, aside from that, it’s a great meal to enjoy with a group of friends and family, especially on a chilly day.
4. 순ë‘부찌개 (Sundubu Jjigae: Korean Spicy Soft Tofu Stew)
Sundubu Jjigae is one of the most popular foods in Koreatowns around the world. It is made with soft, curdled tofu that is not pressed, so it has an extra silky texture.
Soft tofu, vegetables, gochujang (Korean hot chili paste), and gochugaru (Korean hot chili powder) are commonly considered to be the core ingredients of this dish, with meats or seafood being optional.
The origins of Sundubu Jjigae can be traced back to the late Goreyo dynasty to early Joseon dynasty (15th to 16th centuries). Documents say that, initially, only the royal family would eat Sundubu Jjigae, but ordinary people started to include this jjigae to their daily meals later on. It’s no wonder that it could not remain a monopoly of the royals for long, as the softness and spiciness of the dish easily soothe everybody’s body and soul.
5. 삼계탕 (Samgyetang: Ginseng Chicken Soup)
With four distinct seasons, you can see various seasonal foods in South Korea. In the summer, there are many popular foods that South Koreans eat to avoid getting dragged down by the heat. Samgyetang is one of them. It is a soup made by simmering glutinous rice, ginseng, jujube, chestnut, and oriental medical herbs stuffed inside a chicken.
We use a lot of energy in the summer, and this soup is considered a health food that is especially good for regaining and restoring energy lost due to summer heat. South Koreans line up to have this dish during the hottest days of the year. Read More…
