Anju (food) facts for kids
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| Main ingredients | various |
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| Anju | |||||||
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| Korean name | |||||||
| Hangul | 안주 | ||||||
| Hanja | 按酒 | ||||||
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Anju (Hangul: 안주; Hanja: 按酒 [an.dʑu]) is a special Korean word for food that people eat when they are also having drinks. It includes many different kinds of food, from main dishes to small side dishes. Eating food with drinks is very common in Korea, especially when people are enjoying a popular Korean drink called soju.
Some foods are mostly eaten as anju. These include spicy sea snail salad called golbaengi muchim, dried nogari with peanuts, and jokbal, which are tasty pig's trotters.
History of Anju
Long ago, during the Chosun Dynasty in Korea, drinks were mostly served in places called jumaks. These were like old inns or taverns. At these jumaks, people would often get soups with rice, along with traditional drinks like makgeolli.
Later, in the 1800s, new things like beer and Western foods came to Korea, mostly from Japan. This made bars and pubs very popular. Because of this, many types of Western foods also started to be eaten as anju.
Anju for Different Drinks
Some foods are thought to go best with certain types of drinks. Here are a few popular combinations:
- Beer: Many people enjoy fried chicken or Korean seasoned chicken with beer. Other good choices include dried nogari (young pollock fish) with peanuts, or pizza.
- Soju: For soju, popular choices include samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) and jokbal (pig's trotters). Spicy stews like budae-jjigae or kimchi-jjigae are also often eaten with soju.
- Makgeolli: This traditional rice wine is often enjoyed with pajeon (savory pancakes), especially on rainy days. Other pairings include dubu-kimchi (tofu with stir-fried kimchi) or bossam (boiled pork wraps).
Places to Enjoy Anju
In South Korea, there are different kinds of places where you can enjoy anju and drinks. Each place often serves its own special types of food.
- Jumak: Today, a "jumak" is a modern bar that celebrates traditional Korean culture. They often serve classic anju dishes like pa-jun (green onion pancakes), dubu-kimchi (tofu with kimchi), or dotori-muk (acorn jelly salad).
- Hof House: These places are often called "Hof" (from a German word). They usually sell many different kinds of drinks that are not too expensive. You can find a mix of international foods served here as anju.
- Pojangmacha: These are outdoor food stalls, often with tents, found on the side of the road. They sell simple snacks and drinks. It's a great place to grab quick and easy anju dishes.
Images for kids
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Nogari (young Alaska pollock) with peanuts
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Nakji bokkeum with somyeon (fried octopus in gochujang with fine noodles)
See also
In Spanish: Anju (gastronomía) para niños
