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List of Seoul dishes facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Welcome to the delicious world of Seoul's food! Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, is famous for its amazing and unique dishes. Korean cuisine is full of flavor, from hearty soups to sweet treats. This list will introduce you to some of the most popular and traditional foods you can find in Seoul. Get ready to explore a tasty journey!

Main Dishes: Hearty Meals

Main dishes in Seoul are often warm, filling, and packed with flavor. They are perfect for any time of day!

만두
Mandu are delicious Korean dumplings, often filled with meat and vegetables.
  • Gukbap: This is a comforting soup served with rice. It's a popular choice for a warm and satisfying meal.
  • Heukimjajuk: A healthy porridge made from black sesame. It's often eaten for breakfast or as a light, nutritious meal.
  • Jatjuk: Another type of porridge, this one is made with pine nuts. It has a creamy texture and a mild, nutty taste.
  • Memil mandu: These are special dumplings with a covering made from buckwheat. They offer a unique flavor and texture.
  • Pyeonsu: Square-shaped dumplings, also known as mandu, filled with a mix of fresh vegetables. They are light and flavorful.
  • Saengchi mandu: A unique dumpling filled with tasty pheasant meat. It's a traditional and special dish.
  • Seolleongtang: A rich and milky beef soup, usually served with rice. It's known for its deep flavor, often simmered for hours.
  • Tteokguk: A traditional soup made with sliced rice cakes. It's especially popular during Korean New Year.

Channyu: Delicious Side Dishes

In Korean meals, side dishes, called channyu, are just as important as the main course. They add variety and balance to every bite!

Korean barbeque-Galbi-05
Ssam is a fun way to eat, wrapping meat and other ingredients in leafy greens.
Korean cuisine-Sukjunamul-01
Sukjunamul is a simple yet tasty side dish made from mung bean sprouts.
  • Amchi: This is a dried and salted brown croaker fish. It's prepared to be a savory side dish.
  • Eochae: A dish of parboiled fish fillets. It's a light and healthy way to enjoy fish.
  • Gaksaek jeongol: A type of casserole made with many different ingredients. It's cooked in a pot at the table, making it a fun shared meal.
  • Galbijjim: Braised short ribs, usually beef. The meat is cooked until it's very tender and full of flavor.
  • Gannap: A savory pancake made from beef liver. It's a unique and traditional side dish.
  • Gaphoe: Seasoned raw beef tripe. This dish is for those who enjoy adventurous flavors.
  • Gimssam: Delicious wraps made with gim, which is a type of seaweed. You can fill them with various ingredients.
  • Gujeolpan: A beautiful "nine-sectioned plate" filled with different colorful ingredients. It's a fancy and elegant dish.
  • Gulbi: Dried and salted yellow croaker fish. It's a popular and flavorful seafood side dish.
  • Gulhoe: Fresh, raw oysters. They are often served with a spicy sauce.
  • Gwamegi: Half-dried Pacific herring or Pacific saury. It's a chewy and savory snack or side dish.
  • Hobakseon: Steamed zucchini that is stuffed with various fillings. It's a healthy and tasty vegetable dish.
  • Honghapcho: Mussels that are braised in a soy sauce mixture. They are sweet and savory.
  • Jang kimchi: A type of water kimchi seasoned with soy sauce. It's lighter than regular kimchi.
  • Jangajji: Different kinds of pickles. They add a tangy and crunchy element to meals.
  • Jeonbokcho: Braised abalone, a type of shellfish. It's considered a delicacy.
  • Jeotgal: Salted and fermented seafood. It's a strong-flavored condiment or side dish.
  • Jokpyeon: A gelatinous dish made from pork trotters. It has a unique texture.
  • Maedeup jaban: Fried kombu (seaweed) shaped like ribbons. It's a crispy and savory snack.
  • Mitbanchan: These are basic side dishes made to be preserved. They are always available to eat with any meal.
  • Mugeun namul bokkeum: Sautéed dried mountain vegetables. They have a deep, earthy flavor.
  • Pyeonyuk: Sliced, pressed meat.
    • Useol pyeonyuk: Pressed ox's tongue.
    • Yangjimeori pyeonyuk: Pressed beef brisket.
  • Sinseollo: A fancy royal casserole cooked in a special pot. It's filled with many different ingredients.
  • Suk kkakdugi: Kimchi made with parboiled radish. It's a crunchy and spicy side.
  • Sukju namul: Sautéed mung bean sprouts. It's a simple, fresh, and crunchy side dish.
  • Suran: A perfectly poached egg. It's a soft and delicate addition to a meal.
  • Tteokbokki: Stir-fried rice cakes and vegetables, often in a spicy sauce. It's a very popular street food.
  • Tteokjjim: Boiled rice cakes, beef, and vegetables. It's a hearty and flavorful stew.
  • Yukgaejang: A spicy beef soup, usually served with rice. It's known for its rich and fiery taste.
  • Yukpo: Korean beef jerky. It's a chewy and savory snack.

Tteok: Chewy Rice Cakes

Korean rice cake-Kongtteok-01
Kongtteok is a type of tteok made with black beans, giving it a unique color and flavor.

Tteok are chewy and delicious rice cakes, a staple in Korean cuisine. They come in many shapes, sizes, and flavors!

  • Danja: These are small, round rice cakes, often coated with different powders.
    • Daechu danja: Made with sweet jujube fruit.
    • Ssukgullae danja: Made with Artemisia princeps, a type of mugwort.
    • Bam danja: Made with chestnuts.
  • Duteop tteok: Rice cakes covered with crumbles of azuki beans. They have a soft inside and a crumbly outside.
  • Gaksaekpyeon: Rice cakes made by adding different colors or flavors. They are often very pretty.
  • Hwajeon: Beautiful rice cakes decorated with real flower petals. They are pan-fried and often eaten in spring.
  • Juak: Rice cakes that are pan-fried and then glazed with honey. They are sweet and chewy.
  • Yaksik: A sweet rice cake made with nuts and jujubes. It's often eaten on special occasions.

Hangwa: Sweet Korean Treats

Korean hangwa-Dasik-02
Dasik are beautifully patterned cakes, often enjoyed with tea.

Hangwa are traditional Korean sweets and confectioneries. They are often made with natural ingredients and have beautiful designs.

  • Dasik: These are small, pattern-pressed cakes often eaten when drinking tea. They come in many flavors.
    • Heukimja dasik: Made with black sesame seeds.
    • Kong dasik: Made with soybeans.
    • Songhwa dasik: Made with pine pollen powder.
  • Maejakgwa: A crispy pastry made from flour, oil, and honey. It's often shaped like ribbons.
  • Mandugwa: Fried dumplings filled with sweetened jujube. They are a unique sweet treat.
  • Yakgwa: A popular oil-and-honey pastry. It's sweet, soft, and has a beautiful flower shape.
  • Yeotgangjeong: A crunchy sweet made by mixing yeot (a grain syrup) with roasted grains or nuts.
    • Silkkae yeotgangjeong: Covered with sesame seeds.
    • Ttangkong yeotgangjeong: Covered with peanuts.

See also

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List of Seoul dishes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.