Korean Traditional Eats - 부대찌개

One of the popular dishes in Korea is this spicy pepper soup base of the general term 찌개 that is topped with a variety of different eats. This particular blog focuses on 부대찌개 which is a huge pot of deliciousness.

The selection varies from restaurant to restaurant, but it is usually mixed with a bunch of goodies such as luncheon meat (usually the Korean version of Spam), kimchi, slices of hot dog, a braised pork meat, mushrooms, pearl noodles, tofu, leafy vegetables and others. Most pick a bag of ramen to top the dish off for an extra price, usually a dollar. Many restaurant provide you with one ramen per soup, but you can order more to fill up, especially when sharing between a group of people. It is recommended to share this dish with a minimum of three people, it may be difficult to share between just two people unless you are expecting to leave with a  bloated stomach like I always do!

The best part about this dish is being able to cook your ramen to be the way you like, some like it mushy, some crunchy, and some the in-between. All you have to do is set your fire and cook away. It is one of the must have dishes in Korea. If you are not a fan of the spicy soup base, just add water to your bowl to dilute the taste. I must say though, it is just not the same without the spicy kick. Although I do not eat much spicy foods, it is definitely worth it to consume as served. With time, your taste buds, like mine will change as well. I have learned to love the 찌개 soup base and eat it almost every week now.