tteokbokki (rice cakes in hot sauce)

   One of the Koreans' best snack is tteokbokki! It is loved by many people from elementary student to working people for its delicious taste and cheap price. It is made of sliced rice cake, eggs, odeng with pepper paste sauce. It is spicy yet sweet and delicious!!!

we call this place as 'po jang ma cha'(street vendors) and every Koreans would have memory of eatting tteokbokki with other foods here with friends. Actually, pojangmacha is the one that I missed the most while staying in the Philippines. I can make or buy tteokbokki here but it feels different from eating in pojangmacha. If you have chance to go Korea, you should try eat tteokboki here with other foods like 'soon dae' or 'odeng'!

People created many ways to enjoy tteokbokki as it is loved by Koreans for a long time!

Cheese tteokbokki! 

As the name represents, it is tteokbokki with cheese topping! Cheese mitigates spiciness of tteokbokki!

 

tteokbokki + Ramyun = Ra bokki

If you want to try tteokbokki in the Philippines, this is tteokbokki specializing restaurant locates in 1st floor or Avenue mall, Makati Avenue - Shin dang dong tteokbokki

Ramyun (Korean Noodle)

     I can't ignore 'Ramyun(Korean noodle)' in terms of explaining Korean culture and food. Many Filipinos are thinking that Koreans like spicy food and... we really do! because we eat spicy noodle with spicier kimchi!:)haha According to WINA, Korea's individual noddle consumption ranked #1 in the world. Anyway Ramyun has been with Koreans for a long time while we experiencing financial crisis and until now as a replacement of rice. 

Wow, See the variety kinds of Ramyun existing in Korea!!! you would know how Koreans love to eat ramyun:D

From the left- Nong-Shim Shin Ramyun / Nong-Shim An Sung Tang Myun 

  

 Shin-Ramyun is representative ramyun of Korea which launched on 1986 and holds rank 1 brand for 19years. it is known for deliciously spicy taste that 'Shin' means spicy in Chinese character. Surprising fact is that it is being exported to 70 different countries! I didn't know that people from other countries love spicy food as much as Koreans!:))

She is my favorite Korean singer, IU!♥.♥ For her singing ability and cute appearance,  she is being loved by so-called 'uncle fans' and she became national sister of Korea! 

She promotes Nong-Shim Shin Ramyun Black ~

As a Korean, I'm glad to see Korean noodles are sold in most of Philippines local supermarket like SM and Robinson and also in convenient stores! I hope you'll also enjoy SPICINESS of Korean noodle like me! 

One tip! Nong-Shim Shin Ramyun that I introduced is on promotion from Oct 1 - 31 in all supermarket! According to the ad, you can buy 5 packs of Shin-Ramyun at P168! I think it's best time for you to experience new world of hot and delicious food!:P

Mi yuk soup (seaweed soup)

     

     Seaweed soup has been loved by Koreans for a long time. Because it's easy to make and perfect match for Koreans who consume cooked rice as a staple food. It contains rich calcium and iodine which is good for mother who just delivered baby and to growing children. 

     Eating seaweed soup on one's birthday is our culture. Korean people would ask 'is today anyone's birthday?' when you serve seaweed soup to him. 

     So, If you have any Korean friend, ask "have you eaten mi-yuk guk?" on his birthday. He will appreciate :))

songpyeon (half-moon-shaped rice cake)

Last week was Korea's national holiday which is Chu-seok(Korean thanksgiving day) 

There are two big national holidays in Korea, 
Seol-nal (chinese new year) and Chu-seok(Korean thanksgiving day). Chu-seok is middle of August according to Chinese lunar calendar when the moon is the most round and bright of the year. Over half of the Korea population visits families and ancestral graves during this three-day holiday.

Anyway,  'A load of bread is better than the song of many birds!' Delicious food can't be separated from holiday!
Song-Pyun (half-moon-shaped rice cake) is a big circle over bowls filled with glutinous rice dough and many wonderful fillings. The song pyun are then carefully arranged between piles of freshly washed pine needles in a huge steamer. The pine needles prevent the sticky rice cakes from clinging to each other. Making song pyun is one of the most festive activities associated with Chu-suk. Because several generation from grandmother-to-grand daughter can work together!



this is typical activity of Chu-suk which is  Gangkang Suwollae (a Korean circle dance) played by women under full moon!
According to old story, it was started by wives of soldiers to confuse enemy that our number of soldier is greater than theirs.

Try beautiful yet delicious Korean traditional food!:)♥