unique food in Korea1. San-nakji (alive small-octopus)

San(alive) + Nakji(small-octopus) - as the name says, it is one type of sashimi that we mix with sesame oil, smashed garlic, etc. Surprising thing is that chopped part of small-octopus is still moving on the dish. I hear that San-Nakji is the most shocking dish of Korea to foreigners' eyes. 


 See? small octopus is still alive!XD
Anyway, you really have to be careful and chew well before swallow. Because there are some accidents that alive small-octopus blocks airway that results brain death or death. 

 Soo-Ji from girl group 'Miss A'. In Korea variety show, she is eating San-Nakji directly from mud flat. 

I can't say, it is WIDELY loved by koreans because there are people who can't eat san-nakji. However, it is unique and funny experience to feel korean food and culture!:)

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

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!:)♥