How do you pronounce "the duck" in Konglish?* 🦆 If you do not speak Konglish, no problem! Here is the answer: Deo deok (spelled 더덕 in Korean letters). This piece of information may seem random, but it can also help you remember the plant that is the star of this post: Deodeok (더덕). The English... Continue Reading →
Korea’s Vegan Instant Noodles 라면
What comes to your mind when you hear "instant noodles"? Junk food. Quick. Convenient. Addictive. Flavor enhancers. Palm oil. Emergency food. Vegan options??? 🤔 Instant noodles have been a part of Korea's food culture for decades! 🇰🇷🍜 But particularly over the past few years, they have diversified enormously: The "classic" ramen, or ramyeon (라면) as... Continue Reading →
Frozen Vegan Dumplings in Korea 냉동 비건만두
Who doesn't like dumplings??? 😋🥟 Pockets of dough that are stuffed with anything tasty! Not only the filling, but also shape, size, wrapping material, cooking and serving methods of dumplings are endlessly diverse and vary by culture and region. 🌏🥟🌍🥟🌎 In Korea, there are several kinds of dumplings and they are generally referred to as... Continue Reading →
Korean congee and plant-based porridge 죽
What do you normally eat when you're sick? 🤒 Is it soup? 🥣 Or is it something like pizza and cake? 🍕🍰 My guess is that it is something soft, easy to swallow and with a lot of liquid!Maybe soup? 🥣 Maybe gruel? 🥣 Maybe porridge? 🥣 The Korean version of "food that you eat... Continue Reading →
Vegan Food for the First Full Moon
Fifteen days after the Lunar New Year, the full moon appears in the sky. 🎑 This first full moon of the year is called Jeongwol Daeboreum (정월대보름) in Korean and it has particular significance in traditional culture. 🌕 There are various customs associated with the event and they involve e.g. sharing food, watching the moon... Continue Reading →
Ingredients of Traditional Medicine 한약
Did you ever pass a Korean health food store or a street vendor selling things that are considered natural remedies? When I do, I keep wondering "What is that? Why is it sold here? What is it used for? How is that edible?" 🤔💭 One can argue about whether such components of herbal medicine can... Continue Reading →
Distinguishing Dates and Daechu 대추
If you see the title and expect info about dating, please move on. Unless you are interested in edible sweetness! Because you will be introduced to two lovely fruits! 💕 Love at first sight? 🤔Don't judge a book by its cover! Regardless of their dry and wrinkly appearance, these guys are very sweet! 🥰 Each... Continue Reading →
What the name on the food label says…
When doing grocery shopping in Korea, did you ever wonder why the "names" for food on the price tag are sometimes rather long? 🤔 You may also notice that some names deviate from what's on these lists: Korean names for vegetables, fruits, nuts, seaweed, mushrooms, cereals and beans. If you find that confusing, you can... Continue Reading →
Comparison of common citrus fruits in Korea
Despite the cold of winter, South Korean markets constantly offer edibles. Apart from beans, grains and other dry foods, there is also some fresh produce. The cold temperatures allow the harvest of seafood and seaweed, which would easily spoil in the summer. Winter vegetables such as spinach, cabbage and root vegetables (e.g. radish, sweet potatoes,... Continue Reading →
The many faces of Korean Persimmons 감
No. This is not a tomato. 🍅 No. It's not advisable to use this fruit for classic pasta sauce. 🍝[But go ahead and try if you feel adventurous.]* Even though this fruit has a spherical shape and smooth, shiny skin with deep orange color, it has little kinship with tomatoes. 🚫🍅 It is the fruit... Continue Reading →