Tuesday, January 19, 2010

My favorite Korean street food




Street food is a big part of nighttime culture in Korea.  When the sun goes down and people start patronizing their favorite hangouts, out come the street vendors.  The range of food served at street vendors is ever-growing, and you would be surprised to see some of the foods they carry.  I tend to steer clear of most street food as I don't know how long it's been sitting out in the elements, or if it's been cooked properly.  I've had the misfortune of eating food here that wasn't quite what I thought, and not enjoyed the after-effects.

There is one street food I can't resist, and that's the sweet smell of fresh hotteok, hot off the griddle.  This sweet treat is a wintertime delicacy, so you only see the vendors a few months out of the year.  However, it is well worth the wait the first time you catch a whiff of it cutting through the chilly air.

Hotteok is Korean pancake filled with a mixture of honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped peanuts.  The filling meshes well with the slightly crispy, mostly doughy crust, and it kind of reminds me of a kind of Mexican dessert I would eat at home.  The price tag is nice, too:  you can get a nice-sized hotteok (think about the size of your hand, fingers extended) for 2,000 won.

Next time you're looking for a quick pick-me-up, why not try some hotteok?  Just follow your nose, and enjoy!

P.S.  If you can't wait for the weather to be cold to eat hotteok, you can make your own using a mix sold in grocery stores!

Picture credit:  Taken from the Wikipedia entry on hotteok, seen here.

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