As I walked through the 시장 (shijang), I talked with friendly locals and tried food made by families in their small stalls. This made me feel more connected to Korean culture. Fried chicken is also common in the United States, but 치킨 (chikin) tastes different. It often comes with crunchy side dishes such as sour radish cubes and sweet pickles that make the meal more exciting.
호떡 (Hotteok) reminds me a little of American donuts, although the flavor is unique. The warm sugary filling tastes like cinnamon syrup inside a soft donut. Even though 호떡 (hotteok) looks like an American pancake, the texture is very different. The outside is soft and chewy, and the inside tastes like melted sugar and cinnamon.
Korean fried chicken is usually not salty. It is often served plain or covered in a sweet and spicy sauce. The most popular sauce is called 양념 (yangnyeom), which is a glossy red coating made by mixing sweet strawberry jam with Korea’s spicy 고추장 (gochujang) red pepper paste.
Korean street food is usually cooked right in front of you, which makes it super fun to watch and learn about. To make 호떡 (hotteok), the shop owner starts by scooping a ball of dough and flattening it with their hands. They then place the sweet filling inside, close it up, and press it onto a hot griddle. The dough slowly turns golden brown as the filling melts, and once it’s done, the owner puts the cooked 호떡 (hotteok) into a small paper cup. Korean 치킨 (chikin) is prepared differently. First, the chicken is coated in a batter and fried until it is super crispy.
