Korean Foods To Try During The Autumn Season
I think many of you will agree when I say that Korea has one of the best cuisines. From snacks like 떡볶이 (teokbokki, which means stir-fried rice cakes) and BBQ dishes like 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal, which means grilled pork belly) to desserts like 빙수 (bingsu, which means shaved ice) – there are many kinds of food for every occasion!
Right now, Korea has entered their fall season. And, here are some foods you can try while enjoying the refreshing weather.
Persimmons
At first glance, persimmons look like tomatoes because of their bright orange colors. Their shape is also quite the same! During the summer, persimmons are green in color, which indicates that they are still unripe.
As the temperature drops, the fruit will slowly mature and develop a light yellow-orange to red-orange tone! Persimmons are sweet, and most people describe the taste as “honey like”.
There are a lot of ways to eat a persimmon. You can eat fresh or dried, and you can even drink it and turn it into a wine!
Blue Crabs
Autumn is a good time for all seafood lovers out there, because it is very abundant during this season. Blue crabs, for example, is one of the delicacies that are popular during this period.
What’s nice about crabs is that it can be cooked in different methods. You can turn it into a spicy crab soup alongside other veggies and seafood, or you can also steam it! 게장 (gejang, which means marinating raw crabs in soy sauce) is another common way of preparing it.
Pear
Another seasonal fruit in this list is the Korean pears. Although it is often used as an ingredient when it comes to making sauces and marinades, pears are also delicious to eat by just simply peeling and chopping it!
Similar to persimmons, pears are also a versatile food. It can be steamed and turned into a warm drink, which can help soothe a cold.
In tradition, pears are also usually given as gifts to family, friends or guests.
Fish Cake
Fish cake is one of Korea’s popular snacks available all year round. Even though it can be any eaten at any time, it is best enjoyed during cold seasons because of its hot soup that is also filled with vegetable and eggs.
Also known as “Odeng”, the word originated from the Japanese term “Oden”, a popular winter dish cooked in a single pot that has various ingredients including fish balls, fish cakes, tofu and a soy sauce-based broth.
Gizzard Shad
Grilled gizzard shads are not only delicious; it also packed with healthy fish oils that are also good for the body!
Appearance wise, gizzards are oblong-shaped and have a silvery blue blacks and silvery sides. You can eat it raw or seasoned, but the best way is to cook it over an open flame after sprinkling it with salt.
Grilling this fish is highly recommended. In fact, there is even a popular Korean saying that goes, “The smell from grilling fall gizzard shads brings back a daughter-in-law who ran away”.
Pine Mushrooms
Pine mushrooms only grow during fall, so it is definitely a must-try during this season. There are a lot of edible mushrooms in Korea, but this one is very popular because of its nutritional value.
It is believed to prevent stomach-related diseases and is also known to help with cancer prevention. However, pine mushrooms can be a bit pricey because they are only collected in a natural environment.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop it from being a key ingredient in many soup dishes or grilled along other foods like abalone and beef.
Chestnuts
Commonly sold with roasted sweet potatoes, roasted chestnuts are sold from late autumn to winter by street vendors.
The Gongju city in the South Chungcheong province of Korea is popular for producing chestnuts that have an excellent taste and density. Every January, the “Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival” is held and people come together to roast chestnuts over an open fire.
Additionally, chestnuts are also used when making songpyeon, a traditional food made of rice powder usually served during the Korean Thanksgiving or chuseok.
These amazing foods will make your trip to Korea better during the autumn season. Top it off with the amazing places you can visit and fun activities you can try, and you’ll definitely get the vacation of a lifetime!
