KOREAN NEW YEAR RECIPES
Korean New Year Recipes
Korean New Year is around the corner. Are you wondering why I say Korean New Year instead of Chinese New Year? I’m not sure why it is called Chinese New Year in English. Many countries in Asia celebrate the Lunar New Year. I suppose China is one of the biggest countries in Asia and that’s why it is called Chinese New Year? Maybe.
Right now while I am writing this blog, an electrician is fixing my oven. He is a fantastic electrician who fixes anything and he is reliable. When my oven broke a couple of months ago, he came to see what the problem was.
When he finished his job, he said to me, “I will come back in a few days with the parts you need.” “Thank you!” I said, “I should cook something without using the oven for the time being.” “Well, you can do stir-fry! Can’t you?”
Haha. As you know, most English people think I am Chinese. Koreans, Chinese, Japanese and all the other Asians look the same to them, I guess? Also, I found out English people think Chinese people only eat stir fries. As a lot of people say to me, “I love stir fry!” I didn’t know why they would tell me when I heard it for the first time. But, now I have lived here for around 10 years, I know what it means.
Anyway, we have two big holidays in South Korea. One is Chuseok and the other is Seol. Chuseok is Korean Thanksgiving day in September or October and Seol is Korean New Year’s Day. They are like Christmas here. We have 3 days off and all the family members meet and eat lots of food.
Here is my list of Korean New Year’s food. If you want to have a party with Korean foods or if you want to celebrate Korean New Year like Koreans, these are the recipes for you.
Bulgogi 불고기
Bulgogi is non-spicy, extremely easy and quick to make and the taste is fantastic! It is the perfect dish for when you don’t have much time to prepare and cook something for dinner or parties. Bulgogi is one of Korea’s signature dishes. In Korea, you can find Bulgogi burgers in McDonald’s and bulgogi pizza is in every pizza restaurant. And of course, bulgogi pizza tastes amazing and is the most popular pizza in South Korea!
Korean Braised Pork Ribs (Galbijjim, 갈비찜)
Galbijjim is a super delicious non-spicy savory dinner. Always eaten at Chuseok, Seol, birthday parties, wedding parties and special events. Perfect for impressing your party guests .Galbijjim (Braised Ribs) is a dish made with beef or pork ribs, soy sauce, garlic, onions, etc. It is very simple to make, and tastes amazing. This recipe is my mum’s recipe.
Japchae 잡채
Japchae is one of the most well loved Korean dishes. It has so much universal appeal. It’s non-spicy nature means it is loved by children and adults alike. It consists of glass noodles stir fried with vegetables and beef or pork. You will most often find spinach, carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and peppers but you can use any of your favourite veg. Glass noodles are made from potatoes and they are transparent, like glass! They are soft, smooth and delicious.
When I was a child, Japchae was one of my favourite dishes without any hesitation. Now, my daughter and my son love Japchae crazily! If we go to a Korean restaurant in the UK, my daughter orders Japchae straight away.
Courgette, Aubergine and Mushroom Fritters 호박전, 가지전, 버섯전
We eat a lot of fritters and fried cod during our holidays. Vegetable fritters are my favourite ones! I love them. They are easy, quick, healthy and delicious, too! They are often eaten with a soy sauce and apple vinegar dip. They are perfect for your bento box or picnic.
Haemulpajeon (Seafood Spring Onion Pancake 해물파전)
Squid, king prawns and spring onions in a crispy pancake with a spicy, soy dipping sauce. We eat lots of Korean savory pancakes during our holidays such as Seafood Spring Onion Pancakes, Kimchi Pancakes, Potato Pancakes, etc. Out of all the pancakes, without any doubt, this one is the most popular. Perfect for family lunch, anjoo (a side dish served with alcohol: Koreans eat side dishes when they drink), and banchan (a side dish served with a meal).
Sujeonggwa (Korean Sweet Cinnamon and Ginger Tea) 수정과
A delicious, refreshing, Korean Sweet Cinnamon and Ginger Tea, served hot or ice cold. Just lovely for afternoon tea and family gatherings. Sujeonggwa is a popular festive drink and always makes an appearance on Korean holidays such as Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) and Seol (Korean New Year’s Day).
I made this tea for my Korean BBQ cooking class a few weeks ago. Everyone loved this tea! You can’t skip a lovely cup of tea and a chat with family and friends during the holidays.
