Korea is one destination we definitely miss and can’t wait to travel to when the borders reopen. From scenic sights like Nami Island to shopping in Myeongdong and savouring Korean street food, there’s so much more that we’d love to do in Korea! To fuel your wanderlust for Korea, the best way is to travel through your tummy. That’s why we’ve rounded up these 6 halal Korean street food and where to find them in Singapore. Wondering how to make Korean street food instead? The Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2021is happening till 31 October and there’s a series of recipe videos you can look forward to. Time to transport yourself to the streets of Seoul!
Halal Korean street food and where to get them in Singapore
1. Gimbap
Gimbap are Korean seaweed rice rolls that’s perfect for a quick and easy meal! Besides being a common street food, you can easily find them at Korean convenience stores too. Typically packed with eggs, spinach, carrot, yellow radish and meat, it’s hard to stop snacking on gimbap! To get your fix of halal gimbap in Singapore, head over to Jinjja Chicken or order SambalxKimchi, a home-based business run by a Korean Muslim in Singapore! P.S. If you’re planning to make gimbap at home, look out for the recipe on Halal K-food Cooking Studio during Halal Restaurant Week!
2. Japchae
A very popular dish in Korea, japchae is stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables and mushrooms with a slightly sweet and savoury sauce. The highlight of japchae is definitely the springy noodles itself, which is actually sweet potato starch noodles called dangmyeon. It’s a common sight to see Korean street food peddlers preparing japchae, which is perfect for any occasion. A few halal eateries in Singapore serve japchae such as Muk-Bang Korean Restaurant and Seoul Garden Hotpot!
Want to try making japchae at home? Check out this recipe of mushroom japchae from the Halal Restaurant Week:
3. Korean pancakes (jeon)
Crispy on the sides and soft on the inside, Korean pancakes or jeon are yummy as a street snack or to share with loved ones at the dinner table. Some of the flavours that you might be familiar with are scallion (pajeon), kimchi (kimchi jeon) or seafood (haemul pajeon). Korean pancakes are also served with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce. If you’re missing Korean pancakes, you can still enjoy a taste of them at Hanok by Massizim and Muk-Bang Korean Restaurant!
Did you know that pajeon is also easy to make at home? You can find Korean pancake mix easily at Korean supermarkets or even make one your own. Look out for the recipe on Halal K-food Cooking Studioduring Halal Restaurant Week!
4. Tteokbokki
You can’t say you’ve tried Korean street food without trying tteokbokki! If you’ve travelled to Korea during the colder seasons, you’d know that nothing beats having a warm plate of tteokbokki on the streets.
This spicy rice cake dish is one of the most popular Korean street food and it’s not hard to see why! The combination of spice and chewiness of the rice cakes makes it so addictive. Fortunately, you can still savour the authentic taste of tteokbokki at these halal restaurants in Singapore: Muk-Bang Korean Restaurant, Jinjja Chicken, Seoul Garden Hotpot and Meokja, a new home-based business set up by a Korean Muslim in Singapore.
5. Corn dog
Credit: @perghh_sg on Instagram
For a quick and satisfying snack, Korean corn dogs are a mouthwatering treat! Coated in a flour batter and some panko breadcrumbs for an extra crunch, Korean-style corn dogs have an extra step that sets them apart from the other corn dogs. It’s coated with sugar after it’s fried! This sweet and salty combination topped with ketchup and mustard will surely leave you wanting more. For a treat of this iconic street food in Singapore, check out Perghh SG which is well-known for its tasty corn dogs!
6. Hotteok
Hotteok is a Korean street snack that’s perfect as a dessert and you can find it most commonly in winter. Filled with brown sugar and nuts, eating this fried chewy pancake when it’s still fresh and warm is an absolute delight. If you’ve missed the sizzling sound of hotteok being fried and its aromatic smell, the good news is that you can find a halal version of this in Singapore! Check out Hotteok SG, a home-based business which sells hotteok in different flavours besides just having the original.
Make your own Korean dishes at home and reminisce your travels
If you want to whip up your own Korean dishes but not sure how to, don’t worry! As part of Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2021, you can look forward to the Halal K-food Cooking Studiowhich features 5 Korean recipe videos - mushroom japchae, samgyetang, kimchi pancake, gimbap and bulgogi.
There will also be a series of videos called Unboxing Korea where which will feature famous Korean tourist attractions and Muslim-friendly restaurants in Seoul, Busan, Andong, Gangneung and Jeonju. All you have to do is head over to the Wow Korea Youtube channelfrom 3 September to 5 November 2021 - there’ll be a new video every Friday.
Besides these 5 places, other parts of Korea also has plenty of exciting new attractions and Muslim-friendly eateries, such as Gangwon-do. Check out this video on things to do at Gangwon-do once borders reopen:
HHWT is also having a giveaway on our Instagram where you can recreate your favourite Korean dishes and stand a chance to win halal Korean dining vouchers, so stay tuned!
If you’ve missed Korea and can’t wait to travel there, check out these halal Korean street food in Singapore and the Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2021. Trust us, you’ll get to feed your wanderlust for Korea. Which Korean street food is your favourite? Let us know in the comments section!
This article is brought to you by Korea Tourism Organization (Singapore).