Koreans - how do you eat galbitang/budae jiggae?

[sdifox]

You Thai?

That phrase is thrown around all the time in Thailand.

Taiwanese

 

[RossMAN]

You Thai?

That phrase is thrown around all the time in Thailand.

If he answered yes, your next question would be "lady boy???"

 

[sdifox]

If he answered yes, your next question would be "lady boy???"

Why didn't you ask him if he is a ladyboy you ricist

 

[glenn1]

When I lived in Jeonju, SK I ate bibimbap just about every other day. Jeonju is known for their bibimbap.

Bibimbap, soju and kimchi.

Considering bibimbap is basically leftovers (the uneaten banchon from the last day, rice, etc.) that's not surprising. The eat it for the same reason Americans after Thanksgiving eat turkey in various forms (turkey sandwich, turkey soup, turkey cake and pie, etc)

 

[Zeze]

Seoul-born Korean here who cook & eat Korean food, has a Korean wife who does the same, and raised by first gen Korean parents on both sides:

Yes, you eat it just like Soon dubu or any other jiggae / K-stews. You're thrown off by noodles in them and think you have to eat them separately from rice (as they're both carbs and serve similar function). But treat the small amount of noodles as any other toppings in the stew.

Here is an overly detailed guide in a typical ATOT fashion:
1. Take a spoon of white rice and put it in yo mouth.
2. Take a spoon of stew, with the goodies chunks and all, put it in yo mouth.
3. Let the rice & stew form a heavenly harmonic orgasm in your mouth.
4. MOST IMPORTANT: Swallow.
5. You are free to change the sequence of 1 & 2 or repeat either one step in excess based on your preference.

2b. Feel free to pick the noodles up with the spoon. Treat it like the rest of the chunks. If they're slippery, you're allowed to dispatch the chopsticks. Go to 3.

 

[Ns1]

Thank you Zeze for actually addressing the topic at hand - those damn noodles.

 

[Zeze]

Cheers bud.

 

[Zeze]

Thank you Zeze for actually addressing the topic at hand - those damn noodles.

They were glass noodles right?

 

[Ns1]

They were glass noodles right?

Glass noodles in the gambitang. As I understand it, instant ramen is pretty typical for buddae jiggae

 

[Svnla]

I am still trying to get over the smell of kimchi. The taste is not so bad, just the smell.

 

[Zeze]

Glass noodles in the gambitang. As I understand it, instant ramen is pretty typical for buddae jiggae

Yes sir.

Mmmm buddae jiggae is the ultimate soul food junk food in drunken stupor. Eat em in tented pochas for maximum effect

Manhattan K-town (32nd & broadway) has a respectable indoor pocha which captures the Korean dive bar feel, also great Budae jigae.

 

[ponyo]

Not really a fan of buddae jiggae. It has that cheap taste. Same with galbijim. It's like eating boring pot roast. I do like good galbitang. I usually dump the bowl of rice into the soup.

 

[Mai72]

My English friend is very weird she eat noodles with a fork. Even when we eat out she always uses a fork and never chop sticks, I keep telling her it's rude and she refuses to use chopsticks.

I'm horrible with chopsticks. I tried. So, whenever I went out to dinner with my Korean friends they would hand me a fork.

 

[Ns1]

Is dubbae jiggae drunk food, hangover food, or comfort food? A little bit of all 3 depending on what time of day?

 

[Zeze]

Not really a fan of buddae jiggae. It has that cheap taste..

Yes it tastes cheap because that's the origin of the stew. It's army stew (lit translation)- made by unholy concoction of cheap canned meats thrown away by US army bases when meat was expensive. It's a poor man's dish. Stock is probably nothing more than gochujang & dried anchovy. You even throw in ramen noodles, of course it's cheap tasting.

It's an American equivalence of going to taco bell or waffle house at 2am.

 

[Ns1]

Yes it tastes cheap because that's the origin of the stew. It's army stew (lit translation)- made by unholy concoction of cheap canned meats thrown away by US army bases when meat was expensive. It's a poor man's dish. Stock is probably nothing more than gochujang & dried anchovy. You even throw in ramen noodles, of course it's cheap tasting.

It's an American equivalence of going to taco bell or waffle house at 2am.

Don't forget the slice of cheese.

It's also $11 for a giant bowl, so the low price ingredients are reflected in the final price. $11 got me 4 unlimited sides of banchan and a giant pot of stew with its own heating element.

 

[Zeze]

Is dubbae jiggae drunk food, hangover food, or comfort food? A little bit of all 3 depending on what time of day?

Late night drunk food foremost, but also eaten as a proper dinner, as well as lunch.

Definitely not hangover food. It's too heavy for that. We have a separate hangover stew lit called 'hangover stew' which are typically daenjang based (fermented soybean) vs Budae's gochujang-based (spicy chili peper paste).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haejangguk

Budae is literally Waffle House for Americans. You go when drunk as fack at 2am. So it's primarily a drunk food. But WH is also good as brunch or even dinner without alcohol.

I eat Buddae Jiggae as a proper dinner because it's good- without alky.

 

[glenn1]

I am still trying to get over the smell of kimchi. The taste is not so bad, just the smell.

You do realize there are literally dozens of different kinds of kimchi and many of them smell and taste nothing like each other?

Yes sir.

Mmmm buddae jiggae is the ultimate soul food junk food in drunken stupor. Eat em in tented pochas for maximum effect

I thought the ultimate drunk food in Korea was beondegi, but then again I was never that drunk while there to actually eat them.

 

[Zeze]

I thought the ultimate drunk food in Korea was beondegi, but then again I was never that drunk while there to actually eat them.

Beondegi is not an entrée like Budae jigae. It's a small anju to nibble on, like those beer nuts.

I don't even think they were ultimate drunk food. They were snacks sold to kids. They were sold out of street carts during the day. And me and my class mates ate them for 50 won or 100 won (1 dollar back then) in late 80's.

I haven't eaten them since. Too gross now. But I can STILL very much taste them & remember the texture. It's nutty, salty, tangy, and had a texture of wet cardboard (BUT warm with excellent flavor).. but in a good way, if that makes any fackng sense.

I crave them now. Back then I thought they were the 'shell's of the silkworm (the molt), but it's the entire thing. Ew.

I can probably eat them again today and it'd be a no big deal.


(Due to inflation 1000 won is more like 1 USD today fyi.)

 

[ponyo]

Yes it tastes cheap because that's the origin of the stew. It's army stew (lit translation)- made by unholy concoction of cheap canned meats thrown away by US army bases when meat was expensive. It's a poor man's dish. Stock is probably nothing more than gochujang & dried anchovy. You even throw in ramen noodles, of course it's cheap tasting.

It's an American equivalence of going to taco bell or waffle house at 2am.

I know the origin. And I tried many different versions. It's ok. But it's nothing I crave or go out of my way to eat.

 

[Zeze]

I know the origin. And I tried many different versions. It's ok. But it's nothing I crave or go out of my way to eat.

It's okay that you're a weirdo, but then you like to dump the entire rice into the stew. So that explains everything.

(completely joking of course)

 

[Svnla]

You do realize there are literally dozens of different kinds of kimchi and many of them smell and taste nothing like each other?

The ones I tried in SK did have strong smell. I was able to eat them but I did not see what the big deal was. They were ok but I rather eat something else.

 

[ponyo]

Gamjatang is better. It's spicy soup made with bones from spine of a pig and potatoes.

Soup is very spicy so it's good soju food.

 

[ponyo]

And good breakfast/hangover food is kongnamul gukbap. It's soybean spout soup. It's light soothing soup to eat in the morning.

 

[ponyo]

The ones I tried in SK did have strong smell. I was able to eat them but I did not see what the big deal was. They were ok but I rather eat something else.

Like anything fermented, kimchi is an acquired taste. You either love it or hate it.