September 12, 2022
SEOUL – Two popular on-the-go meals in South Korea, gimbap and tteokbokki, have been named on CNN’s list of the top 50 street foods in Asia.
Gimbap, the seaweed-wrapped rice roll stuffed with vegetables, eggs and various meat sliced into bite-size discs of goodness, has long been Koreans’ go-to soul food along with tteokbokki, a dish made of white rice cakes in a thick, fiery red sauce.
Stressing gimbap’s portable size, the US news network said “not unlike Japan’s makizushi (rolled sushi), these rice rolls wrapped in seaweed sheets are cut into easy-to-devour slices that hawkers fill with a wide assortment of ingredients,” in its report on Aug. 24 in partnership with Turkish Airlines.
Gimbap and tteokbokki, Korea’s two popular street foods, have been named to CNN’s list of the top 50 street foods in Asia. (CNN)
CNN described tteokbokki as “a much-loved comfort food in South Korea,” adding the popular snack is incredibly versatile.
“The most famous variation stars spicy red chili paste and fish cakes, but rice cakes can also be prepared with a milder soy sauce-based dressing, with cheese, or in various soups and hot pots,” it said.
Among other street foods on the top 50 list are Vietnam’s pho soups and banh mi sandwich, Singapore’s chili crab and kaya toast, Hong Kong’s egg waffles and curry fish balls, Taiwan’s bubble tea and stinky tofu, China’s xiao long bao dumplings, Japan’s takoyaki, or octopus balls, the Philippines’ ice dessert halo-halo, Thailand’s crab omelets and Malaysia’s asam laksa, a fish-based rice noodle soup.