Tag: Snacks

Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Korean Food & Culture Gifts
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the Korean food lover or culture enthusiast in your life? Whether they’re obsessed with kimchi jjigae, exploring Korean traditions, or crafting their own bibimbap, this guide has you covered. Here’s the ultimate 2024 holiday gift guide for Korean-inspired gifts, all conveniently available on Amazon. Bonus: by shopping through our affiliate links, you’re helping support our blog while ticking off your holiday list!
For the Korean Food Enthusiast
1. Voohek Korean BBQ Raclette Grill: Your All-in-One Indoor Grilling Solution
Looking for the ultimate Korean BBQ experience at home? The Voohek Korean BBQ Raclette Grill combines a non-stick grill plate and a natural cooking stone for perfectly seared meats, veggies, and more. With 1300W of power, it heats quickly to 500℉, making it easy to whip up a feast in minutes. The 8 raclette pans and wooden spatulas make it perfect for hosting, letting everyone cook their favorites—from steak and seafood to melted cheese and butter. Versatile enough for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this smokeless indoor grill is easy to clean and store, making it a must-have for foodies and families alike.
Check it out on Amazon →
2. K-Food: Korean Home Cooking and Street Food by Da-Hae and Gareth West
Discover Korean cuisine through this vibrant and approachable cookbook.
This cookbook features a blend of traditional Korean recipes and fun modern twists. Plus, it includes one of my own recipes! A perfect gift for home cooks and foodies alike.
Grab the book here →
3. Hagary Dragon Stainless Steel Chopsticks: Elegance Meets Durability
Elevate your dining experience with Hagary Dragon Chopsticks, designed in Korea and crafted from 316 surgical-grade stainless steel for unparalleled durability and hygiene. These reusable chopsticks are non-slip, thanks to their textured tips, making it easy to grip everything from sushi rolls to Korean BBQ. The laser-etched dragon design adds a touch of royalty to your table, and their dishwasher-safe, rust-resistant construction ensures they’ll last for years. Perfectly weighted and beautifully packaged, these chopsticks make an excellent gift for foodies, newlyweds, or anyone who loves Asian cuisine.
Shop the set →
4. DAGAON Finest Korean Snack Box
Discover the ultimate assortment of Korean snacks with the DAGAON Korean Snack Box, featuring 42 individually wrapped treats from top brands like Lotte, Orion, and Crown. This curated collection includes a mix of chips, cookies, pies, candies, noodles, coffee, tea, and more—perfect for sampling the best of Korea’s snacking culture. Whether it’s for gifting, parties, care packages, or just treating yourself, this snack box is ideal for any occasion. Packed with variety and flavor, it’s a surefire hit for friends, family, coworkers, or anyone craving a taste of Korea.
Get a snack box here →
5. Ramen Pot with Chopsticks, Spoon & Bowl Set: The Ultimate Ramen Lover’s Companion
Make instant noodles an art form.
Perfect for quick, delicious meals, this Ramen Pot Set comes with everything you need: a 1Qt Korean-style ramen pot, chopsticks, a spoon, and a bowl. Inspired by authentic Korean cuisine, this portable ramen cooker is ideal for dorms, small kitchens, or on-the-go dining. The pot’s compact size is perfect for single servings or meals for two, whether you’re making noodles, soups, or steamed eggs. The unbreakable bowl doubles as a serving dish for snacks, oatmeal, or salads, but remember: it’s not microwave-safe. Easy to clean and versatile, this set is a must-have for students, busy professionals, and anyone who loves quick, satisfying meals.
See it here →
For the Korean Culture Lover
6. Hanbok-Inspired Accessories
Celebrate Korean heritage with modern elegance.
From hanbok-patterned scarves to traditional-style jewelry, these gifts add a touch of Korea to anyone’s wardrobe.
Find hanbok accessories →
7. The Dark Side of Seoul: Weird Tales from Korean Lore Comics
Immerse yourself in Korean horror.
These comics are fun doorways into Korean folklore. You can order the digital or physical copies. Note that the physical copy takes around three weeks or so to ship from Korea.
Get the comic →
8. Calligraphy Set
Explore the artistry of Korean Hangeul writing.
A brush and ink set makes a unique gift for creative types interested in Korean culture. Pair it with a beginner’s guide for an even more thoughtful present. NOTE: Chinese calligraphy sets work as well.
Shop calligraphy kits →
9. K-Drama and K-Pop Merch
Perfect for the ultimate Hallyu fan.
Whether it’s BTS-inspired hoodies or Goblin-themed mugs, there’s no shortage of K-drama and K-pop gifts to choose from.
Browse fan merch →
10. Korean Language Learning Tools
The gift of speaking Korean.
Books like “Talk to Me in Korean” or language flashcards are ideal for anyone dreaming of learning Korean. Combine this with a subscription to online classes for the ultimate gift.
Explore language tools →
11. ZenKimchi Experiences Gift Card
Give the gift of experience.
Know someone who is planning to travel to Korea? Give them one of our ZenKimchi Experiences. Dine at the same BBQ place as Anthony Bourdain. Explore the dark alleyways on the Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk. Indulge in a Korean Chicken & Beer Pub Crawl. Or go off the main trail to find Korea’s real secrets on the Seoul Hike.
Check out the gift cards →
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From now until December 26th
Book a tour for any time in the future.
Use the coupon code
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For the Adventurous Cook
12. Fermentation Easy Starter Kit
DIY Korea’s most iconic dish.
A kimchi-making kit and more with fermentation jars makes it easy to create homemade batches. Add some gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) for an extra-special gift.
Shop fermentation kits →
13. Dolsot (Stone Bowl)
Perfect for sizzling bibimbap.
A Korean stone bowl turns rice and veggies into a restaurant-quality dish. Bonus: it’s great for stews too.
Find stone bowls →
14. Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking
Master the art of Korean sauces and pastes
For the ultimate DIY cook, how about making authentic Korean jang (pastes and sauces) at home? Named a Best New Cookbook of Spring 2024 by Eater and Epicurious
Grab the book →
15. Korean Drinking Set
Drink like a Korean.
For the makgeolli and soju parties! If you’re going to indulge in some Korean rice beer and soju, you gotta pour it and drink it out of the right vessels.
Check it out →
For the Tea and Wellness Lover
16. Korean Tea Sampler
Experience the subtle beauty of Korean teas.
OSOLLUC from Jeju Island makes some of the best premium teas in Korea. This is a must-have for any tea enthusiast.
Check it out →
17. Ginseng Supplements
Boost their health with a Korean superfood.
Korean red ginseng, known for its immunity-boosting and energy-enhancing properties, is a thoughtful and practical gift.
Shop ginseng gifts →
Wrap It All Up
This holiday season, celebrate the joy of Korean food and culture with these thoughtful gifts. From cookbooks like K-Food (featuring one of my recipes!) to the sweet, savory treats of a snack box, there’s something for everyone on this list. And remember, shopping through our links helps support the blog—so thank you for sharing the love!
Happy gifting! 🎁
December 2, 2024
Jaws Food
Location: Franchise
Cuisine: Bunsik (Korean snack food)
Reservations: No
Suggested Items: Ddeokbokki (chewy rice cakes), Twigim (fried stuff), Kaetnip Twigim (Deep fried stuffed perilla leaf)
* Please help complete this review by adding information in the comments

June 25, 2012
S’more Gyeongdan

S’mores!  The combination of graham crackers, gooey marshmallow and chocolate is an American classic that has found so many sweet applications, like cupcakes, bars, shakes, etc. So it’s only natural that I try my own take on s’more for an easy sweet-tooth fix…
…and you are probably not surprised I made rice cakes with these ingredients. Gyeongdan (경단) is a quick and easy kind of rice cakes made by boiling small balls of sweet rice flour dough, a.k.a. glutinous rice flour (despite no gluten in the flour…so confusing). They are often rolled in sponge cake crumbs or toasted bean powder (콩고물 – kong go mul) which only enhance their already cute looks and flavors.
Now you can enjoy a soft Korean rendition of s’mores from this sweet gyeongdan, with the rice flour wrapper as a snug pocket for holding melted chocolate chips and marshmallow bits together.
These gyeongdan are best, soft and slightly chewy, when they’re warm. If necessary, you can re-heat them, covered, in the microwave for 30 seconds (more or less, depending on the number of gyeongdan) before serving. I have to warn you though there is a chance that the chocolate and marshmallow filling might burst out in the microwave (how do I know this…?). This doesn’t affect taste much, just not the most well put-together pieces of gyeongdan at this point.
If you want to make ahead, make gyeongdan but don’t boil them. Place gyeongdan on a plate, not touching each other, and freeze for a couple of hours until they are firm.  Keep them in a plastic bag in the freezer. When you are ready to serve, go directly from the freezer to boiling water, then roll in graham cracker crumbs.
RELATED POSTS
Orange Seolgi (설기)
Patbingsu Cupcakes (팥빙수 컵케이크)
KOREAN WORDS
ice    얼음    (eol eum, which becomes ‘eo reum’ in actual pronounciation)
adult  어른   (eo reun)
January 17, 2012
Nurungji (Scorched Rice) Chips
I always have some cooked rice, in the freezer or kept warm in the rice cooker. This is pretty common for many Korean families without them really having second thoughts about it.  It’s like air and water that I only notice the lack of its existence on the rare occasions I run out of it.
Of course freshly made rice is the best. Yet leftover rice, as there is always some, comes in handy in many ways, from a lazy meal option of simply warming it in the microwave to a ready ingredient for stir-fried rice for which cold rice works better.
Nurungji can be another delicious derivative made with leftover rice, the scorched part that happens at the bottom of the pot when rice is hard-boiled. It’s also the prized part at the bottom of dolsot (돌솥; stone bowl) bibimbap that keeps you in anticipation the moment you start digging into the melange of rice, vegetables and gochujang sauce with a dose of hot sizzle that adds to the excitement.
It’s become so widely popular that dried nurungji is sold separately in grocery stores, but it’s also easy to make at home. Just spread a thin layer of cooked rice in a pan and give enough time for the rice to turn golden brown on both sides over low heat. Then it can be made into nurungji juk (누룽지 죽), a simple rice porridge with subtle nutty flavor that is easy on the stomach. Another nurungji variation is made by deep-frying then rolling them in sugar – what could be so bad about hot, cruncy, sweet nurungji snack?
Here is another option.  This happens to complement icy cold beer so well on a hot summer day, based on my numerous pairng attempts. It’s cruncy from nurungji, salty from Parmesan cheese, extra-nutty from black sesame seeds, and if you’d like, with a bit of heat from gochugaru (고추 가루; Korean chili powder).
To make nurungji chips, just make sure that white short grain rice (a.k.a. sushi rice) is part of the rice base so it has enough starch to keep the rice grains together. I usually mix sweet brown rice (현미 찹쌀; hyeon mi chap ssal) and white rice for my daily consumption, which is what I used for nurungji chips here.
KOREAN WORDS
beer       맥주 (maek ju)
summer 여름 (yeo reum)
Crispy rice snack or fancy garnish to your dishes Crispy rice snack or fancy garnish to your dishes
August 3, 2011
The Twelve Days of Tteokbokki: a Recap
Tammy completed an awesome task in creating twelve different recipes for tteokbokki from different corners of the world while bringing it on home to Korea for the finale.
Once again, here are the recipes.
Day 1 – Szechuan Tteokbokki
Day 2 – Thai Green Curry Tteokbokki
Day 3 – Madras Curry Tteokbokki
Day 4 – Korma Curry Tteokbokki
Day 5 – Arrabbiata Tteokbokki
Day 6 – Beef Bolognese Tteokbokki
Day 7 – Chicken in Mole Poblano Tteokbokki
Day 8 – Texas-style BBQ sauce with Tteokbokki
Day 9 – Buffalo Chicken Tteokbokki
Day 10 – Hawaiian Tteokbokki
Day 11 – Ottogi Curry Tteokbokki
Day 12 – Gungjung Tteokbokki (Korean Palace Rice Cake)
February 16, 2010