Chef's Guide to NYC's Korean Street Food
Chef Esther Choi of mokbar, New York City's popular Korean restaurant, knows that a culture's best dishes can be sampled through their street food. When she's on-the-go and looking for some cheap eats, Choi grabs an easy meal or snack from one of her favorite Korean vendors.
Tteokboki -- Literally translated as "stir-fried rice cake," this classic Korean dish has all the makings of a great snack - mouthwatering flavor, addictive chewy texture, and a spicy kick from a sweet red chili paste. Traditionally served piping hot in a small plastic bag, the snack is widely available on the streets of Korea and can be found at any hour of the day.
Hotteok -- For those with a sweet tooth, this Korean pancake traditionally filled with cinnamon or peanuts is Chef Esther's "go-to." The dough is left to rise for several hours before it's placed on a greased griddle and fried. Although the dish is usually cooked in winter, more Korean street vendors are starting to serve it year-round.
Odeng - Korean fish cake soup may sound intimidating, but once you've sampled its savory profile, you'll understand why its Choi's favorite meal. Typically, when you visit a vendor in Korea, you grab a fish cake skewer and start eating. The vendor will count up the skewers before you leave to tell you how much owe. The broth the skewers soak in, traditionally made with turnip, leeks and crab or dried seaweed, is usually free with unlimited refills.