A typical Korean lunch is a bowl of stew or soup, a bowl of rice and several small side dishes. On a cold day, a steaming bowl is the first thing Koreans crave.
Stews (찌개 jjigae)
- Kimchi-jjigae (김치찌개) — tangy, spicy stew of kimchi, pork and tofu.
- Doenjang-jjigae (된장찌개) — earthy soybean paste stew with vegetables and tofu. Milder than it looks.
- Sundubu-jjigae (순두부찌개) — silky soft tofu in a spicy broth, often with an egg cracked in.
Soups (탕 tang · 국밥 gukbap)
- Seolleongtang (설렁탕) and gomtang (곰탕) — long-simmered beef bone and meat broths. Season them yourself at the table.
- Galbitang (갈비탕) — clear beef short rib soup, mild and comforting.
- Gukbap (국밥) — soup with rice in it, a one-bowl meal with regional styles such as pork (Busan), blood sausage (sundae) and bean sprout (Jeonju).