Korean Job Discussion Forums

[april]

Hi, I am looking to get the names of a few easily found vegetarian dishes in Korea for when I arrive this month and havent yet got my bearings but am hungry! I will be in Masan, so I wont have access to big city options, but I thought there might be some vegetarian staple dishes that I could count on in a smaller city. Thanks!

[NYC_Gal]

Bibimbap is rice with a mix of veggies, a fried egg, and some hot pepper paste. Some places add meat, but it's rare. Just make sure to say "Gogi bego. Cheshik imnida," to make sure.

Bibim nangmyeon is buckwheat and potato noodles with some veg and the same sauce, with half of a hard-boiled egg.

Honestly, you're going to find that nearly everything has some seafood in it (even most of the kimchi), so you may want to become a partial pescatarian whilst here. You don't have to order seafood, but many soups have a fish base or some clams in them. It's just easier to forgive a bit of seafood and stay totally veg at home.

If you're near a Homeplus (a store similar to Target but merged with Tescos) you can find brown rice and canned black or kidney beans, as well as Pace salsa. Use your rice maker and make the rice, saute an onion or two, add salsa and the rinsed off beans. It's easy protein and tasty.

Also, get the fresh firm tofu (dooboo) and cube it and serve with a mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, gochu powder (Korea's hot pepper=gochu), and some dried chives.

[april]

Thank you for the ideas! I actually am a pescatarian, so that works out great!

[Fishead soup]

Namyeong cold Buckwheat noodles. Sometimes it comes with a hard boiled egg and a slice of pork both of these can easily be removed.

Yubu Chobab- Tofu Sushi. rice wrapped in fried tofu a great snack.

Tuduck Gui- A plant root similar to Ginseang fried in hot sauce.

Tubu Kimchi- Slices of tufu wrapped in Kimchi. Depending on whether the Kimchi is made with fish souce this may/or may not be true vegetarian.

[Vimfuego]

http://www.lovinghut.kr/kr/index.php?&lang=_en

Great selection of Korean food, but all veggie.

[ThingsComeAround]

Dwenjjang jiggae is a fave of mine, a little salty but guaranteed no meat.

there are several restaurants that serve good meat-free foods.

You should remind them that HAM is one of the things you don't eat.
According to 95% of Koreans, Ham isn't a meat
"Ham be-Go yo!"

[CentralCali]

[NYC_Gal]

[schwa]

Naengmyeon is typically served in a beef or chicken broth, unless its specifically dongchimi-style. Makguksu is a better choice.

Sundubu (soft tofu stew) is good & served with vegetarian side dishes. Han-jeong-shik is also good -- rice & doenjang jjigae & lots of sides.

Korean confusion arises because "gogi" doesnt translate exactly the same as "meat." The sense I get is that Koreans use it to mean animal flesh exactly, which excludes broth, processed meat, & seafood.

Agree with above comments that its tough to eat out here as a vegetarian if traces of sea critters are concerning.