For many, food is the entry point to a new culture. For years, Southern Korean cuisine, like many other Asian cuisines, was unjustly branded with the same reputation – exotic, pungent and inaccessible.
The country’s national dish is kimchi, a traditional banchan or side dish made with salted vegetables seasoned with gochugaru (chilli flakes).
When I first took my parents to a Korean stall in a mall food court many years ago, before the cultural phenomenon of K-pop and K-beauty, they were hesitant to try kimchi. My dad caved in first, intrigued by the slices of shrivelled Napa cabbage speckled with little red dots.
His lips immediately pursed, startled by the sharp tartness of the fermented dish. After a couple more mouthfuls of kimchi, my dad had emptied his plate before the main courses even arrived. “This is basically Korean oorugai,” he quipped.
It never occurred to me until that moment that kimchi somewhat mirrors the purpose of a South Indian oorugai or pickles, which acts as a flavour enhancer that anchors every meal.
This parallel proves that, at a deeper level, international culinary traditions share a common foundation, making seemingly exotic cuisines far more accessible than they appear.
Thanks to globalisation and waves of migration, diaspora communities living far from home have learned to recreate their native comfort foods by improvising with local substitutes.
An Australian-based food content creator recently posted a reel that demonstrated his hack for hotteok – a popular Korean street food snack consisting of a pan-fried yeast dough filled with a sweet mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts.
The reel has over 3.3 million views on the creator’s Instagram account, @onetable365.
Sometimes described as a stuffed pancake, the hotteok is consumed while piping hot, typically during the cold Korean winters, so that the brown sugar melts to provide a gooey interior, which contrasts well with the crispy exterior.
The traditional recipe requires making the dough from scratch, which takes time as the yeast needs to activate so that the dough can rise. The online hack instead replaces this tedious step with instant prata dough that already comes in pre-rolled, individual sheets.
Made with wheat flour and oil (or margarine, depending on the brand), the instant prata dough is an ideal substitute. As it cooks on the griddle, not only will the dough rise but also reveal the layers of flaky, buttery pastry.
To make this version of hotteok, simply thaw the dough sheets for a minute so they become malleable. Then place a spoonful of the brown sugar mixture in the centre, and stretch the sides of the dough to cover it like a modak.
There is no need to oil the pan as the dough is plentiful. As the ball fries, press it down flat with a spatula or turner to achieve the signature crispy edges. Flip it to brown the other side as well, and the instant prata hotteok is ready!
Serve it half-folded in a small paper cup for that authentic Korean street food experience.
