5 Easy Korean Street Food Recipes For Cocktail Parties At Home
Robust and well-balanced flavour combinations that produce a signature spiciness and unique taste are well-known in Korean street cuisine. The flavour frequently combines umami, salt, spice, and sweetness to produce a multi-layered profile. Ingredients that are fermented, slow-cooked, or seasoned with spice and sweetness enhance savours. Frequently, there is a subtle char or smokiness that gives dimension without masking the dish.
The fundamental cooking techniques emphasise rapidity and robust flavour development. Crisp textures produced by frying work nicely with sauces. Grilling provides a scent and creates a toasted surface. Steaming preserves the flavour of the fillings while maintaining soft textures. To evenly cover ingredients in delicious sauces, one can also go for stir-fried items. Every technique is selected according to how well it enhances the dish's flavour and texture.
Making something quick and flavourful without going overboard with processing is a trait of Korean street food. This trait can be well used for cocktail menus as well, focusing on the flavours of Korean cuisine to explore without much hassle.
5 Easy K-Street Food Recipes For Cocktail Pairings
1. Crispy Seaweed Rolls
A popular street snack, these crispy rolls are renowned for their flavour and light texture. These seasoned glass noodles are made by wrapping them in dried seaweed sheets and dipping them in a thin batter before frying, offering contrast. Because of the sesame and soy tastes, the inside stays chewy and subtly nutty while the outside is light and crisp. To make it at home, boil 80 g of glass noodles until they are soft, add seasoning to taste, and then wrap them tightly in four seaweed sheets. Each should be coated with a batter made of flour and fried in vegetable oil at 180°C until crisp and golden. Because they are easy to hold and do not break easily, these rolls are well-suited for cocktail gatherings. You can go with a blue lagoon cocktail with this dish. To make it, combine 15 ml vodka, 30 ml blue curaçao, and 20 ml lemonade, then top with 10 ml of soda water and ice for a vibrant drink pairing.
2. Spicy Rice Cake Skewers
The foundation of this street-style cuisine consists of chewy, soft rice cakes that have been barbecued and covered in a glossy coating of sweet chilli. With a slow-building spice, a touch of garlic, and a sweet finish that clings to the top and seeps into the rice, the sauce is well-balanced. With a caramelised char from the grill, each skewer has a peppery taste. 200 g of cylindrical rice cakes should be boiled until tender, drained, and then arranged four or five on each wooden skewer. Combine 5 ml soy sauce, 10 ml honey, and 30 ml mild red chilli paste to make a sauce. After brushing the skewers, place them on a pan grill set over the stove for approximately three minutes on each side or until the sauce has thickened and the top has begun to brown. They are meatless, making them a good choice for drinks like a cosmopolitan cocktail. It is made by shaking 15 ml vodka, 15 ml syrup, 30 ml cranberry juice, and a squeeze of lime juice over ice, creating a crisp and tart cocktail.
3. Mini Savoury Pancakes
A light batter is combined with chopped spring onions to make these pancakes, which are then pan-fried till golden. The dish has a mildly oniony flavour and a slightly nutty finish, with a soft and fluffy base and crispy edges. Just before serving, a soy-based glaze is brushed over the top to give it an umami. 20 ml of light soy sauce, 5 ml of brown sugar, and a small amount of vinegar are simmered until thick to create the glaze. Because each pancake is around the size of a palm, serving and stacking them is simple. 50 g of finely chopped spring onions should be added after 100 g of plain flour, 150 ml of water, and salt. These can be served at room temperature, making them a nice option for cocktail events. You can try lime soda highball with 15 ml whisky, 10 ml lime juice, and 10 ml soda pairs well with savoury Korean dishes.
4. Sticky Sesame Fried Chicken Bites
After marinating, these pieces of chicken are lightly sprayed with potato starch and fried till crisp. After that, they are tossed in a glaze that contains sugar, garlic, and soy sauce. Sesame seeds are added to them after glazing to give them structure and a nutty flavour. Cut 300 g of boneless chicken into small cubes, marinate for 15 minutes in 10 ml of soy sauce and garlic, coat with potato starch, and then fry in vegetable oil at 170 degrees celsius until golden. Toss the chicken in a glaze made with 20 ml soy sauce, 10 g brown sugar, and 1 grated garlic clove. Once the glaze is boiling, sprinkle 1 tsp sesame seeds on top. Try pairing it with strawberry daiquiri. You need to blend 15 ml rum, 30 ml strawberry puree, and 15 ml lime juice with ice until smooth, serving a sweet and fruity drink.
5. Garlic-Soy Glazed Fried Dumplings
Fried dumplings have a soft, juicy filling within and a crispy, golden exterior. A combination of crunch and softness is achieved by pan-frying the thin wheat wrapper until the bottom crisps up and the remaining portion steams in the pan. A small batch can be prepared at home by filling 12 dumpling wrappers with 200 g of your favourite filling, sealing them, and then pan-frying them in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat until the bottom is browned. To ensure complete cooking, add 60 ml of water, cover, and steam for 4 minutes. Serve with 15 ml soy sauce, 5 ml rice vinegar, and a pinch of minced garlic to make a dipping glaze. A well- suited cocktail pairing option here is whisky sour, created by shaking 15 ml whisky, 10 ml lemon juice, 15 ml simple syrup, and ice, then straining it into a glass for a balanced and tangy drink as one of the pairing options.
You can also use premade Korean sauces, such as bulgogi marinade or gochujang (hot red pepper paste), to make Korean street cuisine at home with ease. These sauces add unique flavours while saving time. To easily improve the dish, add them over grilled meats, stir-fry veggies, or serve as a dip.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
