Sundae

Sundae is a Korean blood sausage made by stuffing cow or pig intestines with a variety of ingredients and then steaming or boiling them. It is one of the most popular street foods in Korea, in both the South and the North.

History

The earliest written references to sundae appear in the Siuijeonseo, a Joseon-era cookbook, where the name is recorded in a form borrowed from Manchu meaning roughly 'blood intestines'. Similar recipes also appear in the Gyuhap chongseo.

In the past it was a food for special occasions, festivities and large family gatherings, filled with blood, minced meat, rice and vegetables. After the Korean War, when meat was scarce, glass noodles known as dangmyeon replaced the meat filling in the South, and the dish became a cheap snack sold in bunsikjip, pojangmacha and traditional markets.

Culture

In South Korea sundae is often steamed and served with offal such as liver or lung, and each region has its own way of dipping it: salt and black pepper in Seoul, vinegar and gochujang in Honam, seasoned soybean paste in Yeongnam and soy sauce in Jeju. It is sold at guk-bap restaurants and bunsikjip, where it often comes alongside tteok-bokki.

Regional varieties take their names from their place of origin, such as abai sundae, gaeseong sundae or byeongcheon sundae, while others are named after their main ingredient, like squid or Alaska pollock. Its best-known derivatives are sundaeguk, a soup, and sundaebokkeum, a stir-fry with vegetables and gochujang. In Sillim-dong, Seoul, a neighbourhood called Sundae Town is home to many restaurants dedicated to the dish.

Trivia