Korea, rice and shine!

After my posts about the best aspects of Korean cuisine (here, here and here), I promised I'd tell you what the absolute best thing we ate during our trip was.

Well, here it is. The best thing we ate was... rice. 

Bear with me. 

Rice was ubiquitous in Korea and we certainly ate a lot of it. It was available with every meal, served every way imaginable. You could have it hot, cold, fried, steamed, in a weird savoury slop, and even in different colours (but watch out for purple barley). There were certainly plenty of options - if you like rice, that is. 

And because it was everywhere, rice became a bit of a gluten-free, low-FODMAP lifesaver for us. 

At our hotel in Busan, for example, there wasn't much I could eat for breakfast. Just black coffee, orange segments, and - you guessed it - rice. I also can't have too much fructose so I couldn't go crazy on the oranges, either.

So... rice. 

Me going wild at the breakfast buffet.

It was a simple, staple necessity. 

Yet humble old rice surprised us in its gourmet applications, too. 

The best rice we had we discovered on our last day in Korea. We were in the Busan suburb of Gwangan-Dong when we found it.

It being the rice bakery. Should I say that again for emphasis? The rice bakery. 

Apparently there is also one of these marvellous inventions in Seoul, but we didn't stumble across it (it is a city of 10 million people, after all). In Busan, all we had to do was take the train to Geumnyeonsan, walk towards the water, turn right at Starbucks, then wander along the beach path - there it was.  

And, trust me, we didn't want to leave. 

Happy bread!

The only way to describe the goods at the rice bakery were, well, "normal". Like they were filled with delicious, gluteny goodness, coated in sugar, and made with love. And don't worry, we triple checked to make sure it was for real - we couldn't believe it either.

They had everything. Pastries that actually flaked. Cakes that were moist. Bread that was actually doughy. Fruit loaves that were - actually I'm not quite sure what people see in these, but they were there aplenty.  

Childhood treats you can only dream of (before the nightmares of gluten-induced stomach pains give you cold sweats).

This is Ross's custard cream pie. 

Happy place.

And here's my soft, squishy cream donut. 

This delicacy was a happy reminder that gluten-free living shouldn't mean deprivation from sugar-induced food comas. 

Cream donut.

Food this amazing should not be so far away. 

And so we finished our trip with a dilemma. 

Do we cancel our trip home and relocate to Busan? (Hmmm possibly a tad extreme.)

Or should we just eat the next week's worth of food all at once? (I know, I know, donuts are a sometimes food.)

Perhaps we could try and smuggle them into New Zealand and hope that it isn't stale in four days time? (The customs fine can't be that bad, right?)

Or - achievable goals - maybe we should just aspire for more in our gluten-free cooking? 

Korea manages to produce better gluten-free baked goods than I have ever seen, and it's not even a "thing" there!

Maybe we just need to get creative. There must be more that can be done sans gluten. Using ingredients like, I don't know, rice.

So we left Korea with a new appreciation for rice, inspired by the endless possibilities.

Oh, and with full bellies too.   

Bye, Korea. It's been a blast.

Best eats in Korea: Not to be missed

Today is my last post about my favourite aspects of Korean cuisine. And the parts of Korean cuisine that I will write about today are not to be missed - mostly because you couldn't miss them if you tried!

You won't have to go far to find these beauties (once you've landed in Korea, that is). 

Kimchi

Now obviously I couldn't write about Korea without talking about kimchi - the traditional Korean favourite. 

Kimchi!

I know that fermented cabbage (or radish) doesn't sound like the most pleasant of food ideas (I can only imagine how the recipe was discovered....). But the first thing you should know is that it is much better than it sounds.

Although it is an acquired taste. While I was willing to polish off the lot at every meal (it was literally everywhere), Ross wasn't so convinced initially. It is an unusual taste, but by the end of our stay he was enjoying it.

You should also be forewarned that it's quite spicy. A Korean once described kimchi to me as "more spicy in the stomach than spicy in the mouth" - you get the idea. 

But maybe that "spicy in the stomach" characteristic is part of the appeal? Kimchi is fermented, so it's full of probiotic goodness, which means that it promotes good gut bacteria and helps with digestion. 

And it's delicious - well, at least I think so!

Street food

Korea is a shopping metropolis - but hunger won't hold you back. Street food is available in many of the main markets and shopping areas. And it's awesome. 

Now maybe I am stating the obvious. Street food is awesome everywhere, right? Everything tastes better deep fried, after all. But the cool thing about Korean street food is that it isn't all just deep fried on a stick. 

You will find fruit, roasted chestnuts, corn cobs, and barbecued squid - all of which are great for cheap, tasty gluten-free snacks. 

And if you want something deep fried on a stick, well, they have that too. 

Deep fried potato (and a slightly scary eating face...)

The best of the West

Korea has mastered some of the best treats from Western cuisine. 

In fact, not only does Korea do the best of the West - in some cases, it's better. Take blueberry lemonade, for example. It might actually be the most amazing thing ever. 

In Korea you'll find lots of fun, exciting drinks everywhere you go, no matter the time of year - flavoured lattes in winter and fruit teas in the sweltering heat. And for every sort of craving imaginable, too.

Now, to be fair, not all these inventions are good ideas - sweet potato and avocado lattes were not on my list of things to try, and cold americanos are dreadful. (DON'T TRY IT. Worst mistake.) But most of the time, the quirky drinks in Korea are a delightfully sweet experience. 

Mango smoothie and refreshing lemonade.

So while there's heaps of wonderful Korean cuisine to try, you'll still have some of the comforts of home. There's familiar coffee chains and fast food all over the place (I was pretty grateful to have Starbucks nearby when my cravings for a soy latte became too much). 

And it was in Seoul, with the help of a couple of lactase tablets, that I discovered the very best that western food has to offer: Baskin Robbins. 

It really will knock your socks off - and in 36 flavours!

In fact, there's only one thing that could beat it. And in my next post that's exactly what I'll be writing about!

The best of the West.

For more about eating in Korea, check out A bit moreish's travel page here.

Best eats in Korea: Just how you like it

What could be more delicious than meat cooked to perfection right in front of your eyes? 

Korean barbecue. That's what. 

Sure, the meat is really delicious. I mean seriously delicious. But Korean barbecue is about so much more than that.

Korean barbecue can make even the cheapest cuts of meat deliciously juicy and tender. In fact, we found the cheaper cuts were actually better. Does barbecued scotch fillet sound pretty good? Don't bother. Short rib is a third the price and, when it's served off the hot plate, it's twice as tasty. Usually thinner slices of meat are better, too. 

The key thing is that the plate is super hot, so everything cooks quickly - the fat renders perfectly but the meat is still tender. 

The cooking about to begin!

Korean barbecue comes with more sides than I could possibly describe here - and it amazed us that every restaurant gave us something a little bit different. The range of condiments always showcased a range of delicious vegetables, textures and flavours. And, if there was something we particularly liked, our bowls were refilled without us even having to ask.

So many yummy sides!

There were also big lettuce leaves that we could use to make lettuce wraps from the meat and sides. I never really got the hang of making them, to be honest, and usually ended up with pickle in my lap. And yet eating the lettuce by itself with chop sticks wasn't straightforward, either - so it was best to just embrace the hilarity (and the pickle, I suppose). 

But all the tasty aspects aside, the best thing about Korean barbecue is that it's communal. We got to cook the meat ourselves with some much-needed guidance from our hosts. And it was just how we like it. 

By the end of our trip, we were real pros. Well, we thought so. 

We certainly had heaps of fun trying!

Me enjoying the deliciousness.

Oh, silly me, did I mention it's also gluten free?

Well, usually. Always check with the language cards - these are a must - so that you can avoid sauces with gluten in them and meat marinated in soy sauce (e.g. bulgogi).  

Despite the language barrier, we had absolutely no problem finding Korean barbecue everywhere we went. 

And, hey, who doesn't love succulent pork belly for dinner every night? 

Best eats in Korea: A healthy appetite

There are many exciting aspects to the food available in South Korea - and many that sadly aren't gluten free. But while eating gluten free in Korea can be tricky at times, there's no need to miss out on all the deliciousness that Korean cuisine has to offer. 

During the next few posts, Il'll take you through what I consider to be the best aspects of the cuisine we tried in Korea - which you can enjoy without all the gluten. 

And here's the first.

So. Many. Vegetables. 

Korean cuisine offers a vast array of wholesome, healthy dishes. The meals are - in my completely non-expert opinion - quite balanced, with delicious proteins and a variety of fresh vegetables. Sure, there's a lot of white rice, but the serving sizes are always quite modest. 

Sometimes we had to have vegetarian meals to avoid marinated meat, so I did have to be careful to ensure I was getting enough iron. But, apart from that, I was really impressed by how nutritious the authentic Korean dishes seemed.

Our favourite lunch choice was Bibimbap, which literally means 'mixed rice'. The dish consists of a range of vegetables and seaweed, served with rice in a big bowl then topped off with an egg (and sometimes meat). 

Hot stone Bibimbap.

Everything is then stirred together just before eating. 

Mixing the rice without flinging it all over the table - an acquired skill.

Bibimbap comes hot or cold, but we liked the hot one especially. The sizzling hot stone pot makes the rice caramalize so that it is deliciously chewy and the warmth gives the dish a real homely feel. 

Traditionally the dish comes with spicy gochujang sauce, which isn't gluten free - so we had to give that a miss. Now, given this omission, the dish might sound simple and maybe a bit boring. But the seaweed and egg yolk add a tasty, salty edge that really brings out the blend of flavours in the dish. Making it simple, healthy - and incredibly tasty. 

So tasty.

Travelling gluten free: A different adventure of the food kind

You might have wondered why I haven't posted in a while. Or maybe you didn't notice. Or maybe you enjoyed the break from my eternal monologue about gluten-free meals and digestive problems.

Well, I'm back. And back from somewhere pretty amazing. Ross and I have just returned from a trip to South Korea and Hong Kong, where we saw the sights and enjoyed some delicious treats on the way. 

Over the next few posts I will share with you some of the different aspects of our food adventures, starting with our travels in Seoul and Busan - South Korea's two largest cities.

Overlooking the city by the love locks at N Seoul Tower.

Now, full disclosure - in case you're suddenly feeling inspired to jump on a plane to Seoul - eating gluten free in Korea can be quite hard. 

To be honest, I wouldn't recommend a trip to Korea if you are highly allergic to gluten - it's possible to avoid gluten when eating out, but doing so is risky. Thankfully, we didn't have any known gluten reactions during our stay, but it seemed like we could be inadvertently poisoned quite easily. And I came armed with a packet of peppermint capsules in case of that eventuality. 

Sure, we were very careful with what we ate, but there's a limit to how paranoid you can be when the language barrier only allows you to say so much - and the sneaky sources of gluten in food make this quite complicated at the best of times!

When eating gluten free in Korea, you have to be willing to work for your next meal - and by 'work' I mean visit lots of restaurants, get creative in your communication, and spend a decent amount of time just searching the streets.  

Searching the streets of Seoul.

But boy is it worth it. 

To ensure we didn't starve, we went armed with the info from this blog and this nifty travel card. The Korean travel card is particularly good because it highlights a range of gluten-containing ingredients that are common in Korean cooking. 

We asked lots of questions, went somewhere else if we weren't sure, and trusted the travel cards - not to mention the immense effort made by our hosts. 

Koreans are very hospitable people and they were always very attentive when we made our needs known. They would analyse each part of the dish and its (typically numerous) sides. Then they would double check with us if they weren't sure about anything, and take away parts of the meal or turn us away entirely if the food wasn't suitable.

Interestingly, while eating gluten free was tricky, minimizing my consumption of high-FODMAP foods didn't really add any extra complications. All I needed to do was strategically consume lactase tablets on the odd occasion and avoid the enormous garlic and onion pieces we were offered as a side to many dishes.

Despite the effort that it took to eat, we never went hungry. In fact, the food was delicious - as I will show you in coming posts.

And remember, there's no need to jump on a plane, or even take my word for it - amazing gluten-free Korean food can be found right here in Wellington.