New Year Tteokguk 떡국

Seoul, South Korea



Thanks to 부산광역시 중구 for sponsoring this post and providing a wonderful cooking class to share the culture surrounding Korean cuisine and traditions. Chef HeeYoung Jang 장히영 showed us from start to finish how to cook this traditional dish over Zoom call, à la pandemic. Tteokguk 떡국 is a soup that Koreans eat on the New Year to bring good health and fortune (hence the coin-shaped rice cakes). Originally, tteokguk is not vegan, but I was able to copy the flavor profiles from the original soup to make this incredible vegan version. 

Soup for the Seoul... and other stories

Seoul, South Korea


Mediterranean food from a restaurant in Itaewon called Petra. This was the best food I've had since I've been here.


Hello world! It's been a while. Since moving 8000 miles away from my home in America to Seoul, South Korea, I've experienced a lot. It feels like a year's worth of memories in just four months. I'm going to attempt to document the food I've eaten, among other things, on this rebrand of The Grub Bowl.


The Grub Bowl originated as a log of my dietary choices and therefore, my philosophy about a lot of things. But now I believe food extends further than just taste, or gathering to eat; for me, it's reflective of my lifestyle and my overall wellbeing. I can tell a lot about how I'm feeling in the moment when I think of what I've had to eat for the day, week, or even month. 


I've been struggling to find balance since moving to Seoul, as there are an endless amount of things to do, constantly, and part of me wants to indulge in every impulse to go see the sights. I've allowed myself to do this many weekends in a row. However, now that I'm settled into my job, I have time for myself. And of course, for me, that means time for cooking.


Today I'll be sharing the interesting food inspirations I've come across since my arrival in South Korea, and my aspirations for future dishes, along with other experiences (of course, revolving around meals) that I've come to appreciate, along with a bit of "The Grub Bowl soup for the Seoul."


Vegan Samgyetang (삼계탕) - Ginseng Soup



This deceptive springtime weather makes me yearn for the heat of summer. In South Korea, it's a tradition for people to line up outside restaurants on the hottest days of the year to eat this delicious soup. Typically made with cornish hens stuffed with herbs and rice, this dish is originally not vegan (the name samgyetang translates literally to "ginseng chicken soup"). But of course, as this is a veggie only blog, here's my easy take on Vegan Samgyetang.