As the pandemic continues to take place globally, the amount of time we spend at home has increased significantly, along with the number of people working from home and that of restrictions to daily routines like going grocery shopping. As a result, the sales of snacks with longer shelf life have increased as well. Not only that, as the interest in healthy eating has increased, many consumers all over the world are looking for better ways to snack! That’s why Korean-made seaweed snacks have gained immense popularity recently in the United States and Europe.
Seaweed is low in calories and rich in beneficial nutrients like minerals, fiber, vitamin A, and iodine, making it a great ingredient to use in meal plans for a healthy diet. Although seaweed is a familiar ingredient to Koreans, as it’s used in making simple side dishes by being roasted or making gimbap, it’s not as widely used in western cuisine, so many people were unfamiliar with the idea of even eating seaweed. Today, however, as seaweed is receiving a lot of spotlight as healthy food, many seaweed snacks that are seasoned and flavored in various styles are being released in the American market. According to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, there was a 24% increase in Korean seaweed exports to the United States compared to two years ago.
Seaweed bugak chips, a traditional Korean food, are especially rising as a healthy snack to substitute potato chips, with their savory flavors anyone of any age or gender can easily enjoy. Called gim-bugak in Korean, these snacks are made by covering seaweed with sweet sticky rice paste or flour and frying! There aren’t a lot of fried foods in traditional Korean cuisine, but bugak, which originates from the city of Namwon in Jeollabuk-do Province, has an extremely long history, dating back to the Goryeo period. Seaweed bugak chips have a savory and salty flavor, so it’s a great side dish to rice or snack to munch on, whether it be on its own or with beer.
In order to make delicious seaweed bugak chips, the most important thing is to choose good quality seaweed. The next important thing is to make delicious sweet sticky rice paste and to fry the seaweed and sweet sticky rice paste combination for just the right amount of time so that the resulting chips aren’t soggy or over-fried. But none of it would matter if the person making the chips didn’t care about the health and happiness of the person eating them! Why don’t you show some love for your family and friends with today’s seaweed bugak chips recipe?
Soak the sweet sticky rice in water. Add 2 cups of water and blend.
Pour the blended sweet sticky rice into a saucepan. Add 3 cups of water and salt, and bring to a boil.
Stir occasionally so that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan until the mixture becomes thick to make a sticky rice paste.
Directions
Spread the cooled sticky rice paste on the seaweed.
Top off the sticky rice paste with another piece of seaweed and repeat the above step.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and let the seaweed pieces dry where there’s a lot of sunlight for about a day.
Once the seaweed pieces with sticky rice paste have fully dried, fry them for about 5 seconds in oil at 160C.
Recipe Note
· If you want to dry the seaweed pieces with sticky rice paste in a dehydrator, let them dry for approximately 6 hours at 50C. · You can make a different style of seaweed chips called seaweed twigak by frying the seaweed pieces without the sticky rice paste and cover them with sugar, sesame seeds, and powdered pine nuts.
