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Koreans are famous for using spice in the same way that many western nations use ice cream or chocolate- as a comfort food to eat during times of stress or upheaval. As a result, Korean cuisine is full of deliciously spicy dishes to satisfy all your chilli cravings. 

This popular street snack consists of soft rice cakes and fish coated in a thick sweet and spicy red chilli sauce. Often served in small, take-away portions, this dish is perfect for a spice hit on the go. 

Buldak literally translates to 'fire chicken' in English, so it is unsurprising that this popular deep fried chicken dish made the list. The dish is infamous for its extreme spiciness and is usually served with gyeran jjim, a steamed egg casserole, to provide some relief from the heat. 

Ramyun, the Korean version of instant ramen noodles comes in many varieties and is notorious for being extremely spicy. 

This dish consists of stir fried octopus and vegetables covered in a super spicy marinade of fermented red chilli paste, soy sauce, garlic, salt and sugar.

Jjampong a spicy seafood noodle soup which is a fusion of Korean and Chinese cuisines. Extremely popular as a take-out meal, this spicy soup gets its kick from the chilli oil that is added to the broth.

Kimchi Jjigae is a spicy Korean stew, traditionally made with Kimchi, pork belly and tofu. The stew tastes better when older kimchi is used, making it a popular way to make use of leftovers.  

Korean fried chicken differs from the American variety because it is double fried for an extra crispy coating. The chicken pieces are glazed in hot sauce before frying to create a fiery and crispy flavour explosion. This dish is often served with a side of pickled radish to calm the palate. 

If reading about these dishes has got your taste-buds tingling, head over to the Asian Home Gourmet website to discover our range of Korean spice pastes and create your own spicy Korean dishes at home. 

Posted by: The AHG Team, January 15, 2016 1:06 PM Link to this article