Hotteok (호떡)

Over the weekend, we went again to Lotte outlets. I got a nice trench coat last time we were there, so we were keen to see what new deals were on offer. Unfortunately, we didn’t find anything to wear, but what we did find was even better — the best hotteok (a sweet or savory stuffed pancake) in Korea!

We’ve passed by this popular hotteok stand multiple times while strolling through Namdaemun markets on our way to the outlets. Literally translating as “south big gate,” Namdaemun market is sprawling with vendors selling hats, glasses, clothes, and street food. And not just any street food, the really authentic stuff that you won’t find anywhere else. Braised silkworm pupae? Check. Sea pineapple sashimi? Check. Not much that we could actually try, but it was fun to see and take pictures.

This particular hotteok stand is always busy, there is always a line, so we passed on it the first couple of times we saw it. We thought, “How good could it be?” Well, those lines proved correct. There can be hotteok worth waiting for.

This time, I was especially proud because I had recently learned enough Korean to order in Korean! But while I was basking in my glory, I immediately failed to understand the vendor when he asked if I wanted to eat in or take out. Stay humble, my friends.

There were only three flavors available: brown sugar, vegetable japchae, and vegetable japchae with mozzarella cheese. You know a restaurateur is good when they have such focus. We tried all three. I think what makes this hotteok stand out is just how piping hot and crispy they are. While I’ve had freshly fried mugwort hotteok in Gangnam, it wasn’t nearly as crispy as these in Namdaemun.

With there being so few vegetarian options in Korea, we had to try the savory japchae hotteok. Japchae is a beloved noodle dish on its own, so it’s brilliant to stuff it into a crispy, chewy dough. And that dough’s texture is key. It’s what sets this hotteok apart from the rest. I would like to reverse engineer this dough. After eating numerous hotteoks, I’m still mystified by how it can be so chewy like a rice cake. All the English recipes I’ve found say it is made of wheat flour, not glutinous rice flour, which I find odd. The dough looks like a very wet and sticky mochi. I swear there’s got to be some glutinous rice in this dough. I wish I could just intern at this food stand for one day. Just one day and I could unlock the secrets to that dough…