Sundae

History

The sundae sausage dates back to the Goryeo period (918–1392), when wild boars, prominent across the Korean Peninsula, were used in the dish. Recipes for sundae are found in nineteenth century cookbooks including Gyuhap chongseo and Siuijeonseo.

Traditional sundae, cow or pig intestines stuffed with seonji (blood), minced meats, rice, and vegetables, was an indulgent food consumed during special occasions, festivities and large family gatherings. After the Korean War, when meat was scarce during the period of post-war poverty, dangmyeon replaced meat fillings in South Korea. Sundae became an inexpensive street snack sold in bunsikjip (snack bars), pojangmacha (street stalls), and traditional markets.

Varieties

Traditional South Korean varieties, as well as all North Korean, Russian Korean (Koryo-saram and Sakhalin Korean), and Chinese Korean sundae fillings include seonji (blood), minced meat, rice, and vegetables. Modern South Korean bunsik (snack food) varieties often use dangmyeon (glass noodles) instead of meat, rice, and vegetables. Other fillings include kkaennip (perilla leaves), scallions, doenjang (soybean paste), kimchi, and soybean sprouts.

Regional varieties include abai-sundae (아바이순대) from the Hamgyong and Pyongan Provinces, Kaesong-sundae (개성순대) from Kaesong, Baegam-sundae (백암순대) from Yongin, Jeju-sundae (제주순대) from Jeju Island, Byeongcheon-sundae (병천순대) from Chungcheong Province, and amppong-sundae (암뽕순대) from Jeolla Province.

Some varieties use seafood as casing. Ojingeo-sundae (오징어순대), made with fresh squid, is a local specialty of Gangwon, while mareun-ojingeo-sundae (마른오징어순대) made with dried squid is eaten in Gangwon as well as Gyeonggi. Myeongtae-sundae (명태순대), made with Alaska pollock is a local specialty of Gangwon and Hamgyong. Eogyo-sundae (어교순대) is made with the swim bladder of brown croakers.

Accompaniments

In South Korea, sundae is often steamed and served with steamed offals such as gan (liver) and heopa (lung). Sliced pieces of sundae and sides are dipped in salt-black pepper mixture (Seoul), in vinegar-gochujang mixture (Honam), seasoned soybean paste in Yeongnam, and soy sauce in Jeju. As sundae is often sold in bunsikjip, along with tteok-bokki (stir-fried rice cakes) and twigim (fritters), it is also dipped in tteok-bokki sauce. Many bunsikjip offer tteok-twi-sun, a set menu with tteok-bokki, twigim and sundae.

Sundae dishes

• Sundae-guk (순대국) – a guk (soup) made with sundae, other offals, and meat.
• Sundae-bokkeum (순대볶음) – a bokkeum (stir-fry) made with sundae, vegetables, and gochujang.
• Baek-sundae-bokkeum (백순대볶음) – a sundae-bokkeum without gochujang.