Dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried barbecue chicken) took the second spot on the list of the world's top 50 stir-fried dishes by TasteAtlas, a global gourmet travel website. (Screen capture from TasteAtlas' official website)

By Hong Angie

A global website has ranked dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried barbecue chicken) the world's second-best stir-fried dish.

The dish's score of 4.7 out of a maximum five was good for the No. 2 spot on the list of the "50 Best Rated Stir-Fried Dishes in the World" of TasteAtlas, a Croatia-based global gourmet travel site.

"(Dakgalbi) is a communal dish that's cooked tableside, on large cast iron skillets," TasteAtlas said. "Dak galbi is now considered a Korean classic, but it originated as a frugal dish in the 1960s. Since then, it has spread from Chuncheon to other parts of South Korea."

"Typical elements in dak galbi include various chicken cuts, cabbage, tteok rice cakes, carrots, chili peppers, and sweet potatoes," it added. "Although it can be prepared at home, it is typically eaten in specialized dak galbi restaurants."

In addition, other Korean dishes made the top 50: japchae (glass noodle with stir-fried vegetables) at 18th, nakji bokkeum (stir-fried octopus) 30th and dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken stew) 37th.

No. 1 was phat kaphrao, a traditional Thai stir-fried dish. This is made by adding basil, shallots, garlic and chili peppers to chopped meat or seafood and seasoned with soy and fish sauce and sugar.

Dakgalbi was followed by tibs of Ethiopia in third, lomo saltado of Peru fourth and beef chow fun of China's Guangdong province fifth.

Launched in 2014 by Croatian journalist and entrepreneur Matija Babic, TasteAtlas is a gourmet travel website that introduces the traditional cuisine, delicacies and restaurants of every region in the world.

shong9412@korea.kr