By Honorary Reporter Sesam Rana Magar from Nepal
Photos = Korea.net, Wikimedia Commons, Sesam Rana Magar

Korea is in East Asia and Nepal in South Asia, and while the two nations are culturally different and considerably far from each other, they have foods and beverages that are similar. The following are five foods or drinks that are similar in both countries.

Blood pork sausage

Sundae (blood sausage) is a popular street food in Korea and sargyangma is a similar dish from Nepal's Limbu community that is popular in the eastern part of the country. Both foods have as their main ingredient cow or pig intestines, which are called "rakti" in Nepalese. Koreans add noodles to the food's filling along with other ingredients whereas Nepalese add yangben, or wild edible lichen, along with rice and spices.

Rice cake
Tteokbokki of Korean and dhikri of Nepal's Tharu community are both made with steamed rice. In Nepal, the long-shaped rice cakes are eaten with spicy chutney and in Korea, tteokbokki is cooked in gochujang (spicy red pepper paste) but turns out chewier than chikri because of tapioca starch added.

Dumping soup

Manduguk of Korea is a dumpling soup with beef broth, while jhol momo is its Nepalese counterpart featuring vegetables, spices and bone broth.

Rice wine

Makgeolli and chyaang are fermented alcoholic beverages both made from rice and feature a milky texture and whitish color. Nepal's brand Chyaang Nepal sells a sparkling version of the drink with similarities seen in both beverages, though chyaang is not as commercialized as makgeolli is in Korea. Nepalese say rice wine is the best remedy for the severe cold of the Himalayas.

Traditional liquor
Soju is familiar to fans of K-dramas as it appears frequently in such productions. Aila is a staple booze of Nepal's Newari cuisine. Both beverages are made from fermented grains and distilled into alcohol.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.