Three Secret Comfort Food

Let’s uncover three hidden gems of world cuisine, the comfort food loved by their own people, but barely known by outsiders.

Kongnamul gukbap (Korea)

It’s a busy day at Nambu market. People are swarming around like bees, buzzing from one stall to another. The most popular spot is the food court. Kids are holding on to their parents’ hands; their eyes are wide with wonder as they stare at all the yummy dishes on display. There is one stall that stands out from the rest. It has a sign that says ‘kongnamul gukbap’ (bean sprout soup and rice). 

A sizzling stone bowl with steaming broth arrives at the table. The scent of dried anchovies, kelp, onion and garlic wafts through the air, making the hungry market goers’ stomachs rumble for food. The lucky ones who have a bowl of kongnamul gukbap in front of them are in for a treat. They gently scoop up a poached egg and admire its beauty. Then they pop it into their mouths, and feel the bliss. 

The yolk is smooth and warm; it dashes to the stomach, eager to make people happy. The egg white is chewy and shy; it lingers for a while, and then decides to join the yolk. Now it’s time to take a big spoonful of the broth. Wow, it’s so spicy and savory! 

The rice has absorbed the soup, becoming soft and melt-in-your-mouth. The boiled squid and kimchi are not giving up, so they keep their chewy and crunchy textures. Bean sprouts and dried green lavers are more laid-back, soft and soothing to the tongue. Every now and then, a pair of pickled shrimps show up to challenge the spicy chili powder and roasted sesame. 

The diners eat and pant, sweat pouring down their bodies as if they were in a sauna. All signs of headaches, colds, and fatigue disappear. It’s a true comfort food!

Kongnamul gukbap is a hidden gem in Korean cuisine, although it’s overshadowed by the famous kimchi and bibimbap (Korean mixed rice). It is actually the “secret weapon” of Koreans, so of course they are not eager to share it with the rest of the world. Koreans only whisper to each other that they must try kongnamul gukbap at Nambu market in Jeonju city once in their lives because they not only cook it deliciously there, but also make poached eggs to a heavenly level.

Saoto Soep (Suriname)

A shiny glass bowl filled with liquid gold. Inside the golden broth, you can see bean sprouts and chicken strips having a pool party with crunchy fried noodles. They are having so much fun that they don’t notice the boiled egg looking down on them from above. The rice at the bottom of the bowl knows better. It stays quiet and peaceful, like a wise old man who doesn’t care about the silly antics of the youngsters. 

A trio of scallions, garlic and ginger chili sauce jump into the soup with a splash, and suddenly the whole bowl comes alive. The smell of ginger and lemongrass, the tang of galangal, the sweetness of bay leaves and the heat of Jamaican pepper fill your nose and make you salivate. This is the national soup of Suriname: saoto soep.

No matter if it’s hot as hell or wet as a dog, there’s one thing that can save the day for the people of Suriname: saoto soep! This soup is like a magic potion that can make you feel better in any weather. It has everything you need: chicken broth, rice, and a mix of spices from all over the world. It is a sort of universal dish, but ironically, little known beyond Suriname and the Netherlands, where the largest population of Surinamese people abroad resides.

A Secret Comfort Food of Vietnam

A bowl of phở broth, warm and soothing. The rich beef bones’ flavor is balanced by fragrant anise, sweet cinnamon, spicy ginger, and smoky grilled onions, creating a tempting and aromatic sensation. The beef tendons float in the broth with regal grace, golden as honey, clear as amber and soft as silk.

Fresh and crunchy bean sprouts land first, flying and exploring in all directions like curious birds. Fluffy and tender rice leisurely comes in groups following each scoop, chirping and chatting as they walk like friendly neighbors. Basils follow behind, calling pickled chili and garlic to go along. Finally, a little hoisin sauce and chili sauce arrive, confused and timid like a country girl who is overwhelmed by the city for the first time.

Rice is smothered in phở broth, each grain happily softens and exhales with pleasure, revealing a new and delightful aspect of rice. Bean sprouts and beef tendons like to be themselves, so they remain a bit crunchy and provide a satisfying bite. Fragrant basil, spicy chili, and sour garlic smile with two sweet and spicy sauces, enhancing the flavor and complexity of the dish. 

A happy tongue savors everything, passionate teeth chew along, and an industrious stomach transforms everything into energy and a feeling of bliss. A word of advice: the dish is only at its peak of deliciousness if you eat one medium bowl and then stop. You need to leave some room for craving, so that you can appreciate it properly. 

This dish does not relieve hangovers and colds like the spicy kongnamul gukbap and the flavorful saoto soep, but it does cure two special ailments that are even worse. First of all, it cures loss of appetite, when you’re hungry but you’re bored with everything you see. Second, it cures nostalgia, being one of the most favorite dishes during Vietnam’s subsidy period. A truly comfort food, isn’t it? 

Vietnamese people keep this comfort dish “phở with rice” as a secret. But in 2023 there is one brave restaurateur who dares to reveal it. He sells phở, and puts a bowl of cooked rice on the table for diners to eat with phở. His broth is said to be clear and delicate, so it’s really delicious when eaten with cooked rice. 

Thanks to that bowl of cooked rice, Pho Thanh Beo restaurant (Nguyen Du street, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi) of Hoang Minh Thanh becomes crowded. The diners, old and young, are all enthusiastic, which proves that phở with rice still holds ít position in the hearts of its fans. 

There are dishes that people eat for delightness, and there are dishes that people eat for their peace of mind. Pho with rice is both. So next time if you need some comfort food, give it a try.

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