K-pop. Squid Game. Dalgona coffee. South Korean culture is taking the world by storm, and the food is bringing us an explosion of new flavors to enjoy. So in honor of National Grilled Cheese Day, we’re going international, sharing our version of a Korean street food recipe.
Classic Korean street toast is like a breakfast sandwich on another level. Thick, buttery toast grilled up with eggs, ham and cheese, plus extra textures and flavors through sweet corn; fresh, crunchy cabbage; sweet pickles; and a sweet-savory sauce made from mayo, onion and, weirdly enough, kiwi.
But there’s another Korean street sandwich called a kimchi cheese toastie that’s basically just grilled cheese with kimchi. And kimchi is spiced, fermented cabbage anyway, so why don’t we use it to replace the cabbage and the pickle in the Korean street toast?
Here’s our sandwich two ways – we recommend going all-out, but there’s a simpler version if you’re pressed for time (or ingredients).
All-Out Gourmet Version
Sauce Ingredients
This is enough for 5-6 sandwiches
● 1 Kiwi fruit
● 2 tbs onion
● 4 tbs mayo
● 2 tbs sugar
Sandwich Ingredients
● 2-3 tbs butter
● 2 slices thick white bread, e.g. Texas toast
● 1 slice ham
● 1 egg
● 1 tbs sweet corn
● Pinch of salt and pepper
● 2 slices American cheese or sliced mild cheddar
● ½ cup of kimchi
Directions
- Make your sauce: Finely chop kiwi and onion, then blend with mayo and sugar. Set aside.
- Melt butter on a griddle or pan.
- Spread two slices of bread and one slice of ham on the buttered griddle to toast.
- Crack your egg onto the griddle, and sprinkle with corn, salt and pepper. As egg cooks, push in sides with a spatula to make a square shape roughly the size of the bread (street vendors use square egg molds).
- While cooking the egg, flip the bread to toast both sides (add more butter if needed).
- Once the egg is cooked, top with one slice of cheese, then ham, then move the whole stack onto one of the slices of bread.
- Top that with a generous helping of kimchi and your second slice of cheese.
- Drizzle or spread the sauce on the other slice of bread, then cap the sandwich.
Simplest Version
Ingredients
● 1 tbs. butter
● 2 slices thick white bread, e.g. Texas toast
● 1 slice ham
● ½ cup kimchi
● 1/8 cup shredded mild cheddar
● 1 egg
● 1 tbs mayo
● 1 tbs. honey
Directions
- Melt butter on a griddle or pan.
- Toast two slices of bread.
- Chop up your ham and kimchi.
- Scramble the ham and kimchi with the egg and cheese.
- Spread mayo and honey on both slices of toast.
- Spoon cooked egg mixture on top of one slice of toast and top with second slice of toast.
Honestly, we’re just waiting for someone to deep-dry one of these, dust it with powdered sugar and sell it at the Texas State Fair.
