What is Bungeoppang?

What Is Bungeoppang

When you hear the words fish and bread right next to each other, do you think of bread with fish as a filling or a fish-shaped bread? The latter is the correct answer, and it is called Bungeoppang!

What is Bungeoppang?

Bungeoppang (붕어빵) is a fish-shaped street food that is made right in front of you. Bungeo (붕어) means crucian carp, and Ppang (빵) is bread. Very cute and over all delicious!

How to Make Bungeoppang?

Bungeo-ppang is made with wheat flour and is usually filled with red bean paste; however, it can be filled with other things, such as cream-like filling, and it's served warm. The batter is put into a waffle iron in the shape of a fish, hence why its name can be translated to "carp bread." It might seem similar to the Japanese Taiyaki treat, another fish-shaped bread that may seem identical to the Korean pastry version. 


History of Bungeo-ppang 

Bungeo-ppang actually originated from this dish. In the 1930s, Taiyaki was introduced to Korea during the Japanese occupation from 1910-1945. Over time, the dish has had minor changes as the Korean natives made the pastry one of their own. Its shape was one of the most noticeable changes. Taiyaki is slightly bigger, allowing more filling to be put inside, while Bungeo-ppang is smaller.

Bungeoppang wasn’t always this popular. It declined in popularity during the 60s but rose back during the ’90s due to nostalgia. Bungeo-ppang remains a popular winter street food that keeps you nice and warm as you eat it. If you’re ever in Los Angeles, consider heading to the Hankook Market in Koreatown to try this delicious pastry.

Want some Bungeo-ppang during the hot summer months? There’s a dessert called Ah-Boong (아붕), a fish-shaped bread filled with ice cream instead of the usual red bean paste or cream filling.

Somi-Somi, is a creamery that is also located in Los Angeles. It is known for its Ah-Boong, with four choices of ice cream: green tea, milk, black sesame, and ube. The fish pastry has various fillings and topping you can add to make this delicious treat even more mouth-watering.

If you are interested in eating Korean meals, how about making a Doshirak Lunch Box for yourself? Here is a Korean snack box filled with everything you need!

For those of you who aren’t near a location that sells this treat or if you want to try to make Bungeo-ppang, JinJoo has an easy and delicious recipe on her blog. You can follow her recipe and have fun with your friends and family. The tricky part is getting the mold, but you can find one on Amazon or other online shops; as for the filling, you can add anything you’d like and find the ingredients in your local Asian market.

Whether warm and toasty or in the form of a neat ice cream cone, home-made or freshly baked from a shop, this pastry will have your mouth watering and your cravings satisfied no matter what time of the year.

You can also keep your colleagues warm during the winter season when you get them a box of Korean snacks, drinks, sweets, and more! Get our Office Box to fill your pantry with the right warm snacks.

by Stephanie Lemus

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