Sundae (sausage)


Sundae is a type of blood sausage in Korean cuisine. It is a popular street food in both North and South Korea, generally made by steaming cow or pig's intestines stuffed with various ingredients.

History

The sundae sausage dates back to the Goryeo period, when wild boars, prominent across the Korean Peninsula, were used in the dish. Recipes for sundae are found in nineteenth century cookbooks including Gyuhap chongseo and Siuijeonseo.
Traditional sundae, cow or pig intestines stuffed with seonji, minced meats, rice, and vegetables, was an indulgent food consumed during special occasions, festivities and large family gatherings. After the Korean War, when meat was scarce during the period of post-war poverty, dangmyeon replaced meat fillings in South Korea. Sundae became an inexpensive street snack sold in bunsikjip, pojangmacha, and traditional markets.

Varieties

Traditional South Korean varieties, as well as all North Korean, Russian Korean, and Chinese Korean sundae fillings include seonji, minced meat, rice, and vegetables. Modern South Korean bunsik varieties often use dangmyeon instead of meat, rice, and vegetables. Other fillings include kkaennip, scallions, doenjang, kimchi, and soybean sprouts.
Regional varieties include abai-sundae from the Hamgyong and Pyongan Provinces, Kaesong-sundae from Kaesong, Baegam-sundae from Yongin, Jeju-sundae from Jeju Island, Byeongcheon-sundae from Chungcheong Province, and amppong-sundae from Jeolla Province.
Some varieties use seafood as casing. Ojingeo-sundae, made with fresh squid, is a local specialty of Gangwon, while mareun-ojingeo-sundae made with dried squid is eaten in Gangwon as well as Gyeonggi. Myeongtae-sundae, made with Alaska pollock is a local specialty of Gangwon and Hamgyong. Eogyo-sundae is made with the swim bladder of brown croakers.

Accompaniments

In South Korea, sundae is often steamed and served with steamed offals such as gan and heopa. Sliced pieces of sundae and sides are dipped in salt-black pepper mixture, in vinegar-gochujang mixture, seasoned soybean paste in Yeongnam, and soy sauce in Jeju. As sundae is often sold in bunsikjip, along with tteok-bokki and twigim, it is also dipped in tteok-bokki sauce. Many bunsikjip offer tteok-twi-sun, a set menu with tteok-bokki, twigim and sundae.

''Sundae'' dishes