Sundae (순대)

Sundae is one of Korea's oldest street foods, a plump steamed sausage made by stuffing pig intestines with a mixture of sweet potato noodles, pork blood, and vegetables. It has been eaten since at least the Goryeo dynasty and remains a beloved pojangmacha (street stall) staple, served sliced alongside dipping salt and boiled offal.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 metre (3 ft) cleaned pig intestine casing
• 100g (3.5 oz) dangmyeon (sweet potato glass noodles)
• 200ml (¾ cup) fresh pork blood
• 100g (3.5 oz) minced pork
• 80g (3 oz) kimchi, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions (green onions), finely sliced
• 2 tsp (10ml) sesame oil
• 1 tsp (4g) salt
• ½ tsp (2g) ground black pepper
• 1 tsp (3g) doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
• Dipping salt (coarse salt + gochugaru) for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the dangmyeon in warm water for 20 minutes until pliable. Drain and cut into 3cm (1 in) pieces.
2. Mix noodles, pork blood, minced pork, kimchi, spring onions, sesame oil, doenjang, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined.
3. Tie one end of the casing securely. Use a funnel or piping bag to fill loosely — leave 10% room for expansion. Tie the other end.
4. Place sausage in a steamer basket over vigorously boiling water. Steam for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Remove and cool for 5 minutes, then slice on the diagonal into 2cm (¾ in) rounds.
6. Serve on a platter with dipping salt, sliced kimchi, and steamed rice. Reheat leftovers by pan-frying in a little oil until golden, 2–3 minutes per side.

Cook's Notes: Pig casings from a butcher or Asian supermarket should be rinsed inside and out under cold running water and soaked in salted water for 30 minutes before use. If pork blood is unavailable, substitute 50ml squid ink mixed with 150ml water for a different but equally striking result.