Handmade Hamburgers

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Hamburgers have long been regarded as an icon of fast food, particularly here in Korea. But burger joints around the country are at the forefront of a major transformation in the cuisine. Some handmade hamburgers are even said to be healthier. Here's more.

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Hamburgers served at this place impress with their size. They're 26.5 cm tall. That's equal to the height of three regular hamburgers piled on top of one another. They are made with more diverse ingredients as well. A total of 12 ingredients are used. In addition to two thick handmade patties, there's also one chicken breast patty, plump handmade sausages, deep-fried fish and many other ingredients. The ingredients are fixed in place with skewers so there's no need to worry about dropping them. When eating this gigantic hamburger, lay it down on the side and slice the meat and veggies with a knife.

[Soundbite] Hwang Jang-ho(Customer) : "I've never seen such big hamburgers before. It's very tasty."

[Soundbite] Kim Se-yong(Customer) : "It's a pleasure for the eyes and the palates."

This place serves spicy handmade hamburgers. The secret lies in its special sauce. It's made by boiling cow's bones, red wine, bay leaves and oyster sauce to make a broth first. Then, three kinds of chili pepper powder are added and the sauce is braised for three more hours.

[Soundbite] Lim Yong-jae(Owner of Handmade Hamburger Restaurant) : "We use Cheongyangchillies, Vietnamese chillies, and Mexican chillies, which are 80 times as spicy as Cheongyangchillies. Together these three kinds of chillies create a profound spicy flavor."

Then, the meat patty is topped with a generous amount of the chili sauce as well as some cheddar cheese and various vegetables. Now, the tongue-numbing spicy hamburger is ready!

[Soundbite] Kim Eun-young(Customer) : "It's my first time trying a spicy hamburger. It's hot but very delicious."

If you're a vegetarian, check out this place serving vegan hamburgers. Vegan food excludes not only meat, but dairy products and seafood as well. That's why patties here are made with soㅛa and black beans. The buns are made firsthand without using any butter or eggs. After the buns and the patty are topped with cherry tomatoes, onions and other vegetables, the vegan hamburger is ready.

[Soundbite] Na Yun-ju(Customer) : "I had to stay away from hamburgers because I've been trying to lose some weight, but thanks to vegan hamburgers I don't need to worry about calories."

Handmade hamburgers are healthy and fun to eat.