This is a classic Korean recipe for a dish that's not so traditional—budae chigae. Use these instructions not only to make this innovative meal but also to learn the interesting history behind it. So, what is budae chigae and how did it come about?

The meal is a recent invention. It is mostly a lip-smacking mixture of Western meat, ramen noodles, vegetables and spices. It is easily customizable, as evidenced by the fact that a thousand variations of the dish exist and then some. Budae chigae first came to be during the famine years of the Korean War and the post-war period. When traditional meals weren't always readily available, Koreans managed to use leftover meat discarded or handed out from the U.S. army bases to make this dish with a very literal name.

"Budae" means military base, and "chigae" means stew in Korean. Because it's not a traditional dish, there is no exact recipe for budae chigae. However, the most popular meats used to make the stew are Spam, hot dogs, ground beef and sausages, so this isn't exactly the most healthful recipe. On the other hand, the popular vegetables used to make the stew include sprouts, scallions, onions and sookat (chrysanthemum leaves). If you don't like any of these meats or vegetables, swap them out for the ones you prefer.