Korea's Gastronomy

The South Korean cuisines have similarities to Chinese and Japanese food; it excels because of its own typical flavor. Food in South Korea is really delicious. Along with being so tasty and spicy, dishes are also rich in nutritional value. The cuisine is mostly based on meats, noodles, rice, tofu and vegetables. And it also commonly involves heavy seasoning with doenjang (fermented soybean paste), garlic, ginger, gochujang (red chili paste), salt, sesame oil and soy sauce. Korean cuisine changes seasonally. On winter, traditional food normally relies on kimchi. It is a soured and spicy vegetable dish commonly made of baechu (Napa cabbage), cucumber or mu (daikon). Almost every meal the Kimchi is served as a banchan. It is also a usual ingredient in other Korean dishes.

The main dishes are Bibim guksu (spicy cold wheat flour noodles); Kalguksu (boiled flat noodles, commonly in a broth made of fish and sliced zucchini); Naengmyeon (dish consists of various kinds of thin, hand-crafted buckwheat noodles, and is served in a large bowl with a lemony iced broth, raw cut fruit and vegetables); and Ramyeon (spicy version of Japanese ramen, normally cooked with meats and vegetables). Most popular desserts in the country are Tteok (pasty rice cakes cooked from pounded rice) and Hangwa (ingredients consists of grain flour, honey, sugar and yeot, or of fruit and eatable root).

Korean non-alcoholic beverages are cited to as a eumcheongny. The categories of eumcheongnyu are cha (tea), galsu (thirst water), hwachae (fruit punch), jang (fermented grain juice with sour taste), jeup (juice), milk, milsu or kkulmul (honeyed water), sikhye (sweet rice drink), sujeonggwa (persimmon punch) and tang (boiled water). Some alcoholic beverages are cass, cafri, hite, microbrewery, OB lager beer, soju and taedonggang.

Bulgogi (marinated beef barbecue)

A juicy, savory dish of grilled marinated beef, bulgogi is one of the most popular Korean meat dishes throughout the world, and was ranked as the 23rd most delicious food in the world according to CNN Travel’s reader’s poll in 2011. It is often grilled with garlic and sliced onions to add flavor to the meat. The meat is usually wrapped in lettuce and it is also traditionally eaten with ssamjang (a thick, red spicy paste).

 

Kimchi (fermented vegetables)

One of the oldest and probably the most essential dishes in Korean cuisine, kimchi is a spicy and sour dish made up of fermented vegetables. It is prepared with various kinds of ingredients, but the most common main ingredient is cabbage. Kimchi is popular among foreigners for its unique flavor, as well as its high nutritional value, fiber content and low calorie content. However, for Koreans, it is most popular due to its significant cultural value. Without kimchi, dinner is considered incomplete.

Bibimbap (mixed rice)

Bibimbap is essentially a bowl of mixed ingredients including, but not limited to, rice, namul (seasoned and sautéed vegetables), mushrooms, beef, soy sauce, gochujang (chili pepper paste), and a fried egg. The ingredients found in bibimbap vary by region, and the most famous versions of the dish are found in Jeonju, Tongyeong, and Jinju.

Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup)

A common dish particularly during the summer, samgyetang is a traditional soup made of chicken, garlic, rice, scallion, Korean jujube, Korean ginseng, and spices. It is known to have a high nutritional value. Not only is it known for its healthy contents but it also is popular simply for its creamy and meaty flavor. ( with a soda on the side)