Korean cuisine has long ceased to be an exotic phenomenon only for residents of East Asia. Today, its restaurants operate in many countries around the world, and dishes such as kimchi or bulgogi have become recognizable far beyond Korea. The combination of simple ingredients, an abundance of vegetables, spices, and special cooking methods has made this cuisine one of the most vibrant in the world. UNN will tell you more about the history and features of Korean cuisine.
History of Korean cuisine
The culinary traditions of Korea were shaped over centuries under the influence of natural conditions, agriculture, and historical events. Since ancient times, the basis of the diet has been rice, vegetables, legumes, and seafood. Over time, meat began to appear in the diet more frequently, although for a long time Buddhism had a significant impact on eating habits, causing many people to abstain from consuming it. Today, it is hard to imagine Korean cuisine without hot pepper, but this was not always the case. Chili pepper only reached Korea in the 16th century after being brought from South America, and it was then that recipes now considered classic began to form. Hot spices quickly became an integral part of local cuisine, and over time the word "spicy" virtually became synonymous with the word "delicious."
Another feature of the development of Korean cuisine is the desire to preserve the natural taste of products as much as possible, so many recipes involve minimal heat treatment or do without it altogether.
Features of Korean cuisine
Korean cuisine combines simple ingredients and complex flavors. Not only the main ingredients but also spices, marinades, and sauces play an important role here. One of the main characteristics is the spiciness of the dishes. Chili pepper and garlic are most often used in cooking, becoming true symbols of Korean cuisine. In addition to them, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and other seasonings are widely used. Also, Korean chefs pay special attention to the method of preparation. In particular, many products are cut into small pieces, and vegetables are fried very quickly over high heat so that they remain half-cooked and do not lose their flavor properties. Overcooking or over-frying ingredients is not acceptable, as it is considered a loss of their natural taste. Another characteristic feature is the combination of raw, pickled, and quickly cooked products at the same time. Thus, fish and seafood are often served raw or after a short marination. At the same time, Korean cuisine has much in common with the culinary traditions of neighboring countries. As in China, they love to combine different ingredients and actively use pork. And the similarity with Japanese cuisine is seen in the large amount of fish and seafood in the daily diet.
Traditions at the table
Speaking about Korea, one cannot ignore the most important local side dish - rice. It occupies a central place in almost every meal. Even the traditional question about well-being in Korea often sounds like: "Have you eaten rice today?" Rice is served separately to each person, while the rest of the dishes are placed on shared plates. It is used to prepare side dishes, flatbreads, snacks, and desserts, and this side dish is almost always accompanied by various vegetable snacks, among which kimchi holds a special place - spicy pickled vegetables, most often cabbage or radish.
As for Korean table setting, it may seem unusual due to the large number of small plates and bowls. In fact, each dish has its place, and the order of serving has been formed over many generations. All dishes are conditionally divided into main and additional ones. By the way, the number of snacks can indicate the importance of the event. The most festive meal is considered to be one during which twelve additional dishes are served. Also, Koreans traditionally use chopsticks, but there is always a spoon on the table because it is needed primarily for soups, which occupy an important place in the national cuisine, and the spoon even has a symbolic meaning: it is associated with a person's life.
The most famous dishes of Korean cuisine
Korean cuisine offers dozens of traditional dishes, many of which are well known in the world today. One of the most famous is the already mentioned kimchi - spicy fermented vegetables, most often cabbage or radish, which are served with almost every meal. No less popular is bulgogi, which is marinated beef, fried on a special grill after being aged in a marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and spices. Traditional dishes also include hoe - a dish of thinly sliced meat or fish, and guksu - homemade noodles. Among popular everyday dishes, it is worth mentioning tteokbokki - fried rice cakes, as well as yukgaejang - a spicy soup with beef and vegetables. In addition, Korean cuisine also features jjogogi bokkeum – stewed meat with mushrooms, yakbap - sweet rice porridge, and muk – an interesting dish made from starch.
Desserts and drinks
Contrary to popular belief, Korean cuisine is known not only for spicy dishes. It also has a large number of traditional delicious sweets. Many desserts are made from rice flour or grains, and the most famous include tteok - rice sweets with a characteristic chewy texture, gangjeong made from rice flour, which after frying is coated with honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds, as well as yugwa - a cookie made from rice flour, fried in oil and also drizzled with honey.
Among traditional drinks, a special place is occupied by soju - a strong vodka made from grain or sweet potatoes, and also very popular is makgeolli - a low-alcohol rice drink.
7 interesting facts about Korean cuisine
1. Many families keep ancient kimchi recipes, which they are very proud of and pass down from generation to generation.
2. Unlike Japan and China, where chopsticks are made of wood or bamboo, in Korea they traditionally use metal ones.
3. Street food is very popular in Korea – at markets you can try everything from rice cakes tteokbokki to fried silkworm pupae.
4. Soybean paste (doenjang), soy sauce, and red pepper paste (gochujang) are the three main ingredients without which most dishes cannot be made.
5. Korean barbecue (samgyeopsal) involves frying meat right at the table, making the meal both a culinary show and a social event.
6. In some regions, a dish of live octopus is popular – sannakji, which is served cut but still wriggling.
7. Dog meat, which was once considered a delicacy in South Korea, has almost disappeared from the daily diet today. The younger generation of Koreans perceives dogs primarily as pets. Only 8% of the population has tried such food in the last five years, and this is less than the number of Ukrainians who eat exotic seafood.