Bond Over Banchan

Bond Over

Banchan Words By: Adeline Kim Photos By: Ngan Tran

Something that I look forward to every time I visit Korea is banchan, side dishes that are served before every meal and are often eaten with the main course. They vary in flavor from sweet meats, to salty spinach, all the way to sour pickled vegetables. In my humble opinion, my grandmother’s homemade banchan is some of the best ever made. I remember sitting down around the dinner table, enjoying the spread with its variety of multicolored dishes packed into small bowls, slowly eating up the different pickled vegetables, traditional salads, and even certain types of braised meats.

The word “banchan’’ translates to “half- plate,” which is a fitting name for these side dishes. They’re constantly being refilled and oftentimes, it’s everyone’s favorite part of the meal. Once the table is set with 5-8 types of banchan, there’s always a moment where everyone sits around the table and partakes in discussions about the day while passing around the plates in a Thanksgiving style. As everyone sits around the table, you’re able to take a step back and really appreciate the conversations that occur as everyone shares the food. For my family, this is one of the only times we can get together face to face, which makes it a great moment for bonding. It’s truly one of the most traditional and intimate Korean experiences that you can have with your family.

There are hundreds of types of banchan, which is handy when everyone has different tastes. In addition, most are made without specific measurements, so while I’ll provide estimates for how much of each ingredient to include, keep in mind that they’ve been specifically tailored to my family’s taste. Everyone is different so don’t be afraid to switch up the measurements or even swap out the ingredients! The versatility and experience that banchan gives is really a beautiful thing, but don’t be overwhelmed by the options. Here’s a recipe straight from my grandmother for kimchi to get you started on your banchan journey!

Ingredients:

1 head napa cabbage ¼ cup coarse salt 10 cloves garlic 4 small pieces ginger 2 tablespoons of saeujeot 5 spoonfuls fish sauce 1 spoonful sugar 4 roots chives (cut into 2 inch segments) 2-3 spoonfuls red pepper flakes (depending on spice tolerance) 1 small daikon radish (cut into matchsticks)

Cabbage Preparation:

Take the washed cabbage and chop it in half vertically from the stem side to the leafy side. Begin taking handfuls of salt and rubbing it onto each individual leaf, making sure to carefully separate the stems without breaking the leaves off of the cabbage. If it’s a cold day, it may help to dunk the cabbage into some warm water before rubbing the salt. Leave the salt to “kill” the rigidness for around 1 hour (or until the cabbage is significantly less stiff). Afterwards, wash the cabbage thoroughly 3 times to get rid of the excess salt and drain the leaves of the water. Then, cut the cabbage into fourths (for ease of marinating).

Marinade and Fermentation:

Blend the garlic and ginger in a food processor until it turns to a pulp. Mix this in with the saeujeot, fish sauce, sugar, chives, radish, and red pepper flakes. Take this mixture and rub it into the cabbage. Don’t be afraid to get dirty! Put on a pair of gloves and start rubbing the paste into each individual leaf until all four segments are completely saturated. Store the cabbage in an airtight container and leave it outside the fridge for 24 hours, then store in the fridge. Enjoy!

Instructions: