International Korean Menu Guide Along with the diffusion of the ‘Korean Wave’, Korean foods have recently gained attention for their healthy qualities. Therefore, this new international guide to Korean food has enjoy Korean foods. <INTERNATIONAL KOREAN MENU GUIDE> presents the correct spelling of Korean dishes and food items in foreign languages, and gives a short description of them. This guide is provided as either a booklet or an application to help users utilize it conveniently anytime, anywhere.
Korean food offers a wide variety of tastes and properties depending on when and where you taste it or where the ingredients come from. In spring, you can eat wild greens gathered from mountains and fields to taste new energy fortified by the earth. In summer, you can gain living energy from invigorating stamina foods that help you ward off the summer heat and stay healthy. In autumn, kimchi, to be eaten during the cold season, is pre-made. And in winter, hot soups and stews with rich tastes will melt any body and mind frozen by chilly weather. You can find the different tastes of four seasons and the wisdom of life in the lifestyles
A Journey to Delicious Korea
been published in order to help foreigners understand and
A Journey to Delicious Korea
and the food of Korean people. Philosophies and stories are hidden in Korean food, while savory delicacies discovered in travel destinations captivate the hearts and minds of visitors to Korea. This Korean food guide book sheds light on the creme de la creme of the Korean Wave – Korean cuisine.
A Journey to Delicious Korea
For more about the book, please visit www.hansik.org where you can also find varied information on Korean food.
The Korean Food Foundation is a public organization responsible for introducing Korean food and Korean culinary culture both at home and abroad by researching Korean food, developing Korean food content and supporting relevant marketing activities to foster the Korean food industry.
A Journey to Delicious Korea
Prologue
2
Understanding Korean Food And The Role Of Korean Cuisine Commentators
associated with local festivals.1 Those who visit local areas can enjoy local food festivals, visit gourmet restaurants and buy local products. Occasionally, they will also find places to learn to make local food, on-site.
Every nation has a unique way of life that varies according to its natural environment, such as topography and climate. Food is one of the most colorful
Korean Cuisine’s Endless Stories and Philosophies
aspects of national life. To understand the culture of a foreign country, One of
Korean cuisine uses abundant ingredients. Recipes are diverse and varied.
the best means is to try the local food. When traveling, few things compare to
It is also well known that local and regional foods vary with the season, and
the pleasure of sampling the local cuisine, and this is driving the recent increase
many hide rich stories.
in and demand for food tourism. Food tourism includes a variety of culinary
Korean royal cuisine is famous for its brilliant colors, delicate recipes and elegant
activities. Eating delicious foods, going to markets or regions where special
tastes. This cuisine, once enjoyed by royals and yangban (aristocrats) is regarded
ingredients are found and even making unfamiliar meals are all part of the
as a high-value national asset, reflecting the philosophy of yesteryear’s elite
experience.
and their lifestyles. Meanwhile, given the growing increase in vegetarianism,
According to a 2015 survey by the Ministry of Culture, sports and Tourism
Buddhist temple food is also grabbing attention.
there are 164 local food-related festivals around Korea, which account for 24.6
At the opposite end of the cultural scale, Korea’s informal street food, is an
3 A Journey to Delicious Korea
What is Food Tourism?
percent of 664 registered local festivals. Regional specialty products are often
4
increasingly interesting aspect of Korean cuisine to foreigners.
common worldwide, but there is still a knowledge gap.
And currently, Hallyu (the “Korean Wave” of pop culture) is bringing many
Simply eating Korean food, even for a long time, does not give anyone specific
foreigners to Korea, looking to experience the food culture of the country.
background knowledge of Korean cuisine, and it is not easy to give detailed
Chimaek (chicken and beer) is representative of this modern food movement.
answers to the questions of foreigners. Therefore, a field of experts who can
The Emergence of Korean Cuisine Commentators According to “Korea International Visitor Survey 2014” by Seoul City, the most popular places to visit were Dongdaemun Market (55.5 percent), Myeongdong Shopping Precinct (55.1 percent), Gyeongbokgung Palace (51.3 percent), and Namsan Tower (47.8 percent). The main element that foreign tourists recommended was food, with Chinese visitors in particular being highly interested in gourmet dining.2 In 2013, 41.5 percent of tourists visited Korea specifically for food; one year later, this proportion had increased dramatically to 48.2 percent. Among the factors that determined a willingness to revisit and to recommend Korea, food came on the top of the list.3 Sharing information about restaurants and travel via social media is now
who can deliver information on the unique taste of Korean food and its related wisdom and philosophy of life, are called “Korean cuisine commentators.” “A Journey to Delicious Korea” is a practical and specialized commentary for use by Korean cuisine commentators. Within the following pages, the interesting, delicious and curious world of Korean cuisine unfolds, without making anything difficult or boring. This book can deliver knowledge and create a friendly image of Korean food. The more you look and the longer you read, the more you will discover that Korea is a truly delicious country.
A Journey to Delicious Korea
give precise explanations of Korean food culture is emerging. Korean experts
5
Contents Prologue
Understanding Korean Food And The Role Of Korean Cuisine Commentators
2
Chapter 3
Korean Food Map And Food Tourism
120
What To Eat, Where To Eat
Seoul: The 600-Year-Old Capital City
120
Busan: City Of Film And Fish Cake
128
Sokcho: City Of The Sea
132
Jeju: Korea’s Exotic Island
135
Jeonju: Korea’s Capital Of Flavor
139
Chapter 1
The Philosophy Of Korean Food
10
Fascinating Food
Korean Table Setting
20
Andong And Gyeongju:
Korea’s Culinary Geography
26
The Cities Of Aristocrats
143
Types Of Korean Food
42
5 Delicacies Of Mokpo
148
Korean Food In Pop Culture
54
Korean Drinking Culture
58
Koreans’ Favorite Dishes When Eating Out
64
Chapter 4
Frequently Asked Questions about Korean Food
154
Understanding Korean Food
Common Korean Culinary Terms
162
Chapter 2
Korean Food Customs,
The Delights Of Korean Food
Homemade Meals:
Processes And Recipes
74
The Secret To Flavoring
100
12 Delicious Recipes
104
Fascinating Food
8
1
Chapter
The Philosophy of Korean Food
10
A Food Culture Of Harmony And Balance
11 A Journey to Delicious Korea
A typical Korean meal consists of a main dish – such as rice, noodles, rice cakes or rice porridge – and side dishes served with it. The word for side dishes, banchan, refers to several types of food that are cooked in a variety of ways. A table set with rice and side dishes is called bansang – charim. This is usually a bowl of rice served with multiple side dishes such as soup, kimchi, vegetables, and boiled foods. Even a simple, single – dish meal like porridge or noodles does not literally consist of only a single dish in Korea, as kimchi or pickles always come with it – and these side dishes are replenished free of charge. A distinctive feature of Korean food culture is that all dishes are served on the table together. There are a great variety of ways to set a table – from soban, which refers to a bowl of rice and two to three side dishes served on a small table, to gyojasang, where dozens of dishes appear on a large table for a special occasion. Still, the key element of a Korean meal remain the same: It is nearly always a
Bap (steamed rice), The Basis of most Korean meals.
combination of rice and side dishes. This convention is the best way to enjoy a well – balanced diet with foods of different flavors.
Development of Grain Foods and Fermented Foods Since ancient times, Koreans have been growing rice due to high temperatures and high humidity in the summer. They have also actively engaged in dry – field agriculture to cultivate barley, beans, buckwheat, and millet. Koreans were not nomads moving from one area to another in search of feed for livestock, but lived sedentary lives in villages, and this allowed them to develop a variety of fermented foods whose preparation requires a long period of time. Since rice and porridge are normally bland, fermented foods satisfied the desire for more flavorful, salty dishes. Many Korean fermented foods (soy sauce, soybean paste, red pepper paste, 12
13
and other sauces; salted seafood; and kimchi) are already well known around
A Journey to Delicious Korea
the world. To describe the taste of a dish, Koreans often use the expression “deep taste,” which expresses a savory taste that results from a long period of fermentation and maturation.
Harmony of Meat and Vegetables Korean meals are made from grains, vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, and seaweeds. This variety of ingredients from the sky, the sea and the earth is sometimes jokingly called “the army, the navy and the air force.” In addition, Koreans eat raw, boiled, or parboiled roots, leaves, and fruits from the country’s many mountains. They also dry them so they can be stored and cooked a few months or even years later. In Korean food culture – with the exception of Buddhist cuisine – there are no restrictions on ingredients for religious reasons, or aversions to certain types
The Korean diet consists of a variety of foods such as cereals, vegetables, meat, and fish.
of foods. That is why Koreans have been able to develop numerous cooking techniques. Cooking the same ingredient using only one method is extremely rare.
The Theory Of Yin – Yang And The Five Elements The theory of yin – yang and the five elements is about the transformation of yin and yang into earth, heaven, and the five elements: wood (木), fire (火), soil (土), metal (金) and water (水). The five elements are related to the five colors and the five cardinal directions: yellow (黃) stands for the center; blue (靑) for the east; white (白) for the west; red (赤) for the south; and black (黑) for the north.
Oi-seon (stuffed cucumber)
There are also five intermediary (五間色) or mixed (五方雜色) colors. These are green (綠) located between blue and yellow; light blue (碧) between blue and white; light red (紅) between red and white; purple (紫) between blue and red; 14
Water (Jeotgal ) Kidney, Bladder
and sulphur (硫黃) between black and yellow.
15
Yellow is the color of vitamins that stimulate the appetite. In fact, foods rich in carotenoids and lutein are yellow. Traditionally, yellow is known to be the color protecting the functions of the spleen and the stomach. Many anti – oxidative and anti – carcinogenic ingredients exist in in yellow foods. These include
Metal (Salt )
Soil (Garlic )
Lung, Large intestine
Spleen, Stomach
carrots, pumpkins, persimmons, apricots, and chestnuts. Red is the color of revitalization and passion. It is regarded as a protector of the functions of the heart and the small intestine. Red peppers, for example, are considered good for the heart and for thinning the blood. White is the color that protects the lungs and the large intestine. Many white
Fire (Pepper ) Heart, Small intestine
foods are rich in flavonoids. As the color of purity and purification, white helps to eliminate waste matters from the body, reduce cholesterol and blood
Ying-yang placement of food
Tree (Cabbage ) Liver, Gall bladder
A Journey to Delicious Korea
The Five Colors and Phytochemicals
pressure, and prevent oxidation. Examples of white ingredients include pears, cabbages, garlic, deodeok (bonnet bellflower root), and bellflower root. Blue is the color of life and youth. Blue (actually, blue – green) ingredients – napa cabbage, kale, cucumbers, chives, green tea, etc. – are abundant in dietary fiber. The chlorophyll and catechin in them help in the regeneration of cells. Black is the color of general health. It is thought to improve the immune system, prevent aging, keep cholesterol levels low, and protect the liver. Eggplants, red onions, purple sweet potatoes, black beans, seaweed, and kelp belong to this category.
The Common Origin Of Medicine And Food (藥食同源) And The Development Of Health Foods
16
One of the basic concepts in Korean food is that meals are eaten not only to food can be a medicine. Just as their ancestors did, modern Koreans also try to strengthen their bodies with good food. That is why they look for health foods when they feel sluggish, tired, or weak. The belief that diseases are caused by an imbalance in the body and that the balance can be restored with food has been inherited from ancient times. Koreans have traditionally used as food ingredients many medicinal plants – ginger, cinnamon, omija (schisandra berry), mint, deodeok (bonnet bellflower root), bellflower root, ginseng, Job’s tear, quince, pomegranates, citrus fruits, and mugwort. Health foods are Namul eaten in spring are ingredients representing the oriental belief that "food and medicine are the same." Koreans eat namul to maintain a balance of spirit and blood, ying and yang.
those consumed to protect the body. Various components in food ingredients interact with each other and help the body to recover from disease and function normally. Koreans consider it important to eat various health foods in order to maintain the balance between life force and energy flow, between yin and yang.
A Journey to Delicious Korea
enjoy their flavor but also to live a long and healthy life. In other words, good
17
Koreansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Favorite, Energy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; boosting Health Foods The health foods that Koreans most enjoy are those eaten on boknal, the three hottest days of the year, which fall in the sixth and seventh lunar months. The names of the three hottest days are Chobok (the first one), Jungbok (in the middle), and Malbok (the last one); they occur over ten â&#x20AC;&#x201C; day intervals. During the period from Chobok to Malbok, Koreans suffer from the most severe heat of the year. So it is customary to have special meals on those days. The most common one is samgye - tang (ginseng chicken soup). It is made by simmering a chicken stuffed with sweet rice, garlic, dates and ginseng for a long time. Koreans also love the spicy beef soup called yukgaejang. To make it, seasoned beef is first boiled and sliced. It is then simmered again, along with bracken, bean sprouts, green onion, and red pepper powder. The soup is so hot and spicy that people drip with perspiration while eating it. Still, Koreans believe that with each drop of sweat 18
19
they recover more energy. Another essential ingredient in health foods in Korea
A Journey to Delicious Korea
is eel. The fish is rich in protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. It is therefore considered good not only for overcoming fatigue, but also for having better skin, preventing aging, and improving stamina.
Samgye-tang (ginseng chicken soup)
Korean Table Setting
20
Traditional Settings words, all prepared foods are put on one table at the same time. Their positions on the table are based on the type of food and its temperature, cooking method, and the overall harmony of colors. Thus the setting is both nutritionally balanced and visually beautiful. Vegetable oil is commonly used instead of easily hardening animal oil in order to prevent the side dishes from changing their characteristics over time. Korean table settings can also be classified according to the number of people they are prepared for. The most basic one is doksang - charim, in which dishes are put on a small table for one person to eat. Gyeomsang - charim is for two people and duresang or gyojasang are set for many people to have a meal together. Bronze dishes are used during winter (Thanksgiving ~ Before the Dan-oh Festival in May). Food served in bronze dish does not spoil or lose heat easily.
A Journey to Delicious Korea
It is commonly said that the Korean table setting â&#x20AC;&#x153;unfolds in space.â&#x20AC;? In other
21
Why the Number of Dishes is Fixed
[ Composition of dishes by the number of side dishes on the table4 ]
Traditional Korean rice and side dish table settings are classified depending on the
Category
Type
5 Side
7 Side
9 Side
12 Side
Dishes
Dishes
Dishes
Dishes
number of side dishes. There are settings with three side dishes, five side dishes,
Rice
1
1
1
1
2
seven side dishes, and nine side dishes. In the past, only the king could enjoy a
Soup
1
1
1
1
2
Stew
-
1
1
2
2
Braised Dish
-
-
1
1
1
Hot Pot
-
-
1
1
1
Kimchi
1
2
2
3
3
Sauce
1
setting with twelve side dishes. Rice, soup, kimchi and sauces are considered to be basic dishes, so they not counted in the number of side dishes. Thus, a setting
Main Dishes
with three side dishes consists of rice, soup, kimchi, sauces and three side dishes
Grilled Dish, Skewers (Hot)
that altogether make up a nutritious meal. A setting with five side dishes includes
Grilled Dish, Skewers (Cold)
one more type of kimchi, one more sauce and two more side dishes. On hot
Boiled Dish
winter days, it comes in dishes made of silver or bronze. The latter have the unique quality of changing their color if the food in them is rotten or poisonous.
2~3
3
Choose
1
One
One
One
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Cooked Vegetable
Choose
Choose
1
1
1
Side
Seasoned Raw Vegetable
One
One
1
1
1
Dishes
Salted Vegetable
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Choose
Choose
One
One
Sliced Meat
-
-
1
1
1
Special Dish, Raw Fish
-
-
-
-
1
Special Dish, Poached Egg
-
-
-
-
1
Pickled Seafood
soup bowl goes to the right of the rice. The spoon is an essential tool for Korean food because of the wide variety of liquid dishes. Chopsticks are convenient for eating dishes made with chopped or sliced ingredients. The spoon is used to
Setting of a three-dish table
eat both rice and soup, and the chopsticks are for side dishes. A round spoon
Braised Dish
represents yang (陽), whereas angular chopsticks represent yin (陰). Dried Dish
Grilled Dish
Kimchi Soy Sauce Rice
Soup
23 A Journey to Delicious Korea
On a traditional Korean table, the bowl with the rice is put on the left, and the
One
2~3 Choose
-
Dried Dish
Bowls, Spoons and Chopsticks
Choose
2 Choose
Pan–Fries
and humid summer days, the food is served in porcelain bowls, whereas on cold
22
3 Side Dishes
Spoon and chopsticks.
Table Settings
eating with other people; this teaches the virtue of reducing your share and
When setting a table, a set of spoon and
yielding to the needs of other people as the amount of food can be limited. As
chopsticks is placed first, on the right side
such, Korea’s dining etiquette in olden days was much more complicated and
of the table. The spoon comes first and the
difficult to follow than today’s. In “Joseon Cookbook” (1939), the author Dr.
chopsticks are put to the right of the spoon.
Jo Ja - ho even describes the proper way of holding an individual – sized dining
The ends of both the spoon and chopsticks
table in great detail, from the ideal height of the table and proper method of
should pass the edge of the table by about
walking while holding it; the distance between each table when placed on the
2cm. The bowl of rice is put on the left side of
floor; and the order of removing the covers of the side dishes. In addition, she
the front line and the soup on the right side.
details the order of presenting sungnyung (boiled water with scorched rice), as well
The stew goes behind the soup bowl. Then,
as directions for delivering and removing the table before and after a meal.5
small dishes with sauces such as soy sauce, vinegar sauce or soy vinagrette sauce are placed behind the rice and soup. Hot or warm side dishes are served to the right side of the table, so that the diner can reach 24
Basic Manners at the Traditional Korean Table
them conveniently with his or her right hand.
In order to follow the traditional dining etiquette of Korea, it is important to respect elderly people and other people around you while not being gluttonous. Younger people should only sit at the table once older people have been seated; they are also responsible for removing the covers of food. Likewise, younger people can only pick up their spoons once the older people have done so first, and they can only start eating after the older people have swallowed their soup or mulkimchi (watery kimchi). Moreover, it is a common etiquette for young people to avoid eating dishes favored by the older people. When eating meat or fish, bones should not be shown to other people, and it is also important to keep the same pace as other people while dining. In “Naehun - Private Instructions” (1475), written by Queen Sohye, it is emphasized not to eat to the full when
1. The spoon and chopsticks should not be held simultaneously in one hand. One should be careful not to make eating sounds or sounds with the spoon and chopsticks. 2. Rice is eaten from the center of the bowl. It is impolite to pick up the soup bowl and drink from it. 3. One’s back should be kept straight and good posture maintained throughout the meal. 4. Crossing the legs, touching the face or hair, or putting one’s elbows on the table during the meal is considered impolite. 5. Side dishes are eaten together with rice. In traditional table manners, it is not good to put rice in the soup and mix them together. 6. When sneezing or coughing, one should turn his or her face away from the table and cover the mouth with a hand. 7. It is not allowed to stir rice or side dishes with one’s spoon. 8. When a table is shared with others, food from the shared dishes should first be moved to an individual dish. 9. The most senior person at the table starts eating first; others follow. Finishing the meal follows the same rule: If one finishes one’s meal before the seniors do, it is better to temporarily put the spoon and chopsticks on the rice bowl and move them down to the table after the seniors finish eating. 10. At the end of the meal, the spoon and chopsticks are put down on the table in their original place. It needs to be noted, however, that many of these rules are no longer observed by modern Koreans, who practice more relaxed and egalitarian dining manners than did Koreans of yore.
A Journey to Delicious Korea
Dining Etiquette in Olden Days
25
Korea’s Culinary Geography
The Trendy Flavors Of Seoul Seoul, the capital of the Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910) and the Republic of Korea (1948~present), has been the center of the country for over six centuries. Although Seoul produces few ingredients, it is famous for the diversity and beauty of its dishes, whose ingredients come from all over the country. The preferences of the royal family and nobles, who resided in Seoul, raised the importance of formality and style in the local food. As a result, Seoul dishes tend to be small, pretty, and stylish. During the Joseon period, royal cuisine spread among the nobles and provided the basis for the development of aristocratic cuisine. The representative dishes of Seoul cuisine include jang-gukbap (spicy beef soup with rice), tteokguk (rice cake soup), kkori-gomtang (oxtail bone soup), imjasu-tang (soup with chicken and sesame seeds), seolleongtang (ox bone soup), and
26
27 A Journey to Delicious Korea
Seasonal Flavors: Wisdom Reflected In Dish Assortment
tangpyeong-chae (mung bean jelly salad).
“Local foods” refer to dishes made from local ingredients using local cooking techniques. Thus, the same kind of food can be made with different ingredients and seasonings, depending on the region; they therefore taste different. Since Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides and has four clearly defined seasons, there is a great variety of foods and tastes. The further north one travels, the shorter the summer is and the longer the winter is. In a cooler climate, there is no need to use a lot of salt and spicy seasonings to preserve the food. That’s why northern food has a light, mild flavor; and minimal jeotgal (salted seafood) is added. The people of the northern regions also enjoy serving big meals full of large foods. On the other hand, the further south one goes, the harder it is to preserve food without seasonings, and the majority of foods are salty and spicy.
Seolleongtang (ox bone soup)
Tangpyeong - chae (mung bean jelly salad)
28
Haejang - guk (hangover soup)
Tang Pyeong Chae (Mung Bean jelly Mixed with Vegetables and Beef) This is a jelly
29
salad made of mung bean jelly, stir-fried meat, parboiled water parsley, and roasted
A Journey to Delicious Korea
seaweed. The name of the dish comes from the expression tangtang pyeongpyeong (蕩
蕩平平), which stands for “impartiality.” According to legend, King Yeongjo (1724~1776)
bestowed this dish on all nobles to demonstrate his will to resist partisan brawls.
Haejang-guk (Hangover Soup) The dish is made by boiling cow bones with soy bean paste, napa cabbage leaves, bean sprouts. The best haejang-guk has beef shank added. The cow bones should be boiled thoroughly until one smells burnt fat. There is a saying that expresses how delicious this soup is: “If you think your soybean paste does not taste well, sell it to a pub. Then, when the pub makes your soybean paste into a bowl of hangover soup, you’ll say it’s savory.”
Sinseollo (Royal Hot Pot) This dish is one of the masterpieces of royal cuisine. In olden
times, it was also called yeolgujatang (悅口資湯), which literally means “good taste and flavor make the mouth happy.” About 25 premium ingredients — beef, cow liver,
manyplies, pork, pheasant, chicken, abalone, sea cucumber, gray mullet and so on — are needed to make this luxurious dish. It also looks very beautiful and stylish and is one of the most popular foods at state banquets. During such an event, the lights are turned off before dozens of single-serve royal hot pots are brought in; the process of serving glowing hot pots in a dark room makes a mysterious and beautiful performance in of itself.
Sinseollo (royal hot pot)
The Simple And Plain Flavors Of Gyeonggi Province
The Rough Yet Natural Flavors Of Gangwon Province
Gyeonggi is the province surrounding the capital, so its cuisine is very similar
The East Sea, where warm and cold currents meet, produces numerous kinds
to that of Seoul. Various seafoods from the West Sea, as well as vegetables and
of seafoods. Yeongdong County, to the east of the Taebaek Mountains, is
herbs from mountainous territories in the eastern part of Gyeonggi, provide
famous for various fresh seafoods such as pollack and squid, and people there
many types of ingredients. Gyeonggi dishes require a lot of labor, but the food
enjoy raw fish. Yeongseo County, a mountainous region, produces a lot of corn,
is simpler, with larger portions, than those in Seoul. Similarly to Seoul cuisine,
potatoes, and buckwheat. It is famous for plain and clean foods. Gangwon
they are neither salty nor bland; the dishes are simple and plain because they
Province as a whole is well known to Koreans as the originator of buckwheat
use only a small amount of salt. The most representative foods include joraengi
noodles. Gangwon cuisine is a far cry from the luxurious cuisine of Seoul; instead,
tteokguk (round rice cake soup) and Pyeongsu (Gaeseng city - style dumplings). The
it is simple and savory. The dishes use anchovies, clams, and various seafoods
province is also famous for so galbi gui (grilled beef ribs), dwaeji - galbi - gui (grilled
instead of meat or salted seafoods, so the taste is very natural. Representative foods
pork spare ribs), bindae - tteok (mung bean pancake), jangtteok (spicy pancake), and
include gamja - bap (potato rice), hwangtae - gui (grilled dried pollack), ojingeo - sundae
bossam kimchi (wrapped kimchi). Local farmers enjoy salads and porridge made
(squid sausage), deodeok - saengchae (sliced raw bonnet bellflower root), memil - jeon
of pumpkin and corn.
(buckwheat pancake), memil - guksu (buckwheat noodles), and gamja - songpyeon (half - moon potato and rice cake).
30 in North Korea) make dumplings called pyeonsu . First, the dough is rolled thin and cut
Mak-guksu (Buckwheat Noodles) This
into squares. Each square is then filled with meat and vegetables and closed at the four
representative dish of Gangwon Province
edges. The dumplings are boiled and put into a cold soy broth. The name of the dish,
is made of buckwheat, a local specialty.
pyeonsu ), comes from the shape of the dumplings, which look like wood on the surface of water.
Jangtteok (Spicy Pancake) The dish is made by adding to the dough some red chili paste
The noodles were traditionally made by Memil - jeon (buckwheat pancake)
cutting buckwheat dough with a sharp knife, but today they are made by machines.
or soybean paste and various vegetables such as chives and green onions; making the
The dough, made of buckwheat powder
shape; drying or boiling the mixture to store for some time; then fried it in oil. It is salty
and salt water, is put into a noodle maker;
enough by itself, so there is no need for other side dishes. Modern Koreans call any
then the noodles are boiled and mixed with
pancakes made by fried dough in oiljangtteok .
vegetables and a sauce or put in a cool
dongchimi (radish kimchi ) liquid. The dish was traditionally popular as a midnight snack.
Pyeonsu (dumplings)
Jangtteok (spicy pancake)
Mak - guksu (buckwheat noodles)
A Journey to Delicious Korea
Pyeonsu (Gaesong Dumplings)In the summer, people in the town of Gaeseong (today,
31
important emergency foods for working - class people who were often deprived of food during the cold winter months. In recent years, these jellies have become staple foods for many health conscious weight watchers as they are low in calories and yet satisfying. Hobak – beombeok (Pumpkin Porridge with Mixed Grains) This savory dish is made by steaming a mixture of soft – boiled pumpkin, beans, and flour. Even a small amount of this porridge can fill stomachs, so the dish is often enjoyed by itself as a simple meal.
Eori – gul – jeot (Spicy Salted Oyster) Oysters from the West Sea, in particular from Ganwol Island, are small and have many fine hairs. If seasoned with spicy red chili powder and fermented, they become a salted seafood with a unique taste. Koreans Memil - muk (buckwheat jelly)
enjoy eating the dish in the winter by putting a small amount of pickled oyster on top of each spoon of steaming, freshly cooked rice.
Doribaengbaengi (Seasoned Fried Smelt) Smelts are small freshwater fish found 32
When people describe the most distinctive characteristic of the regional food of Chungcheong Province, they often use such expressions as “unpretentious” as the food usually tastes simple and natural due to the minimal use of seasoning. Unlike other regions, seasoning food with doenjang (fermented bean paste)
in the rivers in inland Chungcheong Province. Doribaengbaengi is made by first fried smelts, then adding a spicy sauce, and fried again. Another representative local dish is saebaengi – maeun – tang, a refreshingly spicy shrimp stew made with freshwater shrimp and white radish.
Nakjimilguk (Clear Octopus Soup) A clear soup made with slices of gourd and baby octopus caught in the fall from the West Coast. When gourd is not available, it can be replaced with radish. The simple, refreshing flavor of the soup makes it a popular hangover food.
is common in Chungcheong Province, and locals enjoy cheonggukjang jjigae (a kind of powerfully flavored fermented bean stew) during the winter. Oysters and clams are widely available in Southern Chungcheon, close to the coast, so people in this region traditionally make large batches of salted oysters and clams. Meanwhile, the inland areas of Chungcheong are famous for dishes made with wild herbs and vegetables grown in its mountainous regions, far from the coastline. Acorn jelly made with starches obtained from shelled acorns is a particularly famous regional delicacy, along with chestnut jelly made with chestnut powder. In the past, both acorn jelly and buckwheat jelly served as
Hobak - beombeok (pumpkin porridge with mixed grains)
Eori - gul - jeot (spicy salted oyster)
Nakjimilguk (clear octopus soup)
33 A Journey to Delicious Korea
The Simple And Mild Flavors Of Chungcheong Province
from the bottom of the river. It is often used as a key ingredient for a potent hangover soup. In addition to the jaecheop soup, cham - gejang, made by fermenting chamge the size of a child’s fist in soy sauce for a long time, is a special dish that stimulates anyone’s appetite during the hot summer months. One salty chamge is enough to clear a bowl of rice in a blink. Heotjesappap (Meal for Fake Ancestral Rites) This is a highly unusual name! The story goes that some people liked the taste of the ceremonial foods of the nobility so much that they made up ancestral rites just to have ceremonial foods!Heotjesappap is a meal composed of soup (made of white radish, meat, and fish) and the chops of salted shark or various pan–fried delicacies.
Jaecheop – guk (Marsh Clams Soup) This is a clear soup made of corbicula, small freshwater clams found in the rivers of the Hadong area of the province. The soup is famous for its hangover – relieving function, and it is eaten with sliced chives. Dining after ancestral rites.
Dongnae – haemul – pajeon (Dongnae – Style Seafood and Green Onion Pancake) As thick as, and often the same size as a pizza, Dongnae – style pancake is made by mixing
34
35
various seafoods, such as squid and oyster, with flour, eggs, and green onion, then pan– frying the mixture in oil. It is a perfect accompaniement to makgeolli (raw rice wine). On rainy days, Koreans often enjoy raw rice wine with pancakes.
Gyeongsang Province is famous for its extremely spicy and salty but simple cuisine. Local people enjoy cooking with beans and grilling salted dried fish. Delicious fresh fish is easily accessible in the coastal areas, so people who live near the sea often have raw fish. Two old cities in Gyeongsang Province, Andong and Gyeongju, developed a lot of ceremonial foods because nobles resided there for a long time. For example, Andong kal - guksu (Andong - style noodle soup), a local dish famous all around Korea, was originally a soup prepared for welcoming guests. The region near Seomjingang that connects Hadong with Gurye in Southern Gyeonsang Province has long been famous for its abundance of jaecheop (Marsh clams) and chamge (Chinese mitten crab). Jaecheop is a type of clam the size of a fingernail, each of which needs to be handpicked
Heotjesappap (meal for take ancestral rites)
Dongnae - haemul - pajeon (dongnae - style seafood and green onion pancake)
A Journey to Delicious Korea
The Salty Flavors And Strong Scents Of Gyeongsang Province
The Fancy Foods And Rich Flavors Of Jeolla Province
Jeju Island, Rich With The Scent Of The Sea Jeju, an island south of the mainland, has developed a number of unique dishes.
Jeolla is a province rich with grains cultivated in the Honam plains, seafood
Local people enjoy simple dishes made of fresh ingredients and rarely set multi
from the West Sea, and herbs and vegetables from the mountains. Thanks to
- dish tables or mix various ingredients together. There is little rice farming, but
this abundance, Jeolla Provine’s cuisine includes numerous luxurious dishes.
the cultivation of grains – such as beans, barley, millet, and buckwheat – as well
Local people spare no effort to cook a good dish, and they love salty foods due
as sweet potato is widespread, so many local foods are made with grains. The
to their warm and mild climate. They also enjoy making spicy foods with red
people of Jeju prefer soybean paste to red chili paste and use abalone, pheasant,
chili pepper powder, and there is a great variety of kimchi prepared with different
and bracken extensively in cooking.
types of salted seafoods. Jeolla cuisine is famous for foods made with bean sprouts. Kong - namul - gukbap (bean sprout soup with rice) and Jeonju bibimbap (mixed rice) which originated in the town of Jeonju in the province, are famed
Jeonbok juk (Rice Porridge with Abalone) This dish is made by stir– frying rice with the internal organs of abalones, adding the abalone flesh, and boiling the mixture. It is a premium porridge with a clean, savory taste; since olden times it has been considered one of the best medicinal foods.
throughout Korea.
Mom – guk (Pork and Seaweed Soup) From olden times, mom – guk was widely eaten 36
Jeonju Bibimbap (Jeonju – style Mixed Rice) This a large bowl of rice to which is added yellow mung bean jelly, short thick bean sprouts, beef tartare, and some 20 other ingredients. Red chili paste stirfried with beef is added on top, and bean sprout
Heukdwaeji – gui (Grilled Black Pork) This pig, native to Korea, is naturally black in color and smal in size. While this kind of pig has become rare in other regions, it continues to be raised on Jeju. The meat of black pork is exceptionally chewy, and the usual method of cooking it is either grilling or steaming.
soup is served with it. Jeonju Bibimbap (jeonju - style mixed rice)
Chueo - tang (Loach Soup) This local dish is made by removing the bones from and grinding the loach captured in rice fields. The fish is then boiled with napa cabbage leaves and soybean paste. The Korean name of the dish literally means “autumn fish soup” because loach usually comes from the rice fields drained for harvesting in the autumn.
Kkomak – yangnyeom – muchim (Cockle Salad) This autumn and winter delicacy is made by boiling cockles from the Beolgyo area in South Jeolla Kkomak - yangnyeom - muchim (cockle salad)
Province, removing the upper part of the shells, and adding a soy sauce - based seasoning.
37
mojaban ,a type of seaweed, to which buckwheat flour is added for a thicker texture.
Mom - guk (pork and seaweed soup)
Heukdwaeji - gui (grilled black pork)
A Journey to Delicious Korea
is the most renowned dish of Jeolla Province. It is
during festivals on Jeju Island. This guk (soup) is made with a pork bone stock and
The Flavors Of North Korea North Korean cuisine has established its own place, separate from the types of foods enjoyed in South Korea. Some renowned dishes include naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), mandu (dumplings), onban (chicken soup), and eobokjaengban (boiled meat platter). Among these, cold buckwheat noodles are the most common and most representative North Korean food. The dish is served in South Korea in two varieties: Pyongyang – style and Hamheung – style. The former is commonly thought to be the cold noodle soup mul naengmyeon, and the latter is the spicy noodles without a broth, bibim naengmyeon. In fact, however, there is no “Hamheung – style” naengmyeon in North Korea. In Hamgyeong Province, where the city of Hamheung is located, cold buckwheat noodles are called nongma - guksu (cold starch noodles) or hwe - guksu (cold noodles with raw fish). The former is served with broth and the latter without. According to the 38
North Korean book “Folk Traditions of Joseon,” Pyongyang - style naengmyeon
39 A Journey to Delicious Korea
and Jinju - style naengmyeon are considered the best. The book explains that there are various types of noodles – cold noodles, warm noodles, spicy noodles, and noodles with raw fish – in Korea, and the last type is made only with white fish such as pollack6. Noodles can be made of buckwheat, wheat, corn, and potato. Onban (Chicken Soup) North Korean chicken soup is made by adding rice to a chicken broth and putting mung bean pancakes or other garnishes on top.
Eobok - jaengban (Boiled Meat Platter) This is an assortment of beef slices and vegetables on a brass plate. The ingredients are cooked by adding a hot meat broth on the plate. When one is almost finished eating the dish, it is common to add buckwheat noodles. Along with chicken soup, this dish is popular in North Korea to warm oneself up in the cold winter weather.
Mul - naengmyeon and Bibim - naengmyeon (cold noodles)
[ Gourmet Map of Korea]
Korean Foods by Geographical Area7
Gijeon Region (Gyeonggi Province) The northern part of the region is mountainous, the southern is plains, and the western border lies by the sea; so there is a great diversity of agricultural and marine products. Local people use pickled shrimp widely, and the foods have a clean and simple flavor. Gwandong – Yeongseo Region (Gangwon Province) The abundance of
Gwanseo–Gwanbuk Region
ingredients from the mountains and the sea allows the people of the region to enjoy various foods made with both agricultural and marine products. Interestingly, the cuisines of the western and eastern parts of the region demonstrate different characteristics. Hoseo Region (Chungcheong Province) The northern part is mountainous whereas the southern is plains bordering the West Sea. The local cuisine is full of dishes with plain, simple, and clean flavors. Its unique feature is that one can enjoy the original taste of the ingredients. Honam Region (Jeolla Province) Located south of the Geum River, the region
40
has mountains to the east, the West Sea to the west, and the South Sea to the
Hoseo Region Gwandong–Yeongseo Region
Yeongnam Region (Gyeongsang Province) Average temperatures of the region are high, so to store foods longer, local people have developed a lot of salty and spicy foods. They make broad use of red chili powder and the dishes have a
Gijeon Region
strong flavor. Jeju Island This remote island has a very unique food culture. There are no rice fields because the soil contains too much basalt. This feature led to the
Haeseo Region
Yeongnam Region
development of grain farming, and the abundant oceanic bounty gave birth to a variety of seafood - based dishes. Haeseo Region (Hwanghae Province) This region – surrounded by plains, rivers, mountains, and the sea – boasts a multitude of foods and cooking techniques.
Honam Region
Overall, the taste has a good balance;, neither too salty nor too bland. Gwanseo – Gwanbuk Region (Pyeongan and Hamgyeong Provinces) The diversity of geographic characteristics explains the variety of foods in the Pyeongan Province. Hamgyeong Province cuisine is known for clean and simple flavors as the area has the greatest concentration of high mountains in Korea.
Jeju Island
A Journey to Delicious Korea
south. It is the granary of the entire country and the heart of Korean food culture.
41
Types of Korean Food
42
Royal Cuisine palace. Every season, newly harvested foods from around the Kingdom of Joseon were offered to the royal ancestral shrine, and then used to cook foods for the king in Seoul. Naturally, the royal palace became the center of seasonal and holiday cuisine. Beef was the most commonly used meat, and many soups and steamed foods were cooked with dried abalone and sea cucumber. The court maids were responsible for everyday meals, while the male court chefs were in charge of meals for royal banquets. All cooks were professionals who had acquired their expertise through intensive, long - term training. Soy sauces at the palace were classified into those fermented over the long term, the medium term, and the short term and differed in color and salinity. Seasonings with a strong flavor and ingredients of unusual shapes were avoided, and only the most delicious parts of each ingredient were selected. There were very
43 A Journey to Delicious Korea
The most advanced food culture in Korea originated in the kitchens of the royal
Goim-san , table of various foods for royal ceremonious events
Aristocratic And Clan – Head Cuisine During the Joseon period, marriage between relatives was strictly forbidden. Thus, marriages between the royals and noble families provided for cultural exchanges between the palace and the outside world. Through those exchanges, royal foods were bestowed on the nobles, and the foods of the nobles were introduced into the palace. As a result, aristocratic cuisine became similar to royal cuisine, featuring dishes as luxurious and delicate as the foods served to the royals themselves. The foods of the head family in a clan were generously shared among family members. This culture of sharing – combined with family traditions, the cooking techniques of the ladies in the family, and the specialties of the region – became the basis for each clan to develop its own traditional cuisine in its own way. Being in charge of ancestral rites and receiving King's dishes
many guests, each head family created its own dishes and table etiquette. The head family’s foods were mostly local dishes prepared with fresh local
44
own cooking vocabulary, so the ingredients had names not used outside of the
agricultural produce. They were made together with community members and shared freely with guests, so represent the essence of Korea’s sharing culture.
palace. There were three different types of tables served to the king: a large round table, a small round table, and a small square table. White rice, seaweed soup and side dishes were put on the large round table, whereas rice with red beans and long - simmered beef soup appeared on the small round table. The king used two sets of round silver spoons and chopsticks: one for greasy foods and the other for non - greasy foods. While the king was eating, court ladies cut large pieces of food into smaller ones and put them on empty plates, moved the side dishes that were far away from the king closer to him, and brought side dishes from the small round table to the larger one. By any standard, royal cuisine was a collection of culinary masterpieces prepared for the members of the royal family by long-trained experts.
Ancestrial ceremony table
A Journey to Delicious Korea
strict serving rules and table manners. In addition, the royal palace wrote its
45
Another characteristic feature of such foods is that they included sets of dishes prepared for the rites of passage of family members: coming of age, weddings, funerals, ancestral rites, and so on.
[ Temple-Food Specialized Temples ] 8 City/Province Seoul
Name of Temple
Address
Telephone
Jinkwansa
73, Jingwan-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Korea
02-359-8410
Beoryongsa
56, Gwangpyeong-ro 31-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
02-3411-8103
Bongnyeongsa
Temple Cuisine
Gyeonggi Province
Buddhism has a long history in Korea, and Korean cuisine has naturally been influenced by temple cuisine. Characterized by vegetables and natural foods,
Bongsunsa
San 119-6, Wonjeong-ri, Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea 32, Bongseonsa-gil, Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
031-256-4127
031-682-3169
031-527-1951
Daejeon
Youngsunsa
22-3, Baejae-ro 91beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon, Korea
042-523-1144
temple cuisine has recently been attracting a lot of attention among foreign
Daegu
Donghwasa
1, Donghwasa 1-gil, Dong-gu, Daegu
053-982-0101
tourists, vegetarians, and cooking experts. Most temple dishes, made with herbs
South Jeolla
and vegetables, do not use meat. Moreover, the five vegetables with strong flavors, which are prohibited in Buddhism, are also avoided. Referred to as osinchae, these five vegetables are: green onion, garlic, Chinese squill, chives and 46
Sudosa
236-54, Changnyong-daero, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
wild chives. Due to this restriction, temple kimchi is made with salt, ginger, and
Province
Gounsa North Gyeongsang
Yongmunsa
cleanses body and mind. The cooking techniques for temple foods are the same
Guemsuam South Gyeongsan
Daewonsa
Province Tongdosa
1239, Baegyang-ro, Bukha-myeon, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do 415, Gounsa-gil, Danchon-myeon, Uiseong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do 48, Buryeongsa-gil, Geumgangsong-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do 285-30, Yongmunsa-gil, Yongmun-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do 57-98, Saeteo-gil, Geumseo-myeon, Sancheonggun, Gyeongsangnam-do 445, Pyeongchonyupyeong-ro, Samjang-myeon, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do 108, Tongdosa-ro, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
061-392-7502
054-833-2324
054-783-5004
054-655-1010
055-973-6601
055-972-8068
055-382-7182
as for ordinary foods. A particularly common one is fried. To make up for the monks’ calorie shortage many foods, such as vegetable and seaweed chips, oil - and - honey pastries and sweets, are fried in oil. There are also many kinds
Chaegaejang (spicy stew with vegetables)
of pickled vegetables and seafoods and many other dishes that use a variety of cooking methods, such as rice wrapped in lotus leaves, seasoned vegetables, jelly salads, leaf wraps, tofu, glazed beans, soups, steamed dishes, and assorted pan-fried delicacies. The number of people who enjoy temple cuisine is steadily increasing. If temple - stay programs successfully allow visitors to understand the beauty and taste of each temple, they will never be satisfied with only one day temple stay program, and will seek to experience various temples in Korea.
Balwoo , a dish for temple food
47 A Journey to Delicious Korea
seaweed, tree roots, fruits, and tree bark – it is both a food and a medicine that
Bulyoungsa
Provincek
red chili pepper; sometimes Sichuan peppercorn is used instead of red chili pepper. Since temple cuisine uses a lot of herbs from fields and mountains –
Baekyangsa
Preserved/Fermented Foods Various foods preserved through fermentation – such as sauces, kimchi, salted seafood, vinegar, and alcohol – have long been an important source of nutrition for Koreans. They are now some of Korea’s most representative foods. Fermented foods include both processed and unprocessed foods that can be preserved in an edible condition for a long time. The very first method used by humans to preserve food was drying; they then invented pickles and finally discovered fermentation. In a climate with four distinct seasons, Koreans have
Sundae (Korean sausage)
traditionally been busy preserving foods by season. They made soy sauce and red chili paste in the spring, salted seafoods such as salted shrimp and croaker in the summer, and, to prepare for winter after having harvested all the vegetables,
Street Food
made kimchi in the sunny days of the autumn.
Gim Tteok Sun sounds like the name of a person, but it is actually a combination name of the three most representative Korean street foods: gimbap (rice roll in seaweed), topokki (stir-fried rice cake), and sundae (Korean sausage). Korean
48
made of rice mixed with sesame oil, while in Japanese norimaki, the rice is mixed with vinegar. Also, the filling of Japanese norimaki is usually simple – tuna or tsukemono (Japanese vegetable pickles). In contrast, Korean gimbap is filled with a variety of ingredients – spinach, fish cake, eggs, pickled white radish and carrots. Depending on ingredient, there are numerous types of gimbap: vegetable gimbap, meat gimbap, kimchi gimbap, pepper gimbap, tuna gimbap, cheese gimbap, and many others. The shapes are also diverse. For example, there is “nude gimbap,” triangular gimbap, baby gimbap, and so on. The evolution of the flavors and shapes of Korean gimbap is ongoing. topokki, or stir-fried rice cakes – similar to cylinders of pasta – were originally prepared for royal ancestral rites on New Year’s Day. The royal dish was made by seasoning a long, cylinder - shaped rice Earthenware pots holding Jeotgal (salted seafood) and Jang (fermented pastes)
cake and stir-fried it with meat, water parsley, green bean sprouts, chestnuts, and Kimchi
jujube. However, today’s spicy stir-fried rice cakes are much more common than
A Journey to Delicious Korea
gimbap looks similar to Japanese norimaki, or rolled sushi. However, gimbap is
49
topokki (stir-fried rice cake)
Gungjung - topokki (royal stir-fried rice cake)
topokki on the streets and in snack bars, is said to have first appeared in the mid - 1960s. At that time, beef and pork were too expensive to be used as a sausage filling, so glass noodles or other cheap ingredients were used instead. The glass - noodle sausages soon became popular in traditional markets, and today are one of the most common cheap snacks. On a cold winter day when the wind is freezing, a lot of Koreans have fun enjoying these representative Korean street foods. They first appreciate the harmony of the three tastes of gim tteok sun – steaming hot and spicy stir-fried rice cake gimbap, and sundae dipped in the spicy rice cake sauce – and then try to ease the spiciness by drinking hot fish - cake broth.
the royal originals. The origin of the spicy stir-fried rice cake is not clear, but 50
Korean Desserts
In the 1970s, stir-fried rice cake restaurants started to appear in Sindang-dong,
There is a saying that goes, “Tteok instead of rice.” It means tteok, or rice cake, is
Seoul, and the dish quickly became the most common Korean snack.
so delicious that everyone wants to eat it before having any other food. There is
Korean sausage, sundae, is made by steaming beef, pork, or fish intestines
another saying: “Everyone has two stomachs, one for rice and another for tteok.”
filled with meat and vegetables. The most common type is made of pork
In short, rice cake is considered one of the top delicacies in Korea. No holiday
intestines. Traditional sundae is thought to have first been created in northern
or party in olden days was complete without it. Moreover, Koreans made
Korea. The cooking method and seasonings with which to enjoy the sausage
different types of rice cakes with the ingredients of the season. Depending on
differ depending on the region. For example, people in Seoul, Incheon, and
the cooking method, rice cakes are classified into steamed, pounded, hand-
in Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong Provinces usually use salt mixed with
shaped, and pan-fried. Steamed rice cake is made by steaming grain powder
red chili powder. In contrast, people in Gangwon and North Gyeongsang
in a siru (earthenware steamer). To make pounded rice cake, glutinous or non-
Provinces mix salt with pickled shrimp or ground black pepper. In Jeolla
glutinous rice is first steamed and then pounded until it becomes sticky. Hand-
Province, they enjoy seasonings of white salt or red chili pepper paste mixed
shaped rice cake is prepared by kneading rice or glutinous rice dough by hand
with vinegar, whereas in South Gyeongsang Province you are likely to
and then shaping and steaming the cakes. Pan-fried rice cake is made in various
encounter seasoned soybean paste or salt mixed with ground pepper. Finally, in
shapes and fried on a pan. Cute, bite-sized sweet rice balls called gyeongdan are
Jeju, people use soy sauce.
coated with crumbs, so that they can retain their softness for a long time.
Sundae filled with glass noodles, which is the most common type sold with
Koreans commonly say that their minds are “like gulttuk” (chimneys) when
9
51 A Journey to Delicious Korea
most researchers agree it became popular in the second half of the 20th century.
Yujatea can be made by infusing two to three slices of yuja fruit or its peel in hot water, but these days, more people make yuja tea from a concentrate. Yuja concentrate is a fermented yuja liquid made by mixing equal amounts of sliced fruit and sugar. Ginseng tea, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;elixir of eternal life,â&#x20AC;? is the easiest way to take in ginseng, one
Sikhye (sweet rice punch)
of the most famous health ingredients in the world. Koreans consider ginseng a universal remedy and enjoy drinking Making Korean plum preserves
ginseng as a tea. Ginseng tea can be made of fresh, dried, or red ginseng;
52
and adding some dates adds a delicious
is a mispronunciation of ggultteok, which stands for honey-filled rice cake. Long
aroma to it.
ago, when food was scarce, honey-filled rice cake was a precious food everyone
Korean fruit punches are delicious and
dreamt of. So, it is likely they compared yearning to a desire for a honey - filled
healthy beverages with stimulating
rice cake.10
scents. They are made of omija
Plum tea, with its sweet-and-sour taste, is a good medicine for intestinal
(schisandra berry) juice, fruit juice,
disorders. It also has sterilizing and detoxifying functions, so it is used to treat
honey, fruit slices, flower petals,
diarrhea and constipation and to prevent food poisoning. Fermented green
noodles, and barley rice cake. Sujeonggwa
plum liquid is made by mixing equal amounts of sugar and green plums
(cinnamon punch) is made of ginger
harvested between late May and early June, putting the mixture in a cool place
and cinnamon, and sikhye (sweet rice
for two to three months, and then removing the residue. To make green plum
punch) is made by fermenting rice with
juice, one part fermented plum liquid is mixed with five parts water. If hot water
barely malt.
Sujeonggwa (cinamon punch)
is poured into the fermented liquid, it becomes plum tea; if soju (Korean distilled spirit) is added, it becomes green plum wine.
Omija-hwachae (omija punch)
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they desperately want something. Some researchers suggest that the expression
53
Korean Food In Pop Culture
54
Chi-Maek
Chi - maek (chicken and beer)
Korean fried chicken dishes include not only western-style fried chicken but also
various Korean foods that are not usually easily approachable for foreigners.
seasoned chicken in a spicy - and - sweet sauce made of red chili paste and starch
These included sea squirt, beef tartare, mung bean pancake, chicken feet, and
syrup. The history of chi-maek should be divided into two parts: before and after
raw octopus. Recently, many Chinese tourists have been visiting Gwangjang
“My Love from Another Star,” a hit TV drama that aired in 2014: This drama
Market to try various Korean foods - just like the cast of the Chinese show did.12
introduced the world to chi-maek. Thanks to the outstanding popularity of 11
the series, the favorite meal of heroine Cheon Song-i – Korean-style chicken with beer – remains popular in China even now, long after the drama reached its end. Korean variety shows also played an important role in starting a trend for Korean food overseas. After the members of the popular variety program “Hurry Up, Brother” (the Chinese version of the Korean TV show “Running Man”) visited Gwangjang Market and Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul the number of tourists in the two markets has been rapidly increasing. To fulfill their missions, the members of “Hurry Up, Brother” had to eat
Food Delivery What do you think the most popular food to order for delivery is in Korea? Multiple studies have shown that the top position belongs to chicken. This is followed by Chinese food, pizza, jokbal (pig’s trotters), and bossam (napa wraps with pork). For decades, Chinese cuisine, especially the Sino - Korean dish jjajangmyeon (black bean sauce noodles), had been the leader of the Korean
A Journey to Delicious Korea
Chi-maek is a compound word formed from chi (chicken) and maekju (beer).
55
Jjajangmyeon (black-bean-sauce noodles)
Jokbal (pig’s trotters)
56
of broth. There is also a record from the summer of 1931. At that time, the
black bean sauce noodles on a moving day, since doing so is convenient to fill
owner of a tailor shop in Gwanhun-dong in Seoul’s Jongro district made a
the stomach without having to cook and set a table during the move.
bet with his friend on whether a deliveryman could bring 80 bowls of cold
This begs the question: What food was most popularly delivered in Korea a
buckwheat noodles. It is said that the deliveryman succeeded in bringing 81
century ago? Naengmyeon, or cold buckwheat noodles, appears in records about
bowls!14 Naturally, food delivery service has evolved. In addition to the century
food delivery service most frequently. According to an article in the “Dong-A
- old naengmyeon and other popular delivered foods (chicken, pizza, jokbal, and
Daily” published on September 12, 1924, when Korea was under colonial rule
jjajangmyeon), Korean food delivery services offer a great variety of other dishes.
(1910~1945), Korean office workers often ordered seolleongtang (ox-bone soup)
These include Korean soups, stews, and rice soups; Japanese sashimi, sushi
or naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) for lunch. However, their Japanese
and pork cutlets; and fast food such as hamburgers with coke. Prior to the
manager would not let the Korean deliverymen in because the latter was
millennium, people usually ordered deliveries using the telephone, but these
shabbily dressed, so the Koreans had no choice but to order Japanese food.13
days, Koreans use mobile phones and smartphone applications.15 According to
Neither cars nor motorcycles were used for delivery at that time. Instead, a
a recent study, about 60 percent of survey participants said that they had used a
deliveryman would ride a bicycle. If he carried cold buckwheat noodles, he
food delivery service application.
would put the bowls on a wooden tray and support its bottom with one hand while steering the bicycle with the other hand, which also held a kettle full
57 A Journey to Delicious Korea
restaurant and delivery service industry for a century. It is customary to order
Korean Drinking Culture
58
Eating Rice, Drinking Rice
59 A Journey to Delicious Korea
Rice has a symbolic meaning in Korean food culture: It is food and life itself. In Korea, rice can be a main dish, a refreshment, a dessert or an alcoholic beverage. Koreans can have a bowl of rice for a meal, eat tteok (rice cake) or cookies made of rice as a snack between meals, pour some water on the crust of rice left in a pot to enjoy after a meal, and make beverages using rice. Making alcohol with rice has a special meaning to Koreans because rice is not simply a kind of grain, but is the staple food. Most traditional drinks in Korea are made with rice, but in the regions where local people enjoy eating other staples, such as potato and corn in Gangwon Province, those staples are also used for brewing and distilling. When making makgeolli, a kind of white rice brew, the rice is first boiled and made into a porridge or rice cake and then left to ferment. Traditionally, every Korean family brewed its own liquor. This allowed each
Traditional liquor and some eatables
region to develop its distinctive drink. For example, Andong is famous for Andong soju, Seochon (in South Chungcheong Province) for sogok - ju, and Iksan (in North Jeolla Province) for songhwa - baekil - ju. Compared to common soju that is 20 percent alcohol, Andong soju is much stronger (45 percent) as it is made by distillation. Sogok - ju from the Seocheon area in South Chungcheong Province is as sweet and strong as ice wine: It is 14 percent. Sogok - ju is nicknamed “drink for the crippled.” It is said that it was so delicious that in olden times, scholars on their way to Seoul to take a state examination would give up the test and sit down drinking it, with the result that they were unable to walk. There is also a story of a daughter - in - law who was checking its taste while it was brewing for a hundred days. It tasted so good that she continued dipping her fingers into it and was finally unable to get up. Songhwa - baekil - ju is famous for its delicate scent. It is made of pine pollen, pine
60
Chinese matrimony vine, and honey. According to the Korean Traditional Wine Research Institute, high - proof traditional Korean distilled spirits go well with stews and hot pots. On the other hand, herbal wines and refined rice drinks such as sogok - ju harmonise better with foods that taste clean, such as yukhwe (Korean beef tartare) and gujeol pan (platter of nine delicacies).
Outings And ‘So-Maek’ What alcohol do Koreans prefer? The most common types are soju (distilled spirits), beer and makgeolli (raw rice wine). In particular, the sales volume of soju has grown so large that it has become one of the world’s bestselling alcoholic Soju and seafood
beverages. These days, people are attracted by low - proof sojus that contain fruit
A Journey to Delicious Korea
tree leaves, Japanese cornelian cherry, omija (schisandra berry), the fruits of the
61
juices such as yuja, pomegranate, or blueberry. The Korean traditional rice brew
How To Drink In Korea
makgeolli has a similar low alcohol content to beer. It goes well with Korean
In the past, drinking etiquette in Korea was very rigid, but in modern days it
traditional foods such as bindae - tteok (mung bean pancake).
is much more relaxed. Yet, there are still some drinking rules to follow. First,
Modern Koreans have developed a dinner outing culture called hoesik, in which
drinkers should fill up each other’s glasses; one should not fill up one’s own.
people hop from one bar or restaurant to another and keep drinking. Hoesik
Thus, drinkers must watch carefully whether their counterparts’ glasses are
usually begins at 6:00 p.m., when people leave work, and sometimes continues
empty or not. Also, it is considered rude to fill up a glass before it is empty, so
till 12:00 a.m. or later. Due to this custom, a unique substitute driving service
drinkers must fill only an empty glass. When drinking with elders, it is proper
has emerged. Those who have brought their cars to a drinking place – and
for younger drinkers to pour and receive drinks with two hands and to turn
cannot take a taxi home after the outing because they do not want to leave their
their body to the side when emptying their glass.
cars at the restaurant or bar – can call a hired driver who will safely drive that person home. So - maek is a representative custom of hoesik culture. To make it, a small glass of soju is poured into a large glass of maekju (beer) - hence the name of this 62
boilermaker. Unlike western cocktails that contain additional, non - alcoholic
63 A Journey to Delicious Korea
ingredients, Korean cocktails are usually made with only alcoholic beverages.
When your elders fill your glass, you are supposed to hold the glass with both hands.
Moju , a boiled makgeolli with various roots of medical plants added, is a famous drink to relieve hangovers
Koreansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Favorite Dishes When Eating Out
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Office Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Favorite Dishes
65 A Journey to Delicious Korea
What kinds of foods do Koreans prefer the most when they eat out? According to the National Statistics Office of Korea, the most visited restaurants by Koreans in 2013 were those specializing in Korean soups, stews, hot pots, and grilled meats.16 Gallup Korea showed similar results. Its survey found that the favorite Korean foods among Koreans in 2014 were kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbap (mixed rice), japchae (glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables), galbi (short ribs), cheonggukjang (rich soybean paste stew), samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) and galbi jjim (braised short ribs).17 Kimchi jjigae (Kimchi stew): This one of the most preferred and most commonly eaten foods by Koreans. It is made by boiling kimchi, the representative Korean food, with tofu and either pork or tuna. Rather than a choice for a dinner out, kimchi jjigae is more popular as a lunch out (particularly for office workers) or a dish to cook at home. The absolute favorite is kimchi stew cooked with pork. It is
Kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew)
The custom of lettuce wraps dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918~1392): One story goes that Goryeo women dispatched to the palace of China’s Yuan Dynasty planted lettuce in the palace gardens to deal with homesickness. To make a grilled meat wrap, one spreads a lettuce leaf on the palm and adds a piece of grilled meat, rice, seasonings, and other ingredients to taste, then stuffs it into one’s mouth. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910), however, it was considered undignified and vulgar for the nobles to open their mouths wide, and they were not allowed to touch the wraps while eating them.
Single Dishes Samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly)
Bibimbap (Mixed Rice): It is a perfectly well - balanced single dish made with rice, various vegetables and herbs, beef, eggs, sesame oil, and red chili paste. It is full
made by cutting well-matured kimchi into bite size pieces, stir-frying them, and putting them together with pork into a broth. The stew is then boiled until the pork flavor fully permeates the broth. Some people say that the spicy and sour
of protein, fats, vitamins, and other nutrients.
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Gukbap (Soup with Rice): This combines warm soup and rice in a pot. Some
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66
people add napa cabbage or radish kimchi for a better flavor. The dish has a
liquid of kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) is very similar to one of the world’s top three soups: the tom yang kung of Thai cuisine. If kimchi stew is best for lunch, samgyeopsal, or grilled pork belly, is the best choice for dinner, and one of the dishes Korean office workers regularly eat during hoesik. Samkyeopsal (Grilled Pork Belly): With its good balance of fat and lean meat, samkyeopsal is the pork cut most preferred by Koreans. It is usually accompanied by soju. Businessmen grilling samgyeopsal at the table and drinking soju while having a talk with friends or colleagues at night, is a very common sight in many Korean restaurants. Koreans particularly enjoy grilled meats belly wrapped in lettuce leaves with garlic and a mixture of soybean paste and red pepper paste.
Bibimbap (mixed rice)
history of at least 100 years. Among 41 Korean restaurants that have been operating since the first half of the 20th century, 19 specialize in rice served with ox bone, beef bone, or loach soup. In other words, among old Korean restaurants, the number of those offering gukbap is overwhelmingly large. Seolleongtang (Beef Bone Soup): The oldest surviving restaurant in Korea, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Imun Seolleongtang,â&#x20AC;? (1904) serves seolleongtang (ox bone soup). One of the representative foods of Seoul, the soup is thought to have originated during the Joseon period. The kings of Joseon attached special importance to farming, offering sacrifices to the gods of grains and crops and also hosting farming demonstrations. After the demonstration, the ox used for plowing was killed, and its bones and meat were boiled to make soup for the people. The soup was called seolleongtang because the place where the king performed the sacrificial ceremony was called Seonnongdang. To make the soup, ox bones are boiled for 68
a long time until they produce a milky white liquid. People generally season the
69 A Journey to Delicious Korea
soup with salt, pepper, and green onions; add rice to it; and then then eat it with radish kimchi. Sundubu jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew): This is made by boiling silky tofu and seafood or meat in a spicy broth. Tofu is a soft and easily digestible ingredient rich in protein; it is widely enjoyed in Korea, China, and Japan. Silky tofu is so much softer than ordinary tofu that there is no need to chew it before swallowing. Some people enjoy silky tofu as is with just a little soy sauce, but most people and restaurants put it into a stew. Sundubu jjigae is spicy due to the addition of red chili powder and red chili oil. The dish is inexpensive and goes perfectly with rice, so it is popular for lunch and dinner not only among Koreans but also among Japanese and Chinese tourists.
Seolleongtang (beef bone soup)
Meat Is The Best Of All Bulgogi: For over a century, bulgogi, slices of marinated beef grilled on a griddle, has been a popular dish for a dinner out. There are three 60 - year - old bulgogi restaurants in Korea. Moreover, it is considered such a precious dish that it is served even to those returning from the brink of death: According to a story in “The Kyunghyang Daily” from September 18, 1964, 219 fishermen – whose boats were wrecked in a storm and taken by currents to North Korea – were given bulgogi and soju upon their return to the South.18 Representative local variants of bulgogi include Gwangyang - style (made by broiling thinly - sliced beef seasoned with soy sauce on a grill over an oak - charcoal fire) and Eonyang - style (where the sliced beef is marinated in soy sauce and pear juice and broiled on a grill covered with a wet sheet of Korean traditional rice paper). People in Seoul enjoy bulgogi marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil 70
and cooked on a special grill designed exclusively for cooking bulgogi; they also
Ttukbaegi - bulgogi (bulgogi hot pot)
pots of bulgogi for lunch.
Samgye - tang (Chicken Soup with Ginseng): This is one of the representative
Galbi (Ribs): Both galbi gui (grilled marinated beef ribs) and tteok galbi (grilled
Korean health foods. Many people have it to invigorate themselves on hot
short rib patties) used to be so expensive that people could rarely enjoy them
summer days. The dish is made by boiling ginseng and a chicken stuffed
when dining out. In the 1980s, galbi topped the list of foods people most
with sweet rice, dates, chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, and garlic for a long time. The
wanted to eat on a special outing - leaving Chinese cuisine, bulgogi, and buffets
medicinal virtues of Korean ginseng are renowned around the world, and
behind. Two cities in Gyeonggi Province, Pocheon and Suwon, are famous
many foreign tourists buy it as a gift for family and friends in their homelands.
for their delicious grilled beef ribs. The galbi from Pocheon is called “Pocheon
Ginseng is known to be a remedy to overcome fatigue, an antioxidant, and
Idong Style Ribs” after the name of a neighborhood; the dish from Suwon is
a suppresser of cancer. That is why samgye - tang – which combines ginseng,
called “Large Suwon Style Ribs” for obvious reasons. Pocheon - style ribs are
a precious plant, and chicken, an ingredient rich in protein – is so healthy.
marinated in soy sauce, whereas Suwon - style ribs are seasoned with salt. Both
However, people who have a body composition that generates a lot of heat
cities also use sugar, minced garlic, minced green onion, ginger, and ground
should have hwanggi samgye - tang (chicken soup with milk vetch root) instead of
pepper to make seasonings.
regular samgye - tang because ginseng adds heat to the body.
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boil the bulgogi in a broth. Seoul office workers often have single-serving hot
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The Delights Of Korean Food
72
Chapter
2
Korean Food Customs, Processes and Recipes
Tteok guk (sliced rice cake soup)
74
Harvesting Living in a climate with four clearly defined seasons, Koreans have created a variety of seasonal foods featuring the ingredients of each respective season. They cook fresh herbs and vegetables that appear in spring to supplement the body with vitamins and minerals that they could not obtain during the long winter. Dishes made of seasoned vegetables such as wild chives, horseradish, winter scallions, and turnip taste a little bitter, but stimulate one’s appetite and supply nutrition necessary for growth and metabolic function. During hot summer days, Koreans eat dog meat soup and ginseng chicken soup to recover from heat exhaustion and to invigorate themselves. Sometimes, they add dog meat, chicken and ginseng to porridges to improve digestion. In autumn, the harvest season, Koreans enjoy well - balanced foods made of various newly harvested ingredients. At the end of the autumn, they prepare a supply of kimchi
year into 24 periods with 15 - day intervals.
Eating Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup) on New Year’s Day Koreans generally eat rice cake soup on the first day of the year, with the white rice cakes representing purity. On the First Full Moon Day, when the year’s farming season begins, people eat ogok bap (five grain rice) and mugeun - namul (matured seasoned vegetables and herbs) to welcome the start of the year. It is customary to boil the nine kinds of vegetables and herbs that they harvested, dried, and then left stored since the previous year. The most commonly used ingredients are pumpkin, eggplant, radish leaf, aster, and shiitake mushroom. Another holiday dish is bokssam (literally “fortune wrap”), which is made by wrapping rice in seaweed or cabbage leaves. Eating these wraps symbolizes eating fortune. Yaksik (sweet rice with nuts and jujubes) is a traditional dish once enjoyed by the royal family.
75 A Journey to Delicious Korea
Seasonal Foods: Types and Characteristics
for the winter. Traditionally, seasonal foods were based on the division of the
Taste of Spring: Pink Fruit Punch for the ‘Double - three Day’ “Double - three Day” (the third day of the third lunar month) is thought of as the day when swallows return from the south. It starts a popular season for going out to enjoy spring blossoms and walking on newly sprouted grass. For this holiday, Koreans pan-fry jindallae - hwajeon (azalea rice pancakes) and enjoy various types of rice cakes including sweet gyeongdan and jeolpyeon. A special punch for Double - three Day is made by slicing steamed mung bean cake, adding the slices to omija (schisandra berry) juice, and adding some honey and pine nuts. Buddha’s Birthday, called Chopail in Korean, is one of the biggest holidays. People invite guests and welcome them with simple dishes such as neuti - tteok (rice cake with zelkovatree leaves) and seasoned water parsley. 76
“Cold Food Day” (寒食) occurs on the 105th day after the winter solstice. On graves and bring with them yakju (medicinal wine), fruits, po (jerky), sikhye (sweet rice punch), tteok (rice cake), soup, skewers, and dishes made of mugwort. Memil - guksu (buckwheat noodles) has the nickname of “Cold Food Day noodles” because it is one of the most representative dishes eaten on that day.
Taste of Summer: Herb Tea Fights off the Summer Heat Dano, or the festival of the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, is also called Surinnal, which can be translated as “god’s day” or “the best day of all.” A proverb goes that Jindalae hwajeon (rhododendron flower rice pancake)
“Even those who are too busy farming
Seoktanbyeon (a steamed rice cake filled with dried fruits)
A Journey to Delicious Korea
that day, people avoid warm dishes and eat their food cold. They visit ancestors’
77
Kong guksu (noddles in cold soy milk broth)
78
Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup)
Songpyeon (half - moon rice cake)
cool and shaded places. This custom is called bokdareum, bokdarim or boknori.
popular Dano event. Thus, Dano was a fun - filled holiday giving some respite to
The lower classes enjoyed eating gaejangguk (dog meat soup), while the nobles ate
hard - working Korean farmers. It also marks the beginning of the season for
yukgaejang (spicy soup made of beef). Among beverages, the typical one for this
cold dishes to fight against the summer heat. People eat surichwi - tteok (wheel -
season is subak - hwachae (watermelon punch).
patterned rice cakes) to reduce body heat and drink jeho - tang, a summer herb
According to legend, Chilseok (the seventh day of the seventh lunar month) is
tea, to recover from fatigue and sharpen their appetites.
the only day of the year when the weaver girl Zhinu reunites with her lover, the
The Water Festival falls on the 15th day of the sixth lunar month. During
cowherd Niulang, over a bridge formed by magpies. Traditionally, girls prayed
that season many feel it to hard to stay outside due to the summer heat, but
on that day to Zhinu for good weaving and sewing skills, while boys prayed to
this is when grains and fruits start ripening, so people enjoy oriental melons,
Niulang for academic achievement. Chilseok is also the beginning of the wheat
watermelons, plums, apricots and zucchinis. In particular, the most delicious
harvest, so people eat jeonbyeong (crepes), noodles, and dumplings made of wheat.
zucchini of the year is harvested during this time. The sixth lunar month is also
The 15th day of the seventh lunar month is the Buddhist All Souls’ Day, the
the perfect time to eat delicious croakers; Koreans enjoy the fish raw, grilled,
middle day of the year. It is called “The Day of Ghosts” or “The Day of Souls”
steamed, braised, pan-fried and in soup.
because it was believed to be the day when the gate of heaven opened and all
Sambok, the three hottest days of the year, is also a time of important seasonal
ghosts could reach the world of living – similar to Halloween in the West. On
customs. On those days, people traditionally went on picnics to valleys orother
that day, Koreans generally performed ancestral rites or visited temples to hold
79 A Journey to Delicious Korea
to take the moment or effort to die can still enjoy swinging,” which was a
ceremonies for their ancestors. They also enjoyed various fruits and seoktan byeong (惜呑餠), a steamed rice cake filled with dried fruits, whose name literally means “tastes and smells too good to eat.”
Taste of Autumn: Abundant Grains and Fruits of the Harvest Festival There is a proverb, “Farmer in May, God in August.” The Harvest Festival, which falls in the eight lunar month, is the happiest day of the year for farmers - hence the proverb. On this day, it was customary to offer songpyeon (half - moon shaped rice cake), fruits, and toran - guk (taro soup) to ancestors as a sign of gratitude for harvesting foods from the sky, land and ground. The half - moon shaped rice cake represents the sky; fruits represent the land; and taro represents the ground. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month was also called “Double - nine Day” or 80
“Double - yang Day” and is considered to be very auspicious because it has two
81 A Journey to Delicious Korea
numbers associated with yang in it. On that day, people enjoyed foods made of chrysanthemum, such as chrysanthemum wine and pancakes during picnics in mountains or valleys. They also made yuja - hwachae (citrus punch) by slicing newly harvested citrus fruits and pears, adding them to cold honey tea, and adding some pomegranate and pine nuts. The 10th lunar month has the clearest and most beautiful skies, so it is called “The Auspicious Month” (上月) and is considered good for arranging things and expressing gratitude. In this month, people avoided smelly meats, kept their bodies clean, and offered sacrifices to the spirits for peace in the family and bright futures for their children. Among the various seasonal foods – musiru - tteok (steamed rice cake with radish), pyeonsu (square dumplings), nakji - yeonpo - tang (small octopus and vegetable soup), hobokkoji - siru - tteok (steamed rice cake with dried sliced pumpkin), and many others – royal hot pot or sinseollo is thought to be the best.
Patjuk (red bean porridge)
Taste of Winter: Red Bean Porridge Fights off Demons The 11th lunar month is called Dongjitdal. It heralds the coming of a new year. Koreans believed that positive, yang energy returned and spring began after the winter solstice, the day with the longest night of the year. On the winter solstice, Koreans prepared various seasonal foods such as patjuk (red bean porridge) to protect themselves from demons and the winter cold. They put small sweet rice balls into the porridge, with the quantity corresponding to their age, because the winter solstice was considered a mini - version of New Year’s Day. They sometimes ate red bean porridge with sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch), dongchimi
Servants’ Day (1st Day of the 2nd Lunar Month)
‘Double-three Day’ (3rd Day of Jindallae - hwajeon (Azalea Rice Pancake),Hwachae (Punch), Tangpeong - chae (Mung Bean Jelly Salad) the 3rd Lunar Month) Buddha’s Birthday (8th Day of Jeungpyeon (Steamed Cake),Neuti - tteok (Elm Cake), the 4th Lunar Month) Stir-fried Black Beans Cold Food Day (105th Day after the Winter Solstice)
Aetang (Beef Soup with Wormwood Meatballs),Ssuktteok (Mugwort Rice Cake),Ssuk - danja (Mugwort Dumplings), Food to Offer to Ancestors’ Graves,Memil - guksu (Buckwheat Noodles)
Dano (5th Day of the 5th Lunar month)
Surichwi - tteok (Wheel - Patterned Rice Cake),Jeungpyeon (Steamed Cake),Sudan (Drink with Floating Rice Balls),Aengdo - hwachae (Cherry Punch)
Water Festival (15th Day of the 6th Lunar Month)
Sanghwa - byeong (Frosty Flower Cake),Sudan (Drink with Floating Rice Balls),Pyeonsu (Square Dumplings),Gujeol - pan (Platter of Nine Delicacies),Milssam (Vegetables Wrapped in a Wheat Flour Wrapper)
(radish water kimchi), and jeonyak (a dish made with decocted beef - feet, bone stock, date paste, honey, ginger, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and other spices). New Year’s Eve, the last day of the year, is also called Jeya (除夜), which literally means “The Last Night.” People put lights in all corners of their homes 82
and prepared for the end of the year. In the past, Koreans also performed their farming was. Hot pots and goldong - ban (rice with vegetables) were prepared for ceremonies. In the Chungcheong and Honam areas, people boiled grains to make yeot (taffy).
Three Hottest Days of the Year Gaejang - guk (Dog Meat Soup),Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup),Sambok (6th and 7th Lunar Months) patjuk (Red Bean Porridge),Subak - hwachae (Watermelon Punch) Chilseok (7th Day of the 7th Lunar Month)
Mil - jeonbyeong (Wheat Crepe),Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup),Oi - so bagi (CucumberKimchi ),Gyuasang (Sea Cucumber Shaped Dumplings)
Buddhist All Souls' Day (15th Seoktan - byeong (Steamed Rice Cake with Dried Fruits) Day of the 7th Lunar Month) Harvest Festival (15th Day of the 8th Lunar Month)
Oryeo - songpyeon (Half - Moon Shaped Rice Cake Made of Early Harvested Rice),Toran - tang (Taro Soup),Bam - danja (Chestnut Dumplings), Newly Harvested Fruits, Newly Harvested Rice
Junggu (9th Day of the 9th Lunar Month)
Gukhwa - jeon (Chrysanthemum Rice Pancake),Gukhwa - ju (Chrysanthemum Wine),Yuja - hwachae (Citrus Punch),Hobak - tteok (Pumpkin Rice Cake)
Auspicious 10th Lunar Month
Musiru - tteok (Steamed Rice Cake with Radish),Jangguk (Clear Soup), Byeonssi - mandu (Chicken Dumplings)
Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup),Pyeonyuk (Beef Slices),Mandu (Dumplings), New Year’s Day (1st Day of the Pan-Fried Delicacies,Nureum - jeok (Assorted Pan-Fried Skewers), Jang - kimchi (Soy Sauce Kimchi ),Gangjeong (Sweet Rice Puffs),Sikhye 1st Lunar Month) (Sweet Rice Punch)
Winter Solstice (22nd of December)
Patjuk (Red Bean Porridge),Dongchimi (Radish Water Kimchi), Mulnaengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles),Sujeonggwa (Cinnamon Punch)
Yakbap (Sweet Rice),Ogok-bap (Five Grain Rice), Nuts,Mugeun - namul First Full Moon Day (15th Day (Aged Seasoned Vegetables and Herbs),Bokssam (Fortune Wrap), of the 1st Lunar Month) Gwibalgi - sul (Ear - Sharpening Wine)
New Year’s Eve (30th Day of the 12th Lunar Month)
Goldong - ban (Rice Mixed with Vegetables),Gungjung - tteok - bokkeum (Royal Stir-fried Rice Cake), Various Hot Pots,Jang - kimchi (Soy Sauce Kimchi )
Seasonal Food (Based on the Division of the Year into 24 Periods, with 15-Day Intervals) Seasonal Holiday
Foods
83 A Journey to Delicious Korea
ceremonies to report to heaven how they had spent the year and how successful
Nobi - songpyeon (Slaves’ Rice Cake),Yakju (Medicinal Wine), Fruits(Chestnuts, Jujubes, and Dried Persimmons),Po (Jerky)
bread or potatoes causes a much more rapid and significant increase of blood sugar than rice. Furthermore, rice contains not only peptides, which are helpful in reducing blood pressure, but also various strong antioxidants such as vitamin E, folic acid, and tocotrienols, all of which have an anti-aging effect. White rice is the softest, easiest - to - digest, and most commonly eaten type of rice. Brown rice is made from unpolished rice and is a well - known health food containing various essential nutrients. Multi - grain rice, as well as rice cooked with soy beans, red beans, and various vegetables, are also famous for being well balanced and delicious health foods.
Seasoning Korean Herbs and Vegetables:Health Food Spotlighted Around the World
84
Various Types of Rice
Seasoned vegetables and herbs help make some of Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique dishes. Korean side dishes that use vegetables and herbs from fields and mountains
Koreans enjoy not only white rice, but also multi-grain rice to which soy beans and red beans are added. In addition, they may add vegetables, such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, and seafoods like oysters and mussels to rice. The Korean word for rice, bap, corresponds to ban (飯) in Chinese characters. However, rice served to seniors is called jinji. Rice for the royal family was called sura, and, for ancestral rites, it is referred to as me. Western people have individual dishes served one by one, whereas Koreans put the main dish and all side dishes on the table at the same time. By having multiple, distinct dishes at the same time, Koreans enjoy different flavors, recognizing the uniqueness of each dish, and appreciating the harmony among them. Rice contains less fat than wheat, so it is very good at preventing obesity. Eating
Namul Bokkum (seasoned stir-fried vegetables)
Seasoning namul
A Journey to Delicious Korea
Steaming
85
are referred to as namul. The ingredients can be just seasoned and eaten raw or cooked by parboiling, boiling, or fried. Experienced hands can create a unique harmony among the ingredients. The number of such dishes exceeds even the great variety of salads in western cuisines. A Korean proverb says, “One who memorizes the names of 99 namul dishes won’t need to worry about starving to death.” As the proverb demonstrates, Koreans have created numerous kinds of namul foods. Some examples include seasoned white radish (made by stirfrying sliced white radish), cucumber (made by washing, slicing and salting the cucumber, removing the liquid, and then stir-frying the slices), pimpinella brachycarpa (made by parboiling and seasoning this aromatic herb), sesame leaves, and red - pepper leaves. There are many ecologically clean mountains and plains in Korea where people can easily collect herbs and vegetables. Seasoning cabbage for Kimchi
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A Journey to Delicious Korea
Salting Kimchi and Kimjang Kimchi is Korea’s most famous food and is an essential food item on the table at almost every meal. Kimchi is a fermented dish made with vegetables and various spices. It is known that Koreans have been eating kimchi since the Three Kingdoms period (313~668), or even earlier. At that time, however, kimchi was very simple salted vegetables. Today’s kimchi contains a variety of spices and the method of making it is much more complex. It has also become the most representative Korean food. It is familiar to many foreigners and has earned worldwide fame as a health food. Over 300 types of kimchi are recorded, distinguished by the geographic conditions and climate of the production areas, the local specialties used in their making, the recipe, and the method of preservation. Kimchi is a low calorie food as it is made of salted vegetables; it is
87
Baechu kimchi
of their mothers’ sauces. Korean soy sauce is made by further fermentation of
Kimchi is the most basic of Korean side dishes, made through a process of
fermented soybean paste bricks. There are many single - step fermented foods
brining and fermenting. It has a unique acidic taste caused by the lactic acid
such as tempe in Indonesia and natto in Japan, but these are not analogous to
produced during fermentation and it not only helps digestion, but also stimulates
double-fermented Korean soy sauce. Korea soy sauce is one of the few natural,
the appetite. Gimjang, which refers to the custom in which huge amounts of
double-fermented foods in the world. Various types of molds, and yeasts appear
kimchi are prepared for the cold winter, was designated a Masterpiece of the Oral
not only when the soybean paste bricks are fermented; but also as they are
and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2013. Whole - cabbage
matured in salt water, and both the bricks and soy sauce are fermented.
kimchi is the most common type of kimchi in Korea and the most common item
Jeotgal (salted seafood) is made of the fillets, eggs and guts of sea animals. Some
preserved during gimjang. Baechu - kimchi is made by stuffing julienned radishes,
types are made of the whole animal – such as anchovies, shrimp, clams, and
gochut-garu (red chili pepper powder), green onions, garlic and jeotgal (salted
spicy oysters – whereas others use only specific parts – such as shad intestines
seafood) between whole cabbage leaves preserved in salt.
and pollack roe. Salting kills all the bad organisms in the animal and retains
In addition to napa cabbage, kimchi can be made using various other vegetables.
the salt - loving organisms that ferment seafood. This prevents it from going
Cabbages and cucumbers, which are popularly used in pickles in other
bad and adds flavor. On average, the amount of salt used to make the pickles
countries, can also be made into kimchi. In the past, kimchi was stored in earthen
is equal to 20 percent of the total weight of the main ingredients. Each type of
pots; in today’s Korea, many people have specially designed kimchi refrigerators.
seafood has different fermenting organisms and nutritional contents. Salted
When their temperature is configured to an optimal level, a large amount of
seafood has a long history in Korea, and is a food arousing many feelings in
kimchi can be stored for several months. However, stored kimchi is generally
Korean hearts and stomachs. From raw fish to highly - fermented foods, salted
eaten within two to three weeks.
seafood makes a long journey to achieve its intense flavor.
19
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Salted seafood is often used as a fermenting and flavoring agent for kimchi.
Fermenting Sauces and Salted Seafood: The Wisdom of Korean Food Sauces are the foundation taste of Korean food. Koreans’ ancestors created various types of sauces to salt, add flavor, and season food. Ganjang (soy sauce), doenjang (soybean paste), cheonggukjang (rich soybean paste), and other sauces are used to flavor kimchi, pickles, rice cakes, braised food, soups, and almost every other type of Korean dish. All Koreans grow up on the savory, aromatic taste
Pots of shrimp fermenting underground.
89 A Journey to Delicious Korea
rich in dietary fiber and vitamins A, B, and C.
The fermentation of foods with salt, soy sauce, and soybean paste to make fermented foods with lactic acid is also common in the neighbouring Northeast Asia countries of China and Japan. However, Koreans, in common with Southeast Asians, use salted seafood for fermentation, notably to make kimchi, thereby creating a very complex, unparalleled flavor. The use of jeotgal and red chili powder for kimchi started around the same time. Red chili powder protects kimchi from developing bad bacteria and decomposing; while salted seafood makes kimchi more nutritious and gives it a strong, sophisticated flavor. Among the different types of jeotgal, those made with anchovy and shrimp are the most preferred for making kimchi. People living near the South Sea use pickled anchovy to add more flavor to kimchi, whereas people living near the West Sea add salted shrimp to create a cleaner and more refreshing taste. In this way, every region in Korea has developed its own distinct kimchi. 90
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Pancakes: A Healthy Form of Fried Jeon (Korean Pancakes or Pan-Fried Delicacies): Jeon are made by sprinkling some salt and ground pepper on any ingredients – meat, fish, clams, or vegetables – adding flour and eggs, and then pan-frying the mixture. Jeon are a very familiar but special food to Koreans. On holidays such as New Year’s Day or Harvest Festival, or when there was a banquet celebrating Modum - jeon (assorted savory pancakes)
a family event, the ancestors
A Journey to Delicious Korea
Pan-Frying
of modern Koreans built temporary ovens with the stones in their yard, took a
They are also a good source of nutrition and have an appetite - stimulating
lid from a Korean traditional caldron to use for the fried surface, and made jeon
function. The fun of the mung bean pancake, and pancakes in general, is that
there. Today, Koreans no longer use the lid of a caldron for that purpose, but
you can eat them right away, as soon as you have moved one from the pan to a
still make the pancakes on every holiday.
plate. They are customarily shared with others.
In Korean pancakes you can enjoy the original flavors of the ingredients, so
Kimchi - jeon (Kimchi Pancakes): These are another type of pancake to have on
there is no need for a sauce or additional seasoning, though the application of a
a rainy day. The moment these pancakes reach the plate in the center of a
little bit of oil adds an aromatic flavor. Overall, jeon is a perfect single dish, which
table, diners compete with each other to get a larger piece. The simplest kimchi
is not too heavy, but substantial enough to fill the stomach. Many Koreans look
pancake is made by pan-frying a mixture of flour, chopped kimchi and water.
for pancakes on a rainy day. Why so? Some researchers explain it through the
The more sophisticated versions of the dish add ground pork, sliced squid or
association of the sound of fried pancakes in a pan to the sound of rain beating
other ingredients that go well with kimchi. Pancakes are very familiar but special
on the ground or a window. It is also known that rain increases the discomfort
delicacies in Korea., Many Korean restaurants consider their taste to be as
index and reduces the blood glucose level, and this makes people want flour -
important as that of the fancier and more expensive dishes they serve.
based foods such as pancakes. 92
Pajeon (Green Onion Pancake): This is a nutritious dish made of green onions, and calcium. Through fried, this perfect combination of fresh seafood and green onions offers a delicious smell and outstanding crispiness. Bindae-tteok (Mung Bean Pancake): These are made of ground mung beans, pork, green bean sprouts, and bracken. They are chewy and flavorful. Originally, Koreans used mung bean pancakes as the foundation for piling up plates with pan-fried meat during an ancestral rite or banquet. After the event was over, the mung bean pancakes were given to the helpers, who were usually poor. That is how mung bean pancakes received the nickname binja - tteok, which literally means “cake for the poor.” The fact that mung bean pancakes were considered to be food for the poor can also be seen in the lyrics of a popular song: “If you have no money, go back home and make yourself some bindae - tteok.” Mung beans, are, however, a healthy ingredient, full of iron and carotine. They are a good detoxifier that can help people recover from mental and physical fatigue.
Boiling Culture of Eating Rice with Soup: Soups, Stews, Hot Pots Jjigae (Stew): This is made by putting water and various ingredients in a pot and adding soybean paste, red chili paste, or rich soybean paste for more flavor. Jeongol (hot pot) is made when, during the process of boiling meat and vegetables, some broth is added to the pot. Some people add tofu and mushrooms to make the hot pot taste cleaner. Others, for a better taste and appearance, like to add carefully trimmed ingredients such as meat, entrails, and pancakes. Soybean paste is the most basic sauce and a representative fermented ingredient in Korean food. Koreans never tire of eating meals featuring soybean paste. Doenjang jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew): Cooked in a hot earthen pot, this is a classic of home - and mother’s - style cooking; truly a soul food for Koreans. Kimchi jjigae (Kimchi Stew): This is the most preferred lunch for workers, because
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which are rich in vitamins and minerals, and seafood, which is full of protein
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soybeans that look similar to Japanese natto. However, the Japanese add natto bacteria to facilitate fermentation, whereas the Korean cheonggukjang is fermented naturally, without artificial stimulation. Boiled beans are put in earthenware, covered with rice straw, and left to ferment in a warm room. This leads hay bacillus to reproduce and makes a sticky substance. When the paste has fermented enough, it is mixed with garlic, ginger, red chili powder, and salt and stored in a freezer. That allows it to be used at any time to make rich soybean stews. These days, cheonggukjangs have been developed, which do not have the customary powerful bouquet. Sundubu jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew): Even looking at this stew in a pot will make many Koreans hungry. The stew, which looks as if it will bubble over at a moment’s notice, and its simmering sound, make the dish particularly enticing. Some people enjoy warm silky tofu after seasoning it with only spicy soy sauce, but most make it into soft tofu stew by adding matured kimchi, meat, and
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Budae jjigae (Army Sausage Stew): This popular stew first appeared during the Cheonggukjang jjigae (rich soybean paste stew)
Korean War (1950~1953); it translates to “regimental stew.” People living near American army bases created it combining ham, spam, sausages and American canned beans with kimchi and red chili paste. Often, noodles are added for extra
the dish is easy to cook, so tastes good everywhere, and also because most
body.
restaurants serve big portions. Actually, with some water and well-matured
Sinseollo (Royal Hot Pot): This, the most luxurious form of hot pot, was also
kimchi, everyone can make a delicious kimchi stew at home. Pork, anchovies,
called yeolgujatang (悅口資湯) which literally means “a good taste and flavor make
tuna, and mackerel are popular ingredients that harmonize with kimchi and
the mouth happy.” The dish is made with 25 premium ingredients including
make the stew more flavorful and nutritious.
meat, cow liver, manyplies, pheasant, chicken, abalone, and sea cucumber. First,
Cheonggukjang jjigae (Rich Soybean Paste Stew): This is made of the water in
appropriately sliced fish, meat, manyplies, water parsley, egg, and mushroom
which rice was soaked, cheonggukjang (rich soybean paste), beef, tofu, and kimchi.
pancakes are arranged on a bed of boiled and raw meats. Then, pine nuts,
The dish has a very challenging smell, but Koreans enjoy the strong taste of
walnuts, and ginkgo nuts are layered on top, and the dish is cooked in a hot
fermented foods. The main ingredient, cheonggukjang, is fermented, over - boiled
broth at the table. Sinseollo is served in a special pot which has a cylinder in
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seafood. The stew becomes even more flavorful with the addition of a raw egg.
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Various ways of Fine - chopping Jidan (cooked egg)
96
put on top of a finished dish. Sok - gomyeong is used to fill the insides of foods,
properly, but also keeps the dish warm while eating, so it tastes more delicious.
such as rice cakes and dumplings, and thereby enrich their taste. Geot - gomyeong is
There are many other delicious hot pots in Korea: gopchang jeongol (spicy beef tripe
a garnish put between the ingredients to prevent them from sticking together.
hot pot), which brings together chewy beef tripe and a spicy broth; healthy dubu
Over all, garnishes are used to make food more beautiful and desirable. This can
jeongol (tofu hot pot); filling mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot); and bullak jeongol (bulgogi
stimulate the eaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appetite and make the dining atmosphere more luxurious
and octopus hot pot), which features the harmony of the sweet sauce of bulgogi
and elegant. Thus, the color of a garnish is salient because it can sharpen oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
with the spicy sauce of the octopus.
appetite. On the other hand, taste is of less importance. For example, the main function of sliced fried egg, sliced zucchini, minced stir-fried meat, and sliced mushrooms on noodles is to add texture and nutrients.
More than Taste The Beauty of Garnishes Garnishing food is not simple. As a way of setting a dish, which was developed over a long period of time, it is a complex procedure expressing the food culture of previous generations. In Korea, garnishes have a multitude of names: gomyeong, ut-gomyeong, utgi, ggumi, charimsae, and so on. Ut-gomyeong refers to garnish
The colors of Korean garnishes are based on the colors of the five elements, which represent the universe and time, as described in Chapter 1. Based on the theory of yin - yang and the five elements, Koreans have developed a garnishing culture which focuses on the harmony between the five colors and the five tastes.
97 A Journey to Delicious Korea
the center for hot charcoal. This allows one to not only cook the ingredients
Types of Garnishes and Methods of Making each Type Wanja (Meat Ball) A garnish used in shinseollo (royal hot pot), jeongol (hot pot),
japtang (mixed stew), or alssam (meat wrapped in omlet). It is also called bong - ori. Ground Beef Fried minced beef that, after marinating, is often used in noodle
dishes or bibimbap (mixed rice) to enhance flavors. Egg jidan
Thin slices of separately pan-fried whites and yolks of eggs. They are
commonly cut to 1 cm in width and 4~5 cm in length and are used to garnish jeongol, stir-fries, or steamed dishes. Daechu (Jujube) Thin slices of seeded jujube are often used to garnish Korean
traditional cookies or tteok (rice cakes). Tightly rolled seeded jujube, sliced into into flower - shaped pieces, are used to garnish hwajeon (little pancakes made with rice flower and real flowers) or tea. Mok - i (Tree Ear Mushrooms) Cut into small pieces, they can be used in jabchae
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visual appeal. Chestnuts
Hulled and skinned whole chestnuts are added to steamed meat
dishes in their entirety. When used in naengchae (chilled salads) or other vegetable - based dishes, they are often sliced thinly or julienned before use. Shredded Red Peppers Thin slices of dried, seeded hot red peppers are used as
garnishes or seasoning for kimchi or other dishes. Ginkgo Nuts
Shelled and roasted ginkgo nuts are used as beer snacks and in
garnishes for shinseollo (royal hot pot) and some other steamed dishes. Pine Nuts Ground pine nuts are often used in royal cuisine in place of sesame
salt. When used as garnishes for vegetable - based dishes, pine nuts are halved before use; as such, they are called bineul jaht (â&#x20AC;&#x153;scales of pine nutsâ&#x20AC;?). Gungjung - tteok - bokkeum (royal stir-fried rice cake)
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(glass - noodle dishes), stir-fries, and steamed dishes for enhanced flavor and
Homemade Meals: The Secret To Flavoring
Foundation Of Soup Beef Stock If used in place of water, it adds depth of flavor to soups, jjigae (Stews), jeongol (hot pots), and other dishes with soup. Ingredients 1kg beef (shank, brisket), 1 thick green onion (white part), 3 cloves of garlic, 10 whole peppers, 1 piece of dried kelp (10cm x 10cm), ½ onion, 150g Korean radish
Directions 1 Soak a chunk of beef in cold water to drain blood out and parboil the beef in boiling water. 2 Boil the beef over high heat for 1 hour and continue boiling over low heat for 20 minutes after skimming off the foam. 3 Once the water turns to broth, filter it using a cloth filter and remove the oil after cooling it.
Dried Anchovy And Kelp Stock This can be used in place of beef stock in every dish with clear soup for a cleaner taste. It can also be used to make braised fish or spicy fish stew. Ingredients
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2 cups dried anchovy, 10 cups water, 2Ts soy sauce for soup, ½T Cheongju (clear rice wine), 1t sugar, root of 1 green onion, 3 pieces of dried kelp (10cm x 10cm), 1 chunk of Korean radish, 10 cloves of garlic
There is a saying: “Chinese food is the work of the fire; Japanese food is the
Directions
works of the knife; and Korean food is the work of the hand.” Most Chinese
remove moisture and smell. 2 Wipe the white powder on dried kelp with a wet cloth and make some
foods are stir-fried or fried at high temperatures and many Japanese foods such as sashimi are eaten raw, therefore the taste depends heavily on the fine usage of knives. As for Korea food, there are many foods that are tossed or mixed together using the cook’s hands, which is why it is said that the work of the hands is so important. Handiwork requires great attention to detail. There is a Korean saying – “What looks great on the eye tastes great on your palate.” – emphasizing the importance of works of hand. Moreover, various types of pastes are critical elements that determine the taste of Korean food. Red pepper paste, fermented soybean paste and soy sauce
1 After removing the innards from the dried anchovy, lightly fry them in a pan without adding oil to cuts on each piece with scissors. 3 Fill a pot with water and add the dried kelp, garlic, green onion and radish. Boil them all together for about 10 minutes, and continue boiling for 10 minutes more after adding the prepared anchovy. Once the water turns yellow in color, use the stock after the ingredients sink to the bottom.
Kelp Stock Either use water from soaking dried kelp overnight or boil water with dried kelp for 1 hour. Ingredients 2 pieces of dried kelp (10cm x 10cm), 7 cups water
Directions
are basic and essential ingredients for seasoning Korean food. Once you have
1 Clean the pieces of dried kelp by wiping them
these, together with salt, salted seafood and oil, you can make delicious, home -
with scissors. 2 Put the kelp in cold water, then
cooked Korean - style food.
boil them slowly over low heat.
with a wet cloth and make some cuts in them
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Handiwork And Pastes Determine The Taste
Fundamentals Of Seasoning Basic seasoning for beef (based on 100g of meat) 1T soy sauce, ½T sugar, 2ts diced
quite a while.
green onion, 1t chopped sesame salt, 1t sesame oil, dash of pepper
Ganjang (Soy Sauce) Bulgogi and galbi (ribs), the favorite Korean dishes of
Sour soy sauce Used as a dipping sauce for savory pancakes orjeon (pancakes)
foreigners, both use ganjang as a base ingredient for their marinades. Dark in
Ingredients 2T soy sauce, 1T vinegar, 2ts sugar, some ground pine nuts
Sourgochujang (Red Chili Pepper paste) Used as a dipping sauce forraw fish or blanched vegetables. It is also used to season cucumber, water parsley, and the like. Ingredients 5Ts gochujang , 3Ts sugar, 1T sesame oil, 3Ts vinegar, little bit of garlic juice
color, ganjang has a nice balance of salty and sweet flavors and goes well with any dishes made with beef, chicken,pork, and other meats. It is not only used in a barbeque sauces, but also in stew sauces and the like; ganjang is widely versatile.
and ginger juice
Doenjang (Soybean Paste) This paste contains all the bio - medicinal
Seasoned soy sauce Used as a mixing sauce forhaemul sotbap (rice mixed with seafood
substances present in soybean, and it has been shown to have excellent anti
in a hot pot), vegetable rice, and the like Ingredients 3Ts soup soy sauce, 1T diced green onion, ½T chopped diced green chili, 1T
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builds up its spicy flavor after being swallowed and lingers in the mouth for
- carcinogenic effects. In Korea, it is common to flavor soups with doenjang.
diced red chili, 1t sesame oil, 1t sesame salt, 1Ts red chili powder
Doenjang jjigae (stew) that is made with some meat, various vegetables, and tofu,
Salted shrimp paste Used as a dipping sauce for boiled/steamed pork
represents the food of ordinary Korean people; like kimchi jiggae (kimchi stew) is is
Ingredients 2Ts salted shrimp, 1t diced green onion, 1t vinegar, 1t red chili powder
one of the soul foods of Koreans.
Flavored soy sauce Used in braised dishes in place of the usual soy sauce. It is made by
Ssamjang (Red Soybean Paste Dip) This paste is made by mixing doenjang and
gochujang in certain ratios. Sometimes, mashed tofu or boiled beans are added to
after storing for one day.
the mixture. Peanuts, walnuts, or other nuts are also options to give a nice nutty
Ingredients 5 cups (brewed) soy sauce, 500g sugar, ½ cup water, ½ cupcheongju , ½cup
flavor. If used in some steamed chicken dishes in place of the spicy gochujang,
cooking wine, ½ apple, ½ lemon
ssamjang creates unique flavors. Sesame Oil Oil obtained from pressing heated sesame seeds with a distinctive,
Types of Seasonings and Characteristic Flavors of each Type
signature fragrance and flavor, this oil must be included in many Korean dishes.
Gochujang (Red Chili Pepper Paste) Having gochu (red chili pepper) as its main
It is also used to season namul (vegetables) or make yaksik (sweet rice cooked
ingredient, gochujang has a high degree of spiciness, but it is also characterized by
with nuts and Korean dates) or yakgwa (traditional Korean cookies). Due to its
its salty, sweet, sour and natural umami flavors. While Korea’s hot chili pepper
low smoking point, it is not recommended for fried but is used in dishes that call
contains only about one third of spicy flavoring substances compared to some
for its fragrance.
of the hot chili peppers grown in other countries, it also has twice as much vitamin C as its spicier counterparts. For this reason, Korea’s hot chili pepper does not cause too much of the instant fire sensation in the mouth; rather, it
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boiling a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, water, andcheongju (clear rice wine) with some apple and lemon added after removing the mixture from the heat. It should be used
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12 Delicious Recipes
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Surprisingly, a list of favorite Korean food chosen by Korean people is very
105 A Journey to Delicious Korea
similar to those chosen by foreigners. Many surveys show that bulgogi, galbi (ribs) and bibimbap (mixed rice) have enjoyed steady popularity among foreigners over the years and samgye - tang (chicken soup with ginseng), galbi - tang (short rib soup), japchae(glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables), naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), mandu (dumpling) and gimbap (rice roll in seaweed), have always been in the list. According to a survey of favorite Korean menus conducted by government agencies, research institutes and Korean restaurants around the world to publish â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Beauty of Korean Food: With Best - Loved Recipesâ&#x20AC;? in 2008, bibimbap, gimbap, hobak juk (pumpkin porridge), naengmyeon (cold noodles), samgye - tang (ginseng chicken), sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew), japchae (glass noodles), galbi (ribs), bulgogi, haemul pajeon (seafood and green onion pancake), baecu kimchi (napa cabbage kimchi) and hobak ddeok (pumpkin rice cake were selected by foreigners as their favorite korean foods.20 Japchae (glass noodles)
Recipe Ingredients Main ingredients 2 cups rice, 100g beef (ground), 70g fiddlehead, 50g doraji (balloon flower roots), 100g soybean sprouts, 1 cucumber, 1 3 carrot (80g), 5g seok - i (rock tripe), 3~4 pyogo mushrooms, 2 eggs, 15g fried kelp, 1TGochujang Beef marinade 1T soy sauce, ½T sugar, 1t diced green onion, ½t chopped garlic, 1t sesame oil, some sesame salt and pepper Fiddlehead marinade 1t sesame oil, sesame salt, ¼t salt Mushroom marinade 1t soy sauce, ½t sugar, 1t sesame oil
Directions 1 Cook the rice so that it is not too glutinous. 2 Cut the fiddlehead into 2cm slices, and then panfry them after seasoning. 3 Rub the doraji in salted water and tear it apart into 2cm slices, then pan-fry them after seasoning. 4 Remove the heads and tails of the soybean sprouts, then blanch them in salted water. 5 Beef can be diced or sliced thinly, followed by Pan-Fried. 6 Rotation cut the cucumber, and slice it thinly. Julienne the carrot and pan-fry. 7 Soak the pyogo and seok - i in warm water, then slice them thinly and pan-fry them slightly. 8 Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs into two small bowls then fry each part and slice thinly. 9 In a large bowl, place the rice, fiddlehead, doraji , and soybean sprouts, and mix well. 10 Transfer the mixture to a rice bowl for shaping and place it in a bowl by flipping it upside down. Place the prepared cucumber, carrot,pyogo ,seok - i , egg, beef, and fried kelp on top of the rice as garnishes, while considering the
106
balance of each color of the ingredient. Mix withgocujang (red pepper paste).
This is the easiest dish to make for someone not used to cooking, or wholacks ingredients for other dishes. Anyone can make this dish, as fried kimchi with some rice is all it takes. However,
Bibimbap (Mixed Rice)
adding pork, beef, ham, or bacon and the like enhances the flavor and the overall nutritional balance.
Bibimbap is a dish made with various namul (seasoned vegetables), pan-fried
Ingredients
ground or diced meat, fried kelp, and other ingredients, all of which are
cabbage kimchi ), 100g ground pork, 30g carrot, 50g onion, 2
Main ingredients 2 cups white rice, 100g baechu - kimchi (white
toppings added to a bed of white rice then vigorously mixed together before
eggs, 3Ts oil, ½T soy sauce, pinch of salt and pepper
eating. It is considered the most representative Korean dish both by Koreans
Directions
and foreigners alike. Once called goldongban, bibimbap was also referred to as bibim in the royal palace in the past. In the early 1990’s, bibimbap was selected as a menu item for in - flight meals and has now become one of the most popular airplane meals in the world. 21
1 Cut the kimchi into 1cm widths and thinly dice the carrot and onion. 2 Heat a fry pan and fry the diced onion with some oil until it turns transparent, then add the ground pork, carrot, and
kimchi , and continue fried. 3 Once the pork turns white, add the rice to the pan and continue fried the whole mixture. Season it with soy sauce, salt, and pepper. 4 Place the final result in a bowl or on a plate and top it with a fried egg.
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Additional Recipe Kimchi-bokkeum-bap (kimchi Fried Rice):
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Recipe Ingredients Main ingredient 500g beef sirloin Sub ingredients 1 onion, 100gpyogo mushrooms Beef marinade 5Ts soy sauce, 3Ts sugar, 2Ts diced green onion, 1T sesame oil, ½t black pepper, 1T sesame salt, 5Ts juice of Korean pear, 2Ts flavored cooking wine
Directions 1 Thinly slice the beef to 2mm thickness. Soak up any blood coming out in the process with kitchen towels. 2 Julienne the onion and thinly slice the mushroom. Slice the green onion to 4cm lengths.
3 Grate the Korean pear and make 5Ts of juice out of it. Add it to the rest of the ingredients for marinade. 4 Add the marinade from 3 to the prepared beef and mix them well. Marinade for 30 minutes. 5 Put the onion, green onion, and mushroom slices into 4 and mix them well. 6 Put some oil into a pan and cook the marinated beef over high heat.
Additional Recipe Galbi jjim (Braised Beef Ribs) In addition to bulgogi , galbi jjim is an all - time favorite dish for Koreans in their daily lives. Making a large batch of galb jjim during
108
national holidays, such as Chuseok (Harvest Thanksgiving) and seasoning for bulgogi can be used to make galbi jjim , but if more vegetables are added, the amount of soy sauce in the recipe should also be increased accordingly.
Ingredients Main ingredients 400g beef ribs, 300g Korean radish, 200g carrot, 5 pyogo mushrooms Marinade 5Ts soy sauce, 2Ts sugar, 1 6Korean pear, 2Ts diced green
Bulgogi Koreans’ favorite dish made with beef is bulgogi. It is made by marinating thin slices of beef in a special seasoning and cooking on a grill, usually at the table. It was once called neobiani. In the days when eating - out options were not as varied as today, bulgogi was the menu item chosen by most people for special occasions or meetings. Sizzling bulgogi grilling on a pan with its gravy oozing throughout
onion, 1T chopped sesame salt, ½t black pepper, 1T sesame oil
Directions 1 Chop the ribs into 5cm lengths and remove the fat, then soak them in cold water to drain the blood. Make cuts in their surface with a knife. 2 Pour some water - just enough to cover the ribs and once the water boils, parboil the ribs. Remove oil from the remaining water and save it for later use as stock. 3 Slice the radish and carrots in large, bite-sized pieces and smooth out their edges. Slice the mushrooms into large pieces after removing the stems. 4 Make Korean pear juice by grating the pear and adding the specified amount to the other ingredients to complete the marinade. Pour half the marinade over the ribs and mix well; after marinating them for 30 minutes, put them in a pot
served as an excellent dish with soju (grain spirit) for adults, while children would
along with the prepared radish, carrots,pyogo mushrooms, and stock, and heat over medium heat. 5 Once the stock boils down to half, add the remaining marinade in installments, mixing it well for
eat the sweet gravy mixed with rice.
thorough marination while cooking. Continue braising until the surface appears glossy.
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New Year’s day, is common in many Korean households. The same
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Recipe Ingredients Main ingredients 4 cups white rice, ½ carrot, ½ cucumber, 4 sticks of pickled radish, 200g minced beef, 3 eggs, 4 sheets ofgim (dried seaweed), oil, salt, sesame oil Beef marinade 2Ts soy sauce, ½T sugar, 1T diced green onion, 1t choppedgarlic, pinch of black pepper
Directions 1 Prepare cooked rice, and mix it well with some salt and sesame oil, then let it cool down slightly. 2 Marinate the minced beef for 20 minutes in the marinade and cook it in a pan. 3 Cut the pickled radish to the same length as the sheet of gim and to approximately the width of a pencil. 4 Slice the cucumber to the same length and width as the pickled radish. 5 Julienne the carrot and pan-fry it on a pan with some salt added, then cool it down. 6 Make a thick “sheet” of eggs, by breaking them with some salt added. Pour the mixture into a pan and cook it as is. Once cooked, slice the egg sheet into the same length and width as the other ingredients. 7 Place the softer side of the gim on the bottom, in contact with a rolling mat. Place 1 cup of rice from 4 in the center of the gim and spread it evenly throughout the surface of the gim , except ¼ of the top. Make sure that the rice layer is not too thick. 8 In the center of the rice, place the prepared beef, the sliced pickled radish, cucumber, carrot, and egg side by side. Start rolling the mat from the inside, while applying gentle pressure on it. 9 Spread some sesame oil on a knife and slice the cylinder of rolledgimbap into 1cm thicknesses.
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Additional Recipe Topokki (Stir-fried Rice Cake)
this treat, even if means they need to gulp down a lot of water! Although there is definite difference between the taste of tteok
- bokki sold on the street and its homemade version, both are delicious!
Ingredients Main Ingredients 500g rice cakes (tteok ) fortopokki , 150g fish cake, 360ml water Sauce 3Ts gochujang (red pepper paste), ½T soy sauce, 2Ts sugar, 1T corn syrup
Gimbap (Rice Roll in Seaweed)
Directions
Gimbap is an ideal item for a convenient and inexpensive meal and as an easily
or blanch it slightly in boiling water if it is hard. 2 Cut the fish
1 If the tteok is still soft, just wash it and remove the moisture,
portable picnic food. It is a perfect food for the palate of Korean people, who
cake to 2.5 x 5cm, and remove oil from the surface by pouring
eat rice with banchan (side dishes). As it is also convenient to eat and widely
of water, gochujang , soy sauce, and corn syrup in a pan and mix
availabile, it would be no overstatement to say that every Korean likes gimbap.
boiling water over it through a sieve. 3 Add the specified amount well. 4 Place the tteok into the pan from 3 . Stir the tteok so that it does not stick to the bottom. 5 Add fish cake to the pan and boil all the ingredients until the sauce thickens.
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Even children who cannot tolerate spicy food never pass up
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Recipe Ingredients Main ingredients 4 young chickens (about 600g per chicken), 2 cups sweet rice, 15 cups water Sub ingredients 8~10 cloves of garlic, 8 daechu (dried jujubes), 4 small roots of susam (water ginseng), 1T salt, 1T ginger juice, some black pepper
Directions 1 Fill the stomach of each of the cleaned chickens with soaked sweet rice, 2~3 cloves of garlic, and 2 jujubes along with asusam root, while making sure to leave enough space and not over - stuff. Then, seal the end of the chickens either by tying then with a string or sewing them up, so that the stuffing does not come out while being cooked. 2 Pour water into a pot large enough to hold the 4 chickens and bring it to the boil. Start boiling over high heat then reduce to low heat and continue boiling for 1 hour more to cook the rice thoroughly. As it cooks, the rice expands in volume while absorbing the flavors infused from the garlic, daechu , and ginseng. 3 When the chickens are cooked so that the flesh becomes soft, take them out of the pot and remove the string or stick used to seal them and place them back into the pot one by one. Season the broth with salt, pepper, and ginger juice. 4 Place each of the chickens in a large bowl or an individual - size pot and pour the broth over. Serve with some salt, pepper, and thinly diced green onion. Season the broth to taste per individual preference and eat it with the chicken and sweet rice stuffed inside.
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The texture of chewy, cooked, scorched sweet rice makes this dish really special. Due to the addition of nurungji (scorched rice), this chicken dish has more enhanced, heartier, and more well rounded flavors, compared to regularsamgye - tang , and together with its cleaner tasting soup, the dish offers hard - to - resist, unique flavors.
Ingredients Main ingredients One 1~1.2kg chicken, 4Ls water Sub ingredients 16g hwanggi (milk vetch root), 1 root of large green onion, 150g onion, 15g ginger, sweet rice, 80g carrot
Directions
Samgye - tang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
bottomed pot and spread the cooked sweet rice over on the bottom of the pot to a depth of 0.5 cms,
This is a medicine-like food for Koreans that is sought after whenever they are
using a rubber spatula. 3 Blanch the chicken in boiling water. 4 Make a base broth by boiling the
tired, either physically or mentally. Ginseng and garlic are basic ingredients, while hwanggi (milk vetch root), danggui (Korean angelica root), and other Oriental medicinal ingredients can also be added for extra nutritional value.
1 Wash 2Ts of sweet rice, soak it in water for 40 minutes and cook. 2 Put 1t of sesame oil in a thick -
mixture of 4Ls of water, 16g of hwanggi , 1 root of large green onion, 150g of onion, and 15g of ginger. 5 Place the chicken in the broth and let it boil, then add 1 cup of sweet rice (washed) and continue boiling for 1 more hour over medium heat. 6 Place the chicken on top of the prepared sweet rice nurungji and pour the sieved broth over it, then let it boil once again. 7 Season with salt before eating.
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Addiditonal Recipe Nurungji - Baeksuk (Boiled Chicken with Scorched Rice)
Recipe Ingredients Main ingredients 1C flour, ½C rice flour, 100g thin green onions Sub ingredients 50g chives, 2 eggs, 200g clam meat, 100g shelled oysters, 100g squid, 100g beef Beef marinade 1T soy sauce, 1t sugar, 2t diced green onion, 1t chopped sesame oil, ½t sesame salt, pinch of pepper Dipping sauce 4T soy sauce, 1T water, 2Ts vinegar, ½T sesame oil, ½T sesame salt, 1t red chili powder
Directions 1 Choose fresh white-fleshed fish, and scale and wash it well. After removing the moisture from the surface, remove the head and skin, followed by slicing it into 2 large fillets. You can save the head, bone, innards, and skin for astew. 2 Cut the sliced fillets into bite-size pieces and slice them once again so they are not too thick. 3 Break the eggs and whisk them well. 4 Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the surface of the fish fillets and thinly coat them with flour, followed by dipping them in the whisked eggs and pan-frying them on a heated fry pan with oil over medium - low heat until golden. 5 Combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce and serve it with the final result.
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115 Additional Recipe Saengseon - jeon (Pan-Fried Fish Fillet)
pan-fried fish fillet. While croaker is the most luxurious ingredient, frozen cod or pollock fillets can be used for convenience.
Ingredients Main ingredients 200g white - fleshed fish, 5Ts flour, 2 eggs, pinch of salt and pepper, oil for pan-frying
Directions 1 Choose fresh white - fleshed fish and scale and wash it well. After removing the moisture from the surface, remove the head
Haemul - Pajeon (Seafood Pancake)
and skin, followed by slicing it into 2 large fillets. You can save
Although using a type of thin green onion grown during the rainy season makes
sliced fillets into bite size pieces and slice them once again to
the best pajeon, this ingredient can easily be replaced with other types of thin (albeit thicker) green onions that are available year-round.
the head, bone, innards, and skin for making a stew. 2 Cut the make them not too thick. 3 Break the eggs and whisk them well.
4 Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the surface of fish fillets and thinly coat them with flour, followed by dipping them in the whisked eggs and pan-frying them on a heated fry pan with oil over medium - low heat until golden. 5 Combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce and serve it with the final result.
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Any white - fleshed fish can be used to makesaengsun jeon or the
Recipe Ingredients Main ingredient ¼ head of baechu - (white cabbage) kimchi , 100g pork, ½ block of tofu, 1 thick green onion, 1T red chili powder, 1T oil, 2Ts soup soy sauce, 2 cups water Pork marinade 1T chopped diced ginger, dash of red chili powder
Directions 1 Shake off the seasoning from the well fermented baechu-kimchi and slice it into 3~4cm pieces. 2 Choose pork with some fat (not too lean) and chop the chunk into flat, bite-sized pieces, then season them with garlic, ginger, and pepper. 3 Cut the tofu into 3×4cm size squares and cut the green onion diagonally. 4 Heat a pot and fry the seasoned pork with some oil. When it starts to look cooked, add kimchi and continue fried. 5 Once the kimchi looks like it has softened, pour 2 cups of water (or broth) and add red chili powder, then let the mixture boil. 6 When the soup starts boiling and the kimchi further softens, add the tofu pieces and sliced green onion, then continue boiling for a little more while. Season to taste with some soup soy sauce.
Additional Recipe Budae jjigae (Spicy Sausage Stew) Budae-jjigae , which literally translates as “regimental stew,” is always better with a wider variety of ham and sausage. Making
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enough soup and cooking some instant noodles in it is also
Ingredients Main ingredients 150g canned ham, 150g pork (minced), 100g sausages, 1 cup (150g)kimchi Sub ingredients 50g green onion,
C macaroni (cooked), 3Ts
canned beans, 1T cheongju (clear rice wine), ½ tteok-guk ddeock (thin bite-sized slices of plain rice cake), 30g large green onion Base Broth 1 piece of dried kelp 10×10cm (5g), 20 dried anchovies for soup, 4C water
Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew) This is soul food for Koreans; many Korean people can eat it all - year long without getting sick of it. In order to make good kimchi jigae, it is important to first have good kimchi. To some well - fermented, sour - tasting kimchi, you can optionally add some beef, pork, canned tuna, ham or any ingredient that is available at the moment, and pan-fry them. Then add some water and let it boil with the kimchi, and the kimchi jjigae, with its typical full - bodied flavor, will be ready to eat.
Seasoning 3Ts red chili powder, 1tgochujang (red pepper paste),
1T soy sauce, 1T chopped garlic
Directions 1 Place all ingredients for the broth in a pot and let them boil for a while. Make 3 cups of anchovy broth. 2 Put all the ingredients for seasoning in a bowl and mix well. 3 Slice the canned ham diagonally into 0.5cm thicknesses. Slice the sausage diagonally as well. Marinate the minced pork with 1T of cheongju and some pepper. 4 Slice the large green onion diagonally and thinly slice the onion. Cut the baechu - kimchi into 2cm thicknesses, 5 Add all the above ingredients to a pot - the ham, sausage, pork, kimchi , tteok - guk tteok , onion, large green onion, cooked macaroni, and canned beans. 6 Add the seasoning and broth to the mixture and let it boil. Season with salt, if needed.
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recommended.
What To Eat, Where To Eat
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Chapter
3
Korean Food Map And Food Tourism
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Myeongdong
For over 600 years, since the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, Seoul
Myeongdong is one of the oldest main streets in Seoul. It was a densely
has been the capital city of Korea. It is also the hub for the distribution of all the
populated residential area during the Joseon period (1392~1910), and became
most delicious ingredients in the country. The best local products from the regions
a major downtown area under Japanese rule (1910~1945). In the 1920’s and
often say on the label “Once Offered to the King.” This is because in the past
1930’s, there were a lot of cafes where artists listened to music and had debates.
there was a system of collecting regional products and offering them to the king;
This made Myeongdong into a “street of culture.” In the 1950’s, with the
thanks to that, the most delicious foods and ingredients were brought to Seoul.
establishment of several large department stores and shopping centers as part of
Seoul cuisine features royal and aristocratic cuisine. Royal cuisine includes
the city’s redevelopment plans, Myeongdong emerged as a shopping area. Today,
sinseollo (royal hot pot), neobiani (marinated and grilled beef slices), and gujeolpan
it is the most popular shopping area among foreign tourists, adjacent to the
(platter of nine delicacies). Neobiani has evolved into bulgogi, grilled beef slices
old shopping district of Namdaemun Market.23 Myeongdong most renowned
in a sweet broth, and is loved by people in Seoul to this day. The culture of
foods are Myeongdong kalguksu (noodle soup) and Myeongdong donkassu
eating rice with soup is also highly developed in Seoul, so now such dishes are
(pork cutlet). Myeongdong Gyoja, a restaurant built in 1966, is the most famous
regarded as representative of Seoul cuisine. Some examples are seolleongtang (ox
place for the noodle soup. The noodles are served in a rich chicken broth and
bone soup), chueo-tang (loach soup), and yukgaejang (spicy beef soup). Where, then,
garnished with dumplings and stir-fried meat. Myeongdong Donkassu is also
are the main dining areas of the capital?
the name of the best-known restaurant that serves Myeongdong - style pork
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Seoul: The 600-Year-Old Capital City
cutlets; it has been in business since the 1980s. The cutlet is made of well-fried pork and served with a special sauce, mustard and cabbage. Chungmu Gimbap opened in 1988 and is now Myeongdong’s representative fast food restaurant. The type of seaweed roll featured in the restaurant’s name, Chungmu gimbap, is actually a local food of Yongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province. The dish was first created as a snack for fishermen. In contrast to ordinary gimbap, which easily goes bad, Chungmu gimbap is a made of separate foods: spicy seasoned squid, radish kimchi, and seaweed-wrapped rice.
Gwangjang Market Gwanjang Market, Korea’s first permanent market, was built by Joseon merchants who tried to unite against the inflow of Japanese merchants after the conclusion of the Japan-Korea Protectorate Treaty of 1905. The market sells wedding supplies and fabric to retailers and wholesalers for hanbok (Korean
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traditional garment), suits, and bedding. But it also has many stores serving gimbap,
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bindae-tteok (mung bean pancakes), yukhwe (Korean beef tartare), sundae (Korean sausage) and hwe (raw fish) to the merchants and their customers. In particular, mung bean pancake is the most famous food in Gwangjang Market. It is made by fried thick mung bean dough in oil and is very crispy, salty, and flavorful. It is usually served with onion soy sauce. Many generous sellers fried the pancakes on the street offer pieces to passersby to try. The pancakes are cheap, with one costing only around 4,000 won. Mayak gimbap is a simple gimbap stuffed with few fillings and served with a mustard dipping sauce. Its name literally means “drug gimbap”, which indicates that the food is addictively delicious.
Disputed Origins ofBindae - tteok (Mung Bean Pancake) Mung bean pancakes were originally considered
In 1941, during the Japanese colonial rule, a public market was established for
to be a type of dessert rather than a single dish.
Japanese living near Hyojadong. That was the beginning of Tongin Market.
According to “Eumsik Dimibang,” a collection of recipes published during the Joseon period, mung
In January 2012, a lunch box café, Tong, opened its doors in Tongin Market,
bean pancakes were originally made by fried
attracting a lot of visitors. The market is very small and located in an alley but
pancakes with ground mung bean, covering them with a mixture of red beans
is unique in several aspects. Its gate, for example, is a sculpture that won the
and honey as a topping, and sprinkling ground mung beans on the top.23 Over time, this dessert transformed into a single dish, made ofkimchi and seasoned
2012 Korea Public Design Award. “Token lunch boxes” are another famous
vegetables, and became today’s bindae - tteok . There are various theories about
tourist attraction of the market. People can buy tokens (1 token is 500 won).
the origin of the pancake’s name. Some people say the pancakes were used as a
They then receive an empty lunch box with which they visit the different stalls
foundation dish for plates loaded with pan-fried meat during ancestral rites and banquets. After the event, the nobles gave the pancakes to the poor (binja ; 貧者), so
and purchase with tokens the foods they want to try. They fill their lunch
they were called binja - tteok (literally “cakes for the poor”). Then later, the name
boxes with stir-fried rice cakes, grilled short rib patties, braised foods, kimchi,
was changed to bindae - tteok . Others say there were a lot of mung bean pancake
and other foods, then return to the lunch box cafe to enjoy their meals. They
were a lot of bedbugs (bindae in Korean) there! So in this theory, the name of the
can also buy rice or soup for 1,000 won. Gireum - topokki (oil stir-fried rice cake),
pancake originates from the nickname of the area, Bindaegol.
a representative food of Tongin Market, became famous when visiting US
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Secretary of State John Kerry tried the dish. Different from regular topokki,
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sellers in Jeongdong, an area in Seoul also known as Bindaegol, because there 124
Tongin Market
Yukhwe (Beef Tartare) Korean beef tartare, a dish very similar to steak
which is stir-fried in a chili sauce, this one is made by seasoning oil-fried rice cakes with red chili powder, salt, and soy sauce.
tartare, is made from thinly sliced rump, eye of round, or other beef parts that have little fat. The raw meat is seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and garlic. The dish has only developed in Korea and cannot be found in neighboring China or Japan. Koreans often enjoy beef tartare with sliced pear, which makes the beef sweeter and more flavorful. There are several types of beef tartare. It can be made with liver, kidneys, manyplies, and intestines. Pheasant tartare is made of pheasant hunted in the winter. The intestines of the pheasant are removed, and the meat is left on snow or ice until it freezes. The meat is then thinly sliced and seasoned with vinegar soy sauce, ginger, and green onion.
Oil Topokki (rice cake stir-fried in oil) of Tongin Market
History ofTopokki (Stir-Fried Rice Cake) Originally, stir-fried rice cakes were made
Kalguksu (noodle soup), made of hand-sliced noodles, is also famous for its quantity and delicious taste. Generally, the noodle soup is served with an
through seasoning white rice cake and
additional small bowl of spicy buckwheat noodles. If you order rice, such as
beef with soy sauce and then fried them on
barley rice or sweet rice, you will also get additional, smaller bowls of cold
a fried pan. It was included in royal cuisine. Today, this original stir-fried rice cake is
buckwheat noodles and noodle soup. The noodle soup is garnished with fried
distinguished from ordinary spicy stir-
tofu, crushed seaweed, sesame, and a spicy sauce.
fried rice cake, and is called “royal stirfried rice cake:” or “stir-fried rice cake with soy sauce.” The spicy stir-fried rice cake is believed to have originated with late Ma, Bok - Lim in 1953, who was an owner chef of a famous
topokki (stir-fried rice cake) restaurant. She was famous for “not teaching the secret of her red chili paste even to her daughter - in - law.” 10
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Namdaemun Market Namdaemun Market, the largest market in Korea, was formed in the early Joseon period just inside the city’s southern gate. The restaurants that operated
Galchi jorim (braised cutlassfish) Street
for the merchants of the market earned fame and are now open to shoppers and tourists. Among many dishes on the menus, galchi jorim (braised cutlassfish), which is served in a nickel-silver pot, is considered the symbol of the market. Near the entrance to Sungryemun Gate Imports Store in Namdaemun Market, there is a street populated with galchi jorim (braised cutlassfish) restaurants. These restaurants use dented nickel-silver pots, which are filled with braised radishes that are infused with well-balanced spicy and sweet flavors. After eating the flesh of the fish, one should finish off the meal with rice mixed with a spoonful of the remaining spicy soup. On this street, there are more than ten restaurants specialized in galchi jorim, most of which are 20 to 40 years old.
Mandu (dumplings)
Street Stall Kalguksu (noodle soup) at Namdaemun Market
festival every year. During the event, numerous movie fans spend all night in front of the ticket boxes to buy tickets. But even before and after the festival, BIFF Street is full of people. In particular, a lot of famous restaurants attract tourists. Ssiat - hotteok (seed pancake) is the simplest and cheapest snack. It is so popular that you may have to wait for half an hour to buy one at a famous store. The dough for seed pancakes is made with flour, sweet rice, and yeast. After that, each pancake is stuffed with sugar, fried until crispy, cut into halves, and finally filled with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and other nuts. The pancakes are usually served in paper cups. Busan eomuk (fish cake) is the most famous fish cake in Korea, so it is an Dwaeji - gukbap (pork and rice soup)
Busan Eomuk (Busan - style fish cake)
absolute must for visitors to the city. Busan eomuk is representative of all eomuk nationwide. About 50 percent of Korea’s eomuk manufacturing plants are
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Busan: City Of Film And Fish Cake
located in Busan, and 70 percent of eomuk produced in Busan is shipped out to other regions. Due to its close proximity to Japan and easy access to seafood, numerous eomuk factories were opened and run by Japanese people during the
system, so one does not need a car to move around the city. Thanks to
colonial era, and eomuk produced in the region became famous throughout the
that, Busan is considered to be the number two city after Seoul in terms of convenience for tourists. There are beautiful beaches and plenty of delicious foods. Tourists usually walk on Gwangalli Beach or Haeundae Beach, have
Busan’s DeliciousEomuk (Fish Cake)
some simple yet delicious rice with pork soup or grilled fish for lunch, visit the
This food is made by fried a mixture of salt, sugar,
Busan International Film Festival Street and the International Market (famous
starch, and the minced fillet of young hairfish, yellow
as the setting for the movie with the same name), and enjoy snacks such as seed pancake, fish cakes, and stir-fried rice cakes.
corvina, or other fish. The description of a similar food of the 18th century is found in a book entitled “Somunsaseol.” It was called gamabogot and was made by boiling24 wraps of flaked fish fillet. The word gamabogot is derived from the Japanese
BIFF Square and Nampo-dong
gamaboko , which means fish cake. In “Recipes of
Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), is the largest film festival in Korea,
Joseon,” a cooking book published in 1903, gamabogot appears under a
and has been held for 20 years since 1996. About 300 films are shown at the
different name,taegeukseon .25
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Busan, Korea’s second city in the southeast, has a well-developed subway
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country for its excellent taste. Eomuk is made by fried ground fish and is usually simmered in hot broth made of radish, dashima (kelp), and seafood before being served on skewers, in a seafood and kelp broth. Spicy - food lovers will also enjoy the topokki (stir-fried rice cake) sold at street stalls.
Jagalchi Market and International Market â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come, Buy, and Seeâ&#x20AC;? is the slogan of Jagalchi Market. Each alley of this market is full of shops selling fish, dried - fish and grilled fish. Grilled or braised fish restaurants, as soon as they take an order from a customer, re - cook the fish that they have grilled or fried in advance. A grilled fish meal includes various types of fish such as mackerel, flatfish, and horsetail. Busanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Market became even more famous when a film with the same name (the English title is Ode to my Father) was released in 2014. When 130
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Korea gained independence in 1945, the market started as a place where
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Japanese residents sold their household items before returning to Japan. It was further expanded by refugees from the Korean War (1950~1953). The market is famous for vintage clothing. Among all the simple single dishes sold to merchants and shoppers at International Market, the most popular ones are bibim - dangmyeon (spicy glass noodles) and yubu - jumeoni (tofu pouches). The spicy noodles are made by mixing glass noodles (the main ingredient for another popular dish, japchae) with stir-fried vegetables and a spicy sauce. Most people finish the dish in a few minutes while standing. The tofu pouches are made by stuffing fried tofu pouches with seasoned glass noodles, vegetables, and pork; tying them up with water parsley; and then boiling them in a seafood broth.
The food street in Busan
Sokcho: City Of The Sea Sokcho is a city on the East Coast. It is close to the North Korea, so many people displaced by Korean division and the Korean War still live there and sell various types of North Korean foods such as sundae (Korean sausage) and naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles). The city has an abundance of squid and other marine products from the East Sea, and the people of Sokcho enjoy raw fish, mulhwe (cold soup made with fresh fish), and fried dishes made with seafood.
Sundae (Korean Sausage) and Myeongtae-naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Pollack) from Abai Village Abai Village was formed by people from Hamgyeong Province in North Squid - drying at Sokcho
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Korea. Even today, about half of the residents of the village were born in person” in the Hamgyeong dialect. The village is famous for its gaetbae boat – a boat pulled by ropes, featured in the famous TV drama “Autumn in My Heart” – and North Korean foods including sundae, and naengmyeon. There are two types of Korean sausage served: Abai - style and squid sausage. Abai - sundae is made by steaming pork tripe stuffed with sweet rice, clotted cow and pork blood, and vegetables. Ojingeo - sundae (squid sausage) is made by steaming squid stuffed with tofu, beef, and vegetables. Both types of the sausage go well with myeongtae - naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles with spicy seasoned pollack).
Fried Shrimp at Daepohang
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Hamgyeong Province, or are their children. Abai means “father” or “old
The Raw Fish and Fried Shrimp of Daepohang Port
Jeju: Korea’s Exotic Island
Sokcho is famous for its abundance of fresh fish, squid, shrimps, and other
Sub - tropical Jeju Island is the most exotic travel destination in Korea. The first
seafood, due to its location beside the clean East Sea. For this reason, the fish
things you can see after arriving at the airport are large palm trees, which are
market is a must-stop while travelling in Sokcho. Fried shrimps made with
rare elsewhere in Korea. The weather is warmer and milder than in other parts
fresh shrimps right on site are a popular delicacy of Sokcho’s Daepo Port.
of the country. Jeju is the largest of Korea’s islands, and has developed a variety
Another famous food choice is ojingeo - mulhwe that is made with thin slices of
of seafood dishes, as it is rich in marine products. It also offers great pork dishes
squid, the specialty product of Sokcho, along with various vegetables. The key
because the people of Jeju raise a lot of pigs. Jeju pork is famous for its texture
to this dish is the sauce, perfectly balanced with the right amounts of gochujang,
and taste. The island is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations for
vinegar, and sugar used to season the ingredients; cold water is poured in before
Chinese tourists; some 2.86 million Chinese people visited Jeju in 2014.26
eating. Sometimes the dish is made with white-fleshed fish, sea squirt, or sea cucumber, instead of squid.
Grilled Black Pork and Pork Noodles Almost all the pork products distributed in Jeju are from the island. Renowned
The Dak - gangjeong (Crispy Chicken with a Sweet - and 134
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- Spicy Sauce) of Sokcho Market
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Visitors to Sokcho will spot people carrying square boxes tied with a string. The box is for dak - gangjeong, crispy chicken with a sweet - and - spicy sauce. The dish is made by mixing bite-sized fried chicken with red chili paste sauce. It tastes very similar to yangnyeom chicken (Korean spicy seasoned chicken). Customers can choose between a sweet-and-spicy sauce and a sweet sauce.
Seongge Miyeok guk (seaweed soup with sea urchin)
for its excellent taste and texture, Jeju pork is almost twice as expensive as pork from other areas. Originally, Jeju pigs were known as “poop pigs” because they were fed human feces but nowadays no pigs are raised that way! In addition to samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), people in Jeju eat many other pork parts, which are collectively called dwit - gogi (literally “leftover meat”). It is said that butchers used to hide and eat the most delicious parts of the pork after butchering the pigs, so in fact the “leftover meat” is tastier than the main parts. In contrast to other areas, restaurants in Jeju put a mixture of myeolchi - jeotgal (salted anchovy) with water and sauce on a hot grill and serve it with grilled pork. Gogi - guksu (noodle soup with pork), which is made by boiling Jeju pork in a bowl of beef bone broth to tenderize the meat before adding noodles, is actually not a traditional Jeju food. The dish was created after dried wheat noodles were commercialized in the 1950s and was customarily served on wedding days, but 136
Gogi Guksu (meat noodles)
not any longer; now, the dish is more popular with tourists than with locals.27 flavorful dish is similar to Japanese tonkotsu ramen.
Female Divers’ Food from the Deep Jeju is famed for its hardy haenyo, women who free - dive into the depths to capture fish and seafood by hand. The island features restaurants called Houses of Female Divers.” Their main dishes are seongge miyeok guk (seaweed soup with sea urchin), gejuk (crab porridge), and hwe - guksu (noodles with raw fish). All of which are made with seafood collected from the sea by the female divers. Hweguksu is a bowl of spicy chilled noodles served with vegetables, slices of raw fish, and a spicy gochujang sauce (red chili pepper) sauce. Gejuk is made by grinding up a whole crab and boiling it. Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), the favorite dish of many Koreans, is prepared by boiling tofu, vegetables, and seafood in a broth
made of doenjang and water in an earthenware pot. Jeju ttukbaegi is another kind of soybean paste stew. It is full of seafood from Jeju and features a refreshing, rich taste. There are two types of this stew: jeonbok (abalone) and obunjagi. The former is cooked with only abalone, whereas the other contains different types of seafood including abalone, blue crab, clam, and mantis crab. In Jeju, hairtail is called eun - galchi, or “silver cutlass fish,” because its body is covered with silver scales. The Korean name of cutlass fish, galchi, comes from the word kal (knife) due to the fish’s knife-like appearance. The fish is large and has a mild taste with rich flesh. It is served raw or cooked by grilling or braising. Galchi jorim (braised cutlassfish) is made by braising white radish cut into large chunks and cutlass fish cut into pieces in a spicy soy sauce. The dish is salty,
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With its thick chunks of pork on top of the noodles and the milky broth, this
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spicy and savory and is usually served with rice. Galchi - gui (grilled cutlass fish) is prepared by grilling slices of salted cutlass fish on a fried pan. Raw cutlass fish is a delicacy that can only be found on Jeju Island because the cutlass fish dies very soon after it is caught - perhaps due to its hot temper! Cutlass fish can be also added to miyeok guk (seaweed soup) in Jeju.
Galchi - gui (grilled cutlass fish/hairtail)
Jeonju: Korea’s Capital Of Flavor Jeonju is one the most famous cities for food in Korea. The top ten products
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parsley, zucchini, young radish, bean sprouts, and persimmons. Many local dishes with distinct flavors have been developed with these ingredients. Omogari - tang (spicy stew with false minnow), kong - namul - guk (bean sprout soup), bibimbap (mixed rice) with yellow mung - bean jelly and a variety of colorful vegetables are just some examples.
Jeonju Hanok Village Jeonju’s Hanok Village – a district of Korean traditional homes, or hanok – was created to preserve Korean architecture during the Japanese colonial period, and today forms the largest cluster of hanok nationwide. The village is lined with beautiful, traditional hanok many of which are open to the public as restaurants, Heuk Dwaeji - gui (Jeju black pork barbeque)
bars and homestays. At the end of the village, you can find Jeondong Catholic
139 A Journey to Delicious Korea
of Jeonju include river crab, mung-bean jelly, false minnow, white radish, water
Church, which was built in 1914, and Gyeonggijeon Shrine, where a portrait of the first king of the Joseon Dynasty, Yi Seong - gye, is enshrined. The traditional restaurants in the Hanok Village offer a variety of foods: tteok - galbi (grilled short rib patty), kalguksu (noodle soup), bibimbap (mixed rice) and many more. CafĂŠs sell pat - bingsu (shaved ice with sweet beans) and traditional beverages. There are also several newly opened street restaurants. Beterang Kalguksu, which has been run from 1977, is the most popular local restaurant among Korean tourists. It serves kalguksu, a thick noodle soup made with the addition of egg and seasoned with red chili pepper, crushed perilla seeds, and
Makgeolli (traditional Korean brew)
Honghap - jjim (steamed mussels)
Chive pancake
seaweed. Tteok galbi (grilled short rib patty) is made with minced pork seasoned with sauce. It is one of the most popular foods in Hanok Village. The dish is sweet and salty and can be eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves. 140
141 A Journey to Delicious Korea
Drinking Alleys: Makgeolli Golmok Makgeolli golmok refers to several alleys in Jeonju that serve the unique Korean raw rice wine makgeolli. The first area where such alleys appeared was Samcheondong. One unique feature of the bars in those alleys is that there is no need to order side dishes. If you order a kettle (20,000 - 25,000 won), which is filled with three bottles of makgeolli, you will be served a table full of foods and side dishes. Overall, there will be about 10 dishes including soup or stew, leek pancake, parboiled squid, seasoned acorn jelly salad, boiled eggs, glazed fish, stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables, seasoned ark clam, and salad. If you order extra drinks, additional dishes are served. Makgeolli comes in two varieties, takju (raw) and refined. The latter is is made by letting the raw rice brew settle, then the clear part is seperated out. Most people order refined rice brew because it is said to cause less of a hangover.
Gamja - jeon (potato pancakes)
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Kongnamul guk bap (Bean Sprout Soup with Rice) and
Andong And Gyeongju: The Cities Of Aristocrats
Jeonju Bibimbap
Andong and Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province are time machines
Kongnamul guk bap (bean sprout soup with rice) was developed in Jeonju thanks
that offer glimpses of the Joseon Dynasty (1392~1910) and Silla Dynasty
to the availability of top - quality bean sprouts. It comes in two types, Nambu
(57BC~AD 935), respectively. Andong Hahoe Village and Yangdong Folk
- sijang -style and Sambaek - jip - style (named after the areas of their origin,
Village were designated as World Cultural Heritage Sites by UNESCO and are
Nambu Market and Sambaek - jip restaurant). Nambu - sijang-style is served
the only world heritage sites in Korea where people actually live. As the name
with boiled rice and a poached egg in a broth boiled with squid. In Sambaek-
Hahoe (literally “river going around”) implies, the Nakdonggang River flows
jip style, the soup is boiled with eggs in it. The dish is known to help the body
through the village. Walking through the alleys of traditional hanok (roof - tiled)
remove the toxins from alcohol, and usually more people come to eat the soup
and straw - thatched houses, you can feel as if you are back in the Joseon period.
in the morning than in the evening. Kongnamul guk bap can be served with moju,
Gyeongju offers many relics of the Silla Dynasty, which lasted for 1000 years.
which is a very light (1.5 percent) and sweet alcoholic beverage made by boiling
There, you can find Chomseongdae, the oldest observatory in East Asia, and
makgeolli with cinnamon and black sugar.
Anapji Pond, where kings held festivals, as well as also Seokguram Grotto,
Bibimbap (mixed rice) is Jeonju’s most famous dish., It contains three of Jeonju’s
Bulguksa Temple, royal tombs and stone pagodas. 143
top - ten foods: bean sprouts, mung - bean jelly, and zucchini.28 Each region in
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Korea has its own way of making bibimbap, and the unique features of the Jeonju variety are that the rice is cooked with beef bone broth; bean sprouts are always added to the dish; and it is served with a bean sprout soup. Yellow mung-bean jelly is also one of the ingredients. It is made by dying mung - bean jelly, which is frequently used in traditional Korean foods, with gardenia seeds. Jeonju bibimbap has a beautiful color and a great texture. It comes in two types: mixed and unmixed. In Seongmidang restaurant, the dish is served mixed and topped with meat and a variety of colorful vegetables, whereas Gajokhoegwan (run by Kim Nyeo - nim, the No.1 master of Jeonju food) offers bibimbap unmixed.
Kong - namul - gukbap (bean sprout and rice soup)
Moju (boiled and sweetened makgeolli)
Jjim - dak (Andong - style steamed chicken)
Heotjesappap (Meal for a Fake Ancestral Rite) A special dish originated in Andong â&#x20AC;&#x201C; heotjesabap. As its literal meaning implies, it is a dish for a fake memorial service.â&#x20AC;? Traditionally, after a memorial service, people shared the food used in the service so it is believed that the dish originated in the wish of noblemen to eat these foods more often, and so created faux memorial services. Another theory suggests that the common people who could not hold memorial services, but wanted to taste the memorial ritesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; food, started it. In Andong, there are several restaurants where one can taste heotjesabap. Upon ordering, it is served in a large bowl made of brass, in which various namul (seasoned vegetables) are served along with another bowl of rice. Also served on the table are soup made with radish and beef, gogi sanjeok (meat skewers), and gan - godeungeo - gui (grilled salted mackerel), which are eaten with a delicious bowl of bibimbap (mixed rice) made with namul used in a
144
memorial service. Local people in Andong use soy sauce as a seasoning for the
Heotjesabap (traditional Andong dish with bibimbap)
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rice.
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Andong Jjimdak (Braised Chicken) Jjimdak (braised chicken) is a traditional Korean food that was popular in the royal palace. It is made by seasoning chicken with ginseng, green onion, garlic, and ground pepper and is cooked in a hot pot. Andong style jjimdak (braised chicken) is similar to this dish, but it is more aromatic due to its spicy, salty and sweet flavors. There are two theories of how the braised chicken alley in the old market place in Andong came about. One is that the braised chicken was a transformation of the steamed chicken cooked in Andong during the Joseon Dynasty, and the other is that the dish was developed in the 1980s from a spicy chicken soup, a common dish sold in the old Andong marketplace. Jjimdak is made by cutting chicken and vegetables such as potatoes and carrots into pieces and seasoning them with soy sauce, sugar, chili peppers, and green onion. The mixture is 146
147
braised and glass noodles are added in the end. Hwangnam bread from Gyeongju
and Hwangnam Bread The soft meat patty of tteok galbi originated in the respect paid towards elderly
occupation), was designated as a local traditional food of Gyeongju in 1994.29
people who could not enjoy meat due to their weak teeth. It is a dish made with
It is made by stuffing flour dough with bean jam, stamping it with a comb
minced beef rib meat, seasoned and re-molded around the bone before grilling.
pattern, and baking it. Domestically grown red beans account for 70 percent of
Despite having tteok (rice cake) in the name, rice cake is not used when cooking
the breadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total weight, so the taste of the beans is strong and simple. The name
tteok galbi. The name comes from the shape, as the dish looks like a steamed
Hwangnam Bread comes from Hwangnam-dong, an area in Gyeongju where
rice cake. A tteok galbi meal comes with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and
the bread originated.
delicious side dishes. Depending on the restaurant, there may also be dolsot bap (hot stone pot of rice) or grilled fish as a side dish. Hwangnam Bread, which traces its beginnings to 1939 (during the Japanese
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Gyeongju - style Tteok galbi (Grilled Short Rib Patty)
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Dried seafood at Mokpo Market
cutlassfish/hairtail). Mokpo galchi is named meok - galchi due to its dark dorsal
Mokpo, a city located at the southwest end of South Jeolla Province, is known
fin. Although it is smaller in size than Jeju galchi, it has soft bones that can be
to many through old Korean pop songs such as “Tears of Mokpo” (1935) and
chewed and eaten. The common methods of cooking this fish include jorim
“Mokpo Is a Harbor” (1939).
(braising), jjigae (stew), guk (soup), and gui (grilling). Mokpo is also the home
People in Mokpo say that there are five flavors representing their town. These
base of two “extreme foods.” Fermented hongeo (raw skate) and san - nakji (living
are mineo (croaker), galchi (hairtail) hongeo (saw skate), nakji (octopus), and kkotje
small octopus) are challenging dishes which, nevertheless, fascinate foreigners.
(blue crab). Mineo is enjoyed as hwe (raw fish), jeon (pan-fried fish fillet), hwe -
Hongeo, fermented at a low-temperature inside a crock covered with straw, has
muchim (seasoned sliced raw fish), and tang (stew). Although thickly sliced mineo
become particularly famous – or infamous - for its strong odor, developed from
- hwe is delicious, epicures consider mineo - jeon the best delicacy. Mineo - maeun -
the fermentation process. It is the only Korean food mentioned in Japanese
tang (spicy croaker stew), made with a little red chili powder, is also flavorful.
writer Goizumi Dakeo’s book “Not Tasty?” In his book, the author includes a
If Jeju has eun - galchi (silver cutlassfish/hairtail), Mokpo has meok - galchi (black
story about his experience of testing litmus paper after eating hongeo,: The paper
149 A Journey to Delicious Korea
5 Delicacies Of Mokpo
Min - eo (raw croaker)
Samhab (three dishes of fermented thornback, pork and kimchi )
turned dark purple when he breathed on it.30 However, some people can never forget that strong odor and consider hongeo - hwe the ulitmate delicacy. Although it became famous after being featured in the iconic thriller â&#x20AC;&#x153;Old Boy,â&#x20AC;? many foreigners shudder at the mere sight of nakji tentacles, wriggling and writhing on the plate, before even daring to taste it. However, culinary adventurers seeking extreme food experiences will enjoy the cut-up san - nakji. Locals in Mokpo de shell kkotge (blue crab) and enjoy eating the flesh mixed with rice after seasoning it with red chili powder. People living in Jeolla Province, including Mokpo, always include jeotgal (salted seafood), such as myeolchi - jeotgal (salted anchovies) or jogae - jeotgal (salted clams), in their meals. Adding a few types of namul (seasoned vegetables) and jangajji (picked vegetables) completes a typical, abundant Jeolla style table.
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151 Seasoned crab meat
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Galchi jorim (braised cutlassfish)
Understanding Korean Food
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Chapter
4
Frequently Asked Questions about Korean Food
ingredients than guk. Tang is similar to guk and jjigae, but includes more liquid
154
ingredients than jjigae and more solid ingredients than guk. Jeon is made by pan-
The names of Korean dishes are generally a combination of the names of the
vegetable dishes grilled on a gridiron, and jeok means that the ingredients are put
main ingredients and the cooking techniques. For example, galbi jjim, braised
on skewers and pan-grilled.
frying ingredients mixed with flour and eggs. Gui is the name of the meat and
short ribs, is the combination of galbi (short ribs), which is the main ingredient, and jjim (braising), the cooking method used. Samg ye - tang, chicken soup
Why are there so many side dishes on a table?
with ginseng, is the combination of sam (ginseng) and gye (chicken), the main
In Korean food culture, side dishes are there to facilitate eating rice. Rice is
ingredients, with tang (soup), the method of cooking. You may hear such words
the main dish, and it contains a lot of carbohydrates, so people need to absorb
as jjim, jorim, guk, jjigae, tang, jeon, gui, and jeok when you eat Korean food. Jjim
essential nutrients from side dishes. This makes Koreans prepare kimchi, various
are dishes made through steaming or boiling until only a moderate amount
side dishes, and soup. During the Joseon period, there were rules as to how
of liquid is left. Jorim refers to dishes that are braised or boiled until almost
many side dishes people from each social class could have on the table. The
no liquid remains. Guk is a type of clear soup made by boiling ingredients
nobles had a table with between three and nine side dishes. A meal with 12
with a lot of water. Jjigae is a stew with more solid ingredients and fewer liquid
side dishes was served only to the king. In fact, the actual number of dishes on
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What is the easiest way to understand the names of Korean foods?
155
a table was much larger since sauces, kimchi, and soup were not counted as side dishes. Modern Koreans do not count the number of side dishes, and have soup or stew, kimchi, and several salty side dishes when they have rice. One plus of Korean cuisine is that in restaurants, the side dishes are served and refilled free of charge.
Why do Koreans love to stir-fry leftovers with rice? It is common for Koreans to enjoy rice mixed with the sauce or liquid left after finishing stews, such as gamja tang (pork - on - the - bone soup), or stir-fried dishes, such as ojingeo bokkeum (stir-fried squid). By the same token, they eat naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) or rice with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) after finishing grilled meat or bulgogi Whethere their stomachs are filled or not, Koreans never feel their meal is complete until they have had a bowl of rice or noodles. So, for example, they eat naengmyeon after grilled meat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or rice mixed
157
with the liquid or sauce left after finishing a stew or stir-fried dish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to complete
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156
a meal.
Do Koreans always eat soup or stew when they have a meal? Although Koreans drink alcohol with meals, there was originally no water or beverage on the traditional Korean table; Koreans drank rice water only after finishing a meal. In contrast, Westerners drink wine, water, and beverages while having a meal. So Koreans needed soups, stews and water kimchi as liquids during a meal. Moreover, having a liquid when eating rice is important because Koreans use Japonica rice, which is very sticky. But nowadays, water, tea and sodas, as well as alcoholic beverages, are served in most eateries.
Why do Korean restaurants make their guests cook at the tables? Koreans enjoy eating dishes hot. They prefer steaming rice and hot soup or stew. That is why Koreans use, for example, earthen pots that can keep the temperature for a long time to make stews. Stew in an earthen pot keeps boiling even after it is served to the table. And of course, in Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous barbeque restaurants, the guests cook their own meats on the griddle. Some people say that the custom of cooking at the table was developed to manage restaurants at a lower cost, since it reduces cooking time in the kitchen and allows restaurants to serve more customers. In other words, customers help with the cooking, and the restaurants need less labor. But in Korean barbeque restaurants - as with Swiss fondue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cooking at the table is part of the experience and part of the fun. 158
159 A Journey to delicious Korea
I want to know more about spoons and chopsticks, the Korean tools for eating. Koreans call a set of a spoon and chopsticks sujeo, which is a compound word of sutgarak (spoon) and jeotgarak (chopsticks). Many other Asian countries, including China and Japan, also use chopsticks. However, most other countries use wooden chopsticks and rarely use spoons, whereas Koreans use metal chopsticks and never eat without a spoon. This is because Korean meals include a soup, stew or hot pot. Korean metal spoons have long and flat handles, so that it is easy to scoop up the liquid in a deep bowl. As long as they are properly washed, metal spoons are highly hygienic even after they have been used for a long time. Koreans can easily cut food into pieces or bone fish with their metal spoons and chopsticks. Jeotgal (salted seafood)
Why do Koreans eat a lot of kimchi ?
Why do Korean restaurants have dishes in small, medium, and large sizes on their menus?
Whether eating at home or in a restaurant, kimchi is one side dish that is always
Foods served in small, medium, and large sizes are usually large dishes like gamja
on the table. Kimchi goes well with carbohydrate dishes as the sour taste of kimchi
tang (pork - on - the - bone soup) and maeun tang (spicy seafood stew) that are
activates saliva secretions and its lactic acid bacteria help digestion. In addition,
cooked in a pot. When they are served at the table, individuals help themselves.
the salty and spicy taste makes other dishes taste better. However, baechu kimchi
One pot can be enough for three or four servings depending on how you divide
(napa cabbage kimchi), the most common type, is not the only kimchi Koreans eat
the dishes. If the amount is not enough, those eating order rice or sari, which
throughout the year. There are some 200 kinds of traditional Korean kimchi, and
is rice cake or noodles. Therefore, it is not important how many individual
new types made with western vegetables such as cabbage and tomatoes are being
portions are in the dish.
developed. Traditionally, in the spring and summer, Koreans eat kimchi made with young napa cabbage, young radish leaves, and cucumber and, in the fall and
Why do Koreans put paper napkins under the spoon?
winter, kimchi with radish and napa cabbage.
Unlike western countries where people use a tablecloth, Koreans lay their 160
spoons directly on the table. Upscale restaurants feature spoon rests that prevent in restaurants which donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have spoon rests, people use paper napkins instead. For reasons of etiquette, it is usually the youngest person at the table who lays out the napkins and sets the spoons.
Are there table manners that people should follow? Koreans consider it important to keep good manners when dining with seniors. Younger members of a family wait until the eldest person lifts a spoon to start eating. The same is true for dining out with any group. Also, when drinking with people older than oneself, it is polite to use both hands while pouring and receiving drinks and to slightly turn the bodies away from the senior when drinking alcohol.
Mugeun jijjim (braised pork with Aged Kimchi )
161 A Journey to delicious Korea
the part of the spoon that enters the mouth from touching the table. However,
Common Korean Culinary Terms 31
Excerted from “International Korean Menu Guide 200”
Water Cucumber Sobagi (stuffed cucumber kimchi )
162
한정식 Han - jeongsik (Korean Table d'hote)
with rice and soup. In more modern restaurants, the meal is served in courses, including appetizers, rice as the main dish, various side dishes, and dessert.
163
찌개 Jiggae (Stews)
Jigae (stew) is made with various ingredients, such as meat, fish, clams, tofu, and vegetables. It is thicker than soup (guk or tang) and is served boiling hot. 찜 Jjim (Braised Dishes)
밥 Bap (Cooked Grains)
Bap refers to boild grains, such as rice, barley, and beans. The grains are rinsed, placed in a heavy pot, covered with water, and cooked until the individual kernels absorb moisture without becoming too soft. 국·탕 Guk and Tang (Soup)
Korean soups, called guk or tang, are made with a wide variety of ingredients, including meat, fish, shellfish, seaweed, and vegetables.
Jjim dishes are made by slowly braising or steaming seasoned meat, seafood, or vegetables in a sauce. 조림 Jorim (Glazed Dishes)
Jorim refers to meat, fish, or vegetables seasoned and simmered in a sauce over a low flame until the sauce is reduced to a glaze.
A Journey to delicious Korea
The traditional han - jeongsik is a set meal with a number of side dishes served
Seafood Bossam Kimchi (wrapped kimchi )
볶음 Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Dishes)
Bokkeum refers to meat, seafood, or vegetables seasoned and quickly stir-fried over a high flame. 구이 Gui (Grilled Dishes)
Gui refers to grilled meat, fish, or vegetables. Gui can involve direct or indirect grilling. It also has diverse variations, depending upon the seasonings used, such as salt, gochu-jang (red pepper paste) and soy sauce. 전 Jeon (Pan-Fried Delicacies) Jangajji (pickled vegetables)
Jeon refers to seafood, meat, or vegetables that are thinly sliced or chopped, seasoned and then coated with flour, and pan-fried in egg batter. 164
165
반찬 Banchan (Side Dish)
Kimchi is a uniquely Korean side dish made by washing, draining, salting,
This is a generic term for all side dishes, that are served along with cooked rice.
seasoning, and fermenting vegetables. 떡 Ttoek (Rice Cake) 장·장아찌 Jang and Jangajji (Sauces and Pickles)
Tteok refers to powdered grains that are steamed and molded into various
Jang refers to traditional fermented condiments made with soybean, such as
shapes. It is usually made using regular or sweet rice.
ganjang (soy sauce), doenjang (soybean paste), and gochujang (red pepper paste). Jangajji refers to vegetables pickled and fermented for preservation.
한과 Hangwa (Korean Sweets)
Hangwa refers to traditional sweets made with powdered grains, honey, malt, 젓갈 Jeotgal (Salted Seafood)
and sugar. It is categorized into various types depending upon the ingredients
Jeotgal refers to salted and fermented meat, roe, or entrails of fish and shellfisfh.
and recipes used.
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김치 Kimchi (Fermented Vegetables)
밥 [BAP]Cooked Grains
죽 [JUK]Porridge
김밥 〔Gimbap 〕
잣죽 〔 Jatjuk 〕
김치볶음밥 〔Kimchi - bokkeum - bap 〕
전복죽 〔 Jeonbok - juk 〕
누룽지 〔Nurungji 〕
팥죽 〔Patjuk 〕
Rice Roll in Seaweed / キンパプ / 紫菜卷饭
Kimchi Fried Rice / キムチチャーハン / 辣白菜炒饭 Scorched Rice / おこげ湯 /锅巴粥
돌솥비빔밥 〔Dolsot - bibimbap 〕
Hot Stone Pot Mixed Rice / 石焼きビビンバ / 石锅拌饭
밥 〔Bap 〕 166
Pine Nut Porridge / 松の実粥 / 松仁粥 Abalone Rice Porridge / アワビ粥 / 鲍鱼粥 Red Bean Porridge / 小豆粥 / 红豆粥
호박죽 〔Hobak - juk 〕
Pumpkin Porridge / カボｧチャ粥 /南瓜粥
면 [MYEON]Noodles & Dumplings
비빔밥 〔Bibimbap 〕
막국수 〔Mak - guksu 〕
순댓국밥 〔Sundae - gukbap 〕
만두 〔Mandu 〕
쌈밥 〔Ssambap 〕
물냉면 〔Mul - naengmyeon 〕
잡곡밥 〔Japgok - bap 〕
비빔국수 〔Bibim - guksu 〕
콩나물국밥 〔Kong - namul - gukbap 〕
비빔냉면 〔Bibim - naengmyeon 〕
Mixed Rice / ビビンバ / 拌饭 Korean Sausage and Rice Soup / 豚の腸詰めクッパ / 血肠汤饭 Leaf Wraps and Rice / 野菜包みご飯 / 蔬菜包饭 Multi-grain Rice / 雑穀ご飯 / 杂粮饭 Bean Sprout and Rice / 豆もやしクッパ / 豆芽汤饭
Buckwheat Noodles / 混ぜそば / 荞麦凉面 Dumplings / 餃子 / 饺子 Cold Buckwheat Noodles / 水冷麺 / 冷面 Spicy Noodles / 混ぜ素麺 / 拌面 Spicy Buckwheat Noodles / 混ぜ冷麺 / 拌冷面
167 A Journey to delicious Korea
Rice / ご飯 / 米饭
잔치국수 〔 Janchi - guksu 〕
미역국 〔Miyeok - guk 〕
Banquet Noodles / にゅうめん / 喜面
Seaweed Soup / ワカメスープ / 海带汤
칼국수 〔Kal - guksu 〕
삼계탕 〔Samgye - tang 〕
콩국수 〔Kong - guksu 〕
설렁탕 〔Seolleongtang 〕
Noodle Soup / きしめん / 刀切面 Noodles in Cold Soybean Soup / 豆乳素麺 / 豆汁面
Ginseng Chicken Soup / サムゲタン / 参鸡汤 Ox Bone Soup / ソルロンタン / 先农汤
육개장 〔Yukgaejang 〕
국·탕 [GUK·TANG]Soups
Spicy Beef Soup / ユッケジャン / 香辣牛肉汤
갈비탕 〔Galbi - tang 〕
해물탕 〔Haemul - tang 〕
Short Rib Soup / カルビタン / 牛排骨汤 168
감자탕 〔Gamja - tang 〕
Spicy Seafood Stew / 海鮮鍋 / 海鲜汤
찌개 [JJIGAE]Stews
곰탕 〔Gomtang 〕
김치찌개 〔Kimchi - jjigae 〕
Beef Bone Soup / コムタン / 精熬牛骨汤
Kimchi Stew / キムチチゲ / 泡菜汤
된장국 〔Doenjang - guk 〕
된장찌개 〔Doenjang - jjigae 〕
Soybean Paste Soup / テンジャンクク / 大酱清汤
떡국 〔Tteokguk 〕
Soybean Paste Stew / テンジャンチゲ / 大酱汤
부대찌개 〔Budae - jjigae 〕
Sliced Rice Cake Soup / トックク / 年糕汤
Sausage Stew / プデチゲ / 火腿肠锅
만둣국 〔Mandu - guk 〕
순두부찌개 〔Sundubu - jjigae 〕
Dumpling Soup / 餃子スープ / 饺子汤
매운탕 〔Maeun - tang 〕
Spicy Fish Stew / 魚の辛味スープ / 鲜辣鱼汤
Soft Tofu Stew / スンドゥブチゲ / 嫩豆腐锅
169 A Journey to delicious Korea
Pork Back-bone Stew / カムジャタン / 脊骨土豆汤
전골 [JEONGOL]Hot Pots 곱창전골 〔Gopchang - jeongol 〕
Beef Tripe Hot Pot / コプチャンの寄せ鍋 / 肥肠火锅
두부전골 〔Dubu - jeongol 〕
Tofu Hot Pot / 豆腐の寄せ鍋 / 豆腐火锅
만두전골 〔Mandu - jeongol 〕
Dumpling Hot Pot / 餃子の寄せ鍋 / 饺子火锅
버섯전골 〔Beoseot - jeongol 〕
Mushroom Hot Pot / きのこの寄せ鍋 / 蘑菇火锅
닭볶음탕 〔Dak - bokkeum - tang 〕
Spicy Braised Chicken / 鶏肉の炒め煮 / 辣炖鸡块
수육 〔Suyuk 〕
Boiled Beef or Pork Slices / ゆで肉 / 白切肉
순대 〔Sundae 〕
Korean Sausage / 豚の腸詰め / 血肠
족발 〔 Jokbal 〕
Pigs’Feet / 豚足 / 酱猪蹄
해물찜 〔Haemul - jjim 〕
Spicy Braised Seafood / 海鮮の蒸し物 / 辣炖海鲜
신선로 〔Sinseollo 〕 170
Royal Hot Pot / 宮中鍋 / 神仙炉
갈치조림 〔Galchi - jorim 〕
Braised Hairtail / 太刀魚の煮付け / 辣炖带鱼
감자조림 〔Gamja - jorim 〕
Soy Sauce Braised Potatoes / じゃがいもの煮付け / 酱土豆
찜 [JJIM]Braised Dishs
고등어조림 〔Godeungeo - jorim 〕
Braised Mackerel / サバの煮付け / 炖青花鱼
갈비찜 〔Galbi - jjim 〕
두부조림 〔Dubu - jorim 〕
계란찜 〔Gyeran - jjim 〕
장조림 〔 Jang - jorim 〕
Braised Short Ribs / カルビの蒸し物 / 炖牛排骨 Steamed Eggs / 茶碗蒸し / 鸡蛋羹
Braised Tofu / 豆腐の煮付け / 烧豆腐 Soy Sauce Braised Beef / 肉の煮付け / 酱牛肉
171 A Journey to delicious Korea
조림 [JORIM]Glazed Dishes
볶음 [BOKKEUM]Stir-Fried Dishes 궁중떡볶이 〔Gungjung - tteok - bokki 〕
Royal Stir-fried Rice Cake / 宮中トッポッキ / 宫廷炒年糕
낙지볶음 〔Nakji - bokkeum 〕
Stir-fried Octopus / テナガダコ炒め / 辣炒章鱼
떡볶이 〔Tteok - bokki 〕
Stir-fried Rice Cake / トッポッキ / 辣炒年糕
오징어볶음 〔Ojingeo - bokkeum 〕
Stir-fried Squid / イカ炒め / 辣炒鱿鱼
제육볶음 〔 Jeyuk-bokkeum 〕 172
Stir-fried Pork / 豚肉炒め / 辣炒猪肉
고등어구이 〔Godeungeo - gui 〕
Grilled Mackerel / サバの塩焼き / 烤青花鱼
곱창구이 〔Gopchang - gui 〕
Grilled Beef or Pork Tripe / コプチャン焼き / 烤肥肠
너비아니 〔Neobiani 〕
Marinated Grilled Beef Slices / 宮中焼き肉 / 宫廷烤牛肉
닭갈비 〔Dak - galbi 〕
Spicy Stir-fried Chicken / タッカルビ / 铁板鸡
Grilled Spareribs / 豚カルビ焼き / 烤猪排
떡갈비 〔Tteok - galbi 〕
Grilled Short Rib Patties / 粗挽きカルビ焼き / 牛肉饼
불고기 〔Bulgogi 〕
Bulgogi / プルゴギ / 烤牛肉
삼겹살 〔Samgyeopsal 〕
Grilled Pork Belly / サムギョプサル / 烤五花肉
생선구이 〔Saengseon - gui 〕 Grilled Fish / 焼き魚 / 烤鱼
소갈비구이 〔So - galbi - gui 〕
Grilled Beef Ribs / 牛カルビ焼き / 烤牛排
장어구이 〔Jangeo - gui 〕
Grilled Eel / ウナギ焼き / 烤鳗鱼
황태구이 〔Hwangtae - gui 〕
Grilled Dried Pollack / スケトウダラ焼き / 烤干明太鱼
173 A Journey to delicious Korea
구이 [GUI]Grilled Dishes
돼지갈비구이 〔Dwaeji - galbi - gui 〕
전 [JEON]Pan-Fried delicacies
회 [HWE]Raw Dishes
감자전 〔Gamja - jeon 〕
생선회 〔Saengseon - hwe 〕
Potato Pancakes / じゃがいものチヂミ / 土豆煎饼
Sliced Raw Fish / 刺身 / 生鱼片
계란말이 〔Gyeran - mari 〕
육회 〔Yukhwe 〕
Rolled Omelette / 卵焼き / 鸡蛋卷
Korean Beef Tartare / ユッケ / 生拌牛肉
김치전 〔Kimchi - jeon 〕
Kimchi Pancake / キムチのチヂミ / 辣白菜煎饼
김치 [KIMCHI]Fermented Vegetables
녹두전 〔Nokdu - jeon 〕
겉절이 〔Geot - jeori 〕
Mung Bean Pancake / 緑豆のチヂミ / 绿豆煎饼
부각 〔Bugak 〕 174
Vegetable and Seaweed Chips / 海藻・野菜のパリパリ揚げ / 干炸片 Mung Bean Pancake / ピンデトク / 绿豆煎饼
생선전 〔Saengseon - jeon 〕
Pan-Fried Fish Fillet / 白身魚のチヂミ / 鲜鱼煎饼
해물파전 〔Haemul - pajeon 〕
Seafood and Green Onion Pancake / 海鮮とねぎのチヂミ / 海鲜葱煎饼
깍두기 〔Kkakdugi 〕
Diced Radish Kimchi / カクトゥギ / 萝卜块泡菜
나박김치 〔Nabak - kimchi 〕
Water Kimchi / 大根と白菜の水キムチ / 萝卜片水泡菜
동치미 〔Dongchimi 〕
Radish Water Kimchi / 大根の水キムチ / 水萝卜泡菜
배추김치 〔Baechu - kimchi 〕
Kimchi / 白菜キムチ / 辣白菜
백김치 〔Baek - kimchi 〕
White Kimchi / 白キムチ / 白泡菜
보쌈김치 〔Bossam - kimchi 〕
Wrapped Kimchi / ポサムキムチ / 包卷泡菜
175 A Journey to delicious Korea
빈대떡 〔Bindae - tteok 〕
Fresh Kimchi / 浅漬けキムチ / 鲜辣白菜
열무김치 〔Yeolmu - kimchi 〕
Young Summer Radish Kimchi / 大根若菜キムチ / 小萝卜泡菜
오이소박이 〔Oi - so - bagi 〕
Cucumber Kimchi / キュウリキムチ / 黄瓜泡菜
총각김치 〔Chonggak - kimchi 〕
Whole Radish Kimchi / ミニ大根キムチ / 嫩萝卜泡菜
반찬 [BANCHAN]Side Dish 구절판 〔Gujeol - pan 〕
Platter of Nine Delicacies / クジョルパン / 九折坂
김 〔Gim 〕
Laver / のり / 海苔
나물 〔Namul 〕
장·장아찌 [JANG·JANGAJJI]Sauces and Pickles
Seasoned Vegetables / ナムル / 素菜
잡채 〔 Japchae 〕
간장 〔Ganjang 〕
Soy Sauce / カンジャン / 酱油 176
Stir-fried Glass Noodles and Vegetables / チャプチェ / 什锦炒菜
젓갈 〔 Jeotgal 〕
Salted Seafood / 塩辛 / 鱼虾酱
된장 〔Doenjang 〕
떡 [TTEOK]Rice cake
Red Chili Paste / コチュジャン / 辣椒酱 Soybean Paste / テンジャン / 大酱
양념게장 〔Yangnyeom - gejang 〕
Spicy Marinated Crab / 味付けケジャン / 鲜辣蟹
장아찌 〔 Jangajji 〕
Pickled Vegetables / 漬物 / 酱菜
경단 〔Gyeongdan 〕
Sweet Rice Balls / 団子 / 琼团
백설기 〔Baek-seolgi 〕
Snow White Rice Cake / 蒸し餅 / 白米蒸糕
송편 〔Songpyeon 〕
Half-moon Rice Cake / 松葉餅 / 松年糕
약식 〔Yaksik 〕
Sweet Rice with Nuts and Jujubes / おこわ / 韩式八宝饭
177 A Journey to delicious Korea
고추장 〔Gochu - jang 〕
한과 [HANGWA]Korean Sweets 강정 〔Gangjeong 〕
Sweet Rice Puffs / おこし / 江米块
다식 〔Dasik 〕
Tea Confectionery / らくがん / 茶食
약과 〔Yakgwa 〕
Honey Cookie / 薬菓 / 药果(蜜油饼)
음청류 [EUMCHEONG -RYU]Non-alcoholic beverages 매실차 〔Maesil - cha 〕 178
수정과 〔Sujeonggwa 〕
Cinnamon Punch / スジョング / 水正果(生姜桂皮茶)
식혜 〔Sikhye 〕
Sweet Rice Punch / シケ / 甜米露
오미자화채 〔Omija - hwachae 〕
Omija Punch / 五味子ポンチ / 五味子甜茶
유자차 〔Yuja - cha 〕
Citrus Tea / 柚子茶 / 柚子茶
179 A Journey to delicious Korea
Green Plum Tea / 梅茶 / 青梅茶
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A Journey To Delicious Korea DATE December 2015 PUBLISHER Korean Food Foundation ADDRESS 06774, #1302, aT Canter 27, Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Republic of Korea TELEPHONE 82-2-6300-2063 WEBPAGE www.hansik.org PLANNING Sookmyung Women's University, Korean Food Institute. WEBPAGE www.smkf.or.kr EDITOR Lee Myung-ah (FIECOM) WRITER Jeong Hee Sun, Lee Myung-ah, Seo Mo Ran ADVISOR Jeon Hee-jeong (Sookmyung Women's University, Korean Food Institute) DESIGNER Noh Sang-yong (designrak) ENGLISH EDITOR Andrew Salmon PHOTOGRAPHERS Choi Hae-sung, Lee Dong-choon
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