Korean Food Culture and Others

Royal Cuisine -Royal meal and royal table setting for celebratory occasions

2010-06-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

What did kings in the Chosun Dynasty normally eat?

Meals prepared for kings are specifically called Sura, and a table set with Sura is called Surasang (sang means a dining table in Korean).
Sura is not a word of Korean origin. It is a Mongolian term that was introduced in the late Goryeo Dynasty when Goryeo was the country of the Mongolian king's son-in-law. Surasang was served twice a day: at ten o'clock in the morning and at five o'clock in the evening. A light snack was served around two o'clock in the afternoon rather than lunch. Early in the morning, a bowl of porridge was served, and it was called Chojoban (early breakfast).

King Gojong, who reigned in the late Joseon Dynasty from 1863-1907, did not drink any alcoholic beverages. Instead, he enjoyed ciders and Sikhye (a sweet rice drink) as a light snack before going to bed. In winter, he enjoyed Seolleongtang (beef broth with rice) and warm noodles. He especially liked noodles but since he didn't like spicy and salty foods, the cold noodles enjoyed by King Gojong were adorned with slices of boiled beef on top and slices of pear and pine nuts sprinkled around it. Pears were not sliced with a knife but shaved into thin slivers with a spoon. Rather than using beef broth, the noodles were added to water Kimchi prepared with a lot of pears in it, which made the noodles taste especially sweet and refreshing.

King Sunjong, who reigned from 1907-1910, didn't have strong teeth or a strong stomach,
which dampened his appetite.
King Sunjong enjoyed foods that were soft and not salty such as chadoljorigae (boiled-down meat balls) or Hwangbokkkitang (soup prepared with diced beef). The Kkakdugi (a type of Kimchi made with radish) favored by King Sunjong was sukkkakdugi, which is prepared with boiled radish.

Members of royal families did not share a table. Should there be two people dining together, they were served at separate tables and sat side by side. Three tables were prepared for each person: wonban, sowanban and chaeksangban.
At a meal prepared for a king, twelve different side dishes were served. However, the number of dishes actually placed on a table was much more. Additional dishes included two types of cooked rice (plain rice and rice mixed with red beans), two types of soups, three types of Kimchi (cabbage Kimchi, Kkakdugi and water Kimchi), two types of stew (bean paste stew and salted fish stew), three types of Jang (soy sauce, seasoned soy sauce and seasoned chili paste) and one steamed dish. In principle, the ingredients and cooking methods should not overlap among dishes prepared for Surasang.

The twelve side dishes, served on small plates, consisted of nine different dishes (cooked vegetables, fresh vegetables, chilled roasted meat or fish, boiled-down food, pickled vegetables, dried meat or fish, salted fish, pan-fried vegetables, and slices of boiled beef) and three special side dishes (poached eggs, sashimi, and warm roasted meat or fish).
The Surasang of today has been handed down orally by royal servants and royal descendents of the late Joseon Dynasty; therefore, it may not be representative of the entire Joseon Period.
Literature on daily foods enjoyed in the royal court is much scarcer than that on banquet foods. The only literature that elaborates on royal daily foods is Wonhangeulmyojeongriuigwe (a record of protocols) (1795). According to its records, there were meals prepared with only seven or ten side dishes.

Taking an interest in citizens while within the royal court - the greater meaning of Surasang

Preparing all these sumptuous foods for a single person in the royal court may appear absurd and wasteful; however, there was special meaning behind a meal prepared for a king. People would harvest crops, catch fish or hunt animals and present to their king only the finest quality foods appropriate for the current season.
The foods presented reflected the hard efforts of the people as well as their living conditions at the time. Therefore, when these foods were cooked and presented to the king, he was able to grasp the lives of his people and the seasonal conditions without roaming all over the nation.

Months of preparations for royal banquets

Being extravagant events, a large workforce had to be mobilized for royal banquets. Such banquets were held on special occasions such as sixtieth birthdays, fortieth birthdays, fiftieth birthdays, 41st birthdays and 51st birthdays of kings, queens or queen mothers, the bestowing of a new title, a king's admission to giroso (a home for the elderly), the formal designation of a crown prince, weddings, and receptions for foreign envoys. Banquets were categorized into Jinyeon, jinchan, jinjak and sujak.
Once a royal sanction was obtained, a temporary office called jinyeondogam (an office for a royal banquet) was set up. The office would discuss procedures, purchase the required goods, and prepare activities, dancing and singing performances and foods for a banquet. These preparations took months. A daeryeongsuksu, a male cook specializing in banquet foods, would be invited to prepare the foods.

Banquet foods in periods after the mid-Joseon Dynasty are described in detail in jinchanuigwe (records of protocols for jinchan), Jinyeonuigwe (records of protocols for jinyeon), deungrok (records of earlier events), and menus. Currently, 27 different records of protocols and deungrok from the Joseon Dynasty have been preserved.

Records of protocols for royal courts include a section on dishes served at the banquet, which describes the number of banquets held, the number and types of dishes served, and the number and types of flowers placed at the tables. Below the name of each dish, every ingredient and the amount used in cooking are documented in small lettering. These records of banquets also elaborate on all the items required for a banquet (lights, umbrellas, folding screens, floor cushions, tables, drinking cups, tablecloths, boxes for valuables, lanterns, vases, bamboo blinds, a thank you letter, etc.), musical instruments, dances, music and ceremonies.

At the center of a table placed before the king, tall piles of foods were stacked and their tops decorated extravagantly with flowers. This was called Sangwha. The flowers used to adorn the foods were all made of paper. In royal courts, menus were called Changan (proposed foods) or Chanpumdanja (a list of dishes). Chanpumdanja was a scroll on which items or dishes served at a meal, whether a banquet or an everyday meal, were recorded. This was equivalent to a menu in the Western world, gondate in Japan, and chaidan in

China

Details described in the records of banquet protocols or images of banquets drawn on folding screens (jinyeondo) are very helpful in learning about the foods served at royal banquets. Thanks to these remains, the splendid and sumptuous royal banquets of the Joseon Dynasty can be replica

Reference Guide to Name of Korean Food

2010-06-08T01:55:00.001-07:00

There is an official guidance from Korean Government to uniform English notation of Korean. Following table shows examples of most popular food items you can find on Korean restaurant menu. Reference Guide to Name of Korean Food

English	Korean	Description
Altang	알탕	Spicy roe soup
Bindaetteok	빈대떡	Mung bean pancake
Bossam	보쌈	Boiled and sliced pork or beef served with spicy cabbage leaves to wrap into morsels
Chamchihoe	참치회	Sliced raw tuna
Cheolpan gui	철판구이	Broiled beef, seafood & vegetables
Chueotang	추어탕	Mudfish soup
Daegutang	대구탕	Codfish soup
Dakgalbi	닭갈비	Broiled spicy chicken and vegetables
Dolsot bibimbap	돌솥비빔밥	Steamed rice mixed vegetable and egg (sometimes beef) with chili paste in a hot stone pot
Dolsot yeongyangbap	돌솥영양밥	Boiled rice with nutritious ingredients (vegetable and herbs) served in a hot stone pot
Dom gui	돔구이	Broiled sea bream
Dotorimuk	도토리묵	Acorn jelly
Galbitang	갈비탕	Beef rib soup
Gamja buchim	감자부침	Potato pancake
Gopchang jeongol	곱창전골	Tripe casserole
Guksu jeongol	국수전골	Noodle casserole
Hanjeongsik	한정식	Korean table d'hOte
Hobakjuk	호박죽	Pumpkin porridge
Hoedeopbap	회덮밥	Diced raw fish with mixed vegetables served on a bed of steamed rice
Jeonbokjuk	전복죽	Abalone porridge
Jogi maeuntang	조기매운탕	Spicy croaker soup
Kimchi jjigae	김치찌개	Kimchi stew
Kkori gomtang	꼬리곰탕	Ox tail soup
Kkotgetang	꽃게탕	Blue crab soup (spicy)
Maeuntang	매운탕	Spicy and hot fish and vegetable soup
Memil makguksu	메밀막국수	Cold buckwheat noodle
Modeum hoe	모듬회	Assorted raw fish
Nakji jeongol	낙지전골	Small octopus soup (spicy)
Ojingeo sundae	오징어순대	Tofu, egg, sesame, chili and vegetable wrapped with 1cm-wide pieces of steamed squid
Roseupyeonchae	로스편채	Sirloin strips
Saengseon chobap	생선초밥	Vinegared steamed rice balls with raw fish topping
Saeu twigim	새우튀김	Deep-fried shrimp
Sanchae jeongsik	산채정식	Mountain vegetable table d'hOte
Seolleongtang	설렁탕	Beef soup served with rice
Sundubu	순두부	Soft tofu
Suyuk	수육	Steamed beef or pork slices
Yukgaejang	육개장	Spicy beef soup

Korean Table Manner

2010-06-08T01:54:00.001-07:00

Korean Table Manner

When have a meal with the elderly, wait for the elders to hold their spoon first. Do not hold the spoon and chopsticks together in one hand.

When using chopsticks, the spoon is rested on the table.

Spoon and chopsticks are not rested on any bowl or dish.

Do not hold the rice bowl or soup bowl in the hand.

At first, taste soup or Kimchi Juice, and then try rice or other dishes.

Use spoon for rice and foods with liquid such as Kimchi, stew, or soup; use chopsticks for other foods.

Do not make noises while eating and using spoon or chopsticks.

Do not rummage rice or side dishes with spoon, and do not pick out what you don't like or shake off seasonings.

Do not leave any trace of foods on spoon while eating. Pour Sung-Nyung (숭늉, boiled water in the rice cooker or scorched-rice tea) into the rice bowl, and drink it at the end.

Use individual plate for foods served for a crowd, and also for sauces such as soy & vinegar sauce or sweet & sour hot pepper soybean paste.

During a meal, uneatable parts such as bones or fish bones are quietly discarded by wrapping them in a paper. Do not put them on the table or floor.

When cough or sneeze during a meal, cover the mouth with hand or napkin.

Try to keep pace with others by eating not too fast or too slow. When having a meal with the elderly, wait for them to put the spoon and chopsticks on the table at the end of the meal.

After a meal, put spoon and chopsticks on the spot where they were placed first and put used napkins on the table as it is.

When using a toothpick, cover mouth with hand.

When Serve Korean Foods to Foreigner

Table setting for foreigners is not much different from that for Koreans.

First, decide the type of the table.

Traditional meal table is either square or round.

Depend on the number of people eating, it is divided into a table for one, a table for two, a table for three, a table for four, and dureban or gyojasang (big table) for more than four people.

Food will be served according to the traditional Korean way. However, for foreigners are more accustomed to sitting on chairs than on the floor, serving food on a tall table with chairs will make them feel more comfortable, especially when there are more than four people.

Table cloths, table mats, spoon holders, spoons, forks, knives, napkins, water glasses, liquor glasses, and other utensils such as scissors for cutting foods or dish cloths for wiping tables should be always kept clean. Cleanliness is as important as the taste of the food.

Tablecloths and Tablemats

Traditional Korean table does not need a tablecloth or table-mats. These days, however, tablecloths and table-mats are widely used under the influence of western table-setting. Using tablecloths and table-mats for individual guests are recommended, especially to restaurants, for sanitary and other reasons.

White is the best and most widely used color for tablecloth. In some cases, a colored square cloth is placed on the white tablecloth to enliven the atmosphere and to prevent the cloth from being soiled easily. Tablecloth is usually hung about 30 cm below the table so that it does not touch the knees. It should be shorter when sitting on a cushion on the floor.

If a tablecloth is not used to cover the whole table, it is recommended to use table-mats or at least paper-mats for individual guests. Then, without spoon and chopstick holders, the table looks cleaner and more orderly.

In general, the size of a table-mat should be big enough to hold an individual plate, spoon and chopsticks, knives, and a water glass. Usually, the size of a table-mat is 30x45 cm, with rectangular or oval shape. Some restaurants use table-mats on which their name, menu, or patterns are printed. Plain white paper-mat is also used.

Spoon and Chopstick Holders

Spoon and chopstick holders are made from a variety of materials such as porcelain, wood, or silver. Regardless of the material, inexpensive ones with simple shape will do their function. Spoon and chopstick holders add to the elegance of the table when they are properly set on the tablecloth.

Spoon, Chopstick, and Forks

People from China, Japan, or countries in Southeast Asia are accustomed to using chopsticks. When serving them, spoon and chopsticks are placed as they are for Koreans. For those who do not use chopsticks, it is better to place the knife and fork along with the spoon. The knife is placed on the left side of the spoon. Put the fork on the left side of a plate, so that it can be appropriately used by the left hand.

Napkins

There is a wide variety in the kind and size of napkins. Ones made of the same cloth as the tablecloth, with a diagonal size of 50-60cm, will be the best choice. However, for reasons of convenience, most restaurants use paper napkins. The size of paper napkins should be at least 30cm diagonally. Smaller ones are for tea tables or refreshment tables.

Water Glasses and Liquor Glasses

For water glasses, ones made of porcelain are recommended. In general, cold drinking water is served before the food. When the guests are from China or Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, hot water is served along with cold one for they drink hot water all the year round.

When serving alcoholic beverages, glassware or crystal glassware is placed. When serving rice wine or Korean traditional folk liquor to foreigners, porcelain-ware are prepared.

Food-cutting Scissors and Dish Cloths

Dishcloths for wiping off tables should be white, clean, and neatly trimmed around the edges. If a dishcloth is not clean, appetite will be spoiled no matter how good the food is.

To see sharp-pointed scissors cutting noodles or meats can also scare off the appetite. Among the things foreigners have cited as bad experiences in Korean restaurants are the shape of scissors and the sanitation problems. These need to be corrected. It would be better to use scissors made of stainless steel with blunted tips.

When Serve Korean Foods to Foreigner

2010-06-08T01:52:00.000-07:00

Table setting for foreigners is not much different from that for Koreans.

First, decide the type of the table.
Traditional meal table is either square or round.
Depend on the number of people eating, it is divided into a table for one, a table for two, a table for three, a table for four, and dureban or gyojasang (big table) for more than four people.

Food will be served according to the traditional Korean way. However, for foreigners are more accustomed to sitting on chairs than on the floor, serving food on a tall table with chairs will make them feel more comfortable, especially when there are more than four people.

Table cloths, table mats, spoon holders, spoons, forks, knives, napkins, water glasses, liquor glasses, and other utensils such as scissors for cutting foods or dish cloths for wiping tables should be always kept clean. Cleanliness is as important as the taste of the food.

Tablecloths and Tablemats

Traditional Korean table does not need a tablecloth or table-mats. These days, however, tablecloths and table-mats are widely used under the influence of western table-setting. Using tablecloths and table-mats for individual guests are recommended, especially to restaurants, for sanitary and other reasons.

White is the best and most widely used color for tablecloth. In some cases, a colored square cloth is placed on the white tablecloth to enliven the atmosphere and to prevent the cloth from being soiled easily. Tablecloth is usually hung about 30 cm below the table so that it does not touch the knees. It should be shorter when sitting on a cushion on the floor.

If a tablecloth is not used to cover the whole table, it is recommended to use table-mats or at least paper-mats for individual guests. Then, without spoon and chopstick holders, the table looks cleaner and more orderly.

In general, the size of a table-mat should be big enough to hold an individual plate, spoon and chopsticks, knives, and a water glass. Usually, the size of a table-mat is 30x45 cm, with rectangular or oval shape. Some restaurants use table-mats on which their name, menu, or patterns are printed. Plain white paper-mat is also used.

Spoon and Chopstick Holders

Spoon and chopstick holders are made from a variety of materials such as porcelain, wood, or silver. Regardless of the material, inexpensive ones with simple shape will do their function. Spoon and chopstick holders add to the elegance of the table when they are properly set on the tablecloth.

Spoon, Chopstick, and Forks

People from China, Japan, or countries in Southeast Asia are accustomed to using chopsticks. When serving them, spoon and chopsticks are placed as they are for Koreans. For those who do not use chopsticks, it is better to place the knife and fork along with the spoon. The knife is placed on the left side of the spoon. Put the fork on the left side of a plate, so that it can be appropriately used by the left hand.

Napkins

There is a wide variety in the kind and size of napkins. Ones made of the same cloth as the tablecloth, with a diagonal size of 50-60cm, will be the best choice. However, for reasons of convenience, most restaurants use paper napkins. The size of paper napkins should be at least 30cm diagonally. Smaller ones are for tea tables or refreshment tables.

Water Glasses and Liquor Glasses

For water glasses, ones made of porcelain are recommended. In general, cold drinking water is served before the food. When the guests are from China or Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, hot water is served along with cold one for they drink hot water all the year round.

When serving alcoholic beverages, glassware or crystal glassware is placed. When serving rice wine or Korean traditional folk liquor to foreigners, porcelain-ware are prepared.

Food-cutting Scissors and Dish Cloths

Dishcloths for wiping off tables should be white, clean, and neatly trimmed around the edges. If a dishcloth is not clean, appetite will be spoiled no matter how good the food is.

To see sharp-pointed scissors cutting noodles or meats can also scare off the appetite. Among the things foreigners have cited as bad experiences in Korean restaurants are the shape of scissors and the sanitation problems. These need to be corrected. It would be better to use scissors made of stainless steel with blunted tips.

Korean Food Culture: 3) Special Food for Seasonal Occasions

2010-06-07T16:06:00.001-07:00

Foods enjoyed on festive days and in particular seasons

Foods for special occasions include festive foods that were enjoyed on holidays in particular months and seasonal dishes prepared with foods produced in the current season. Throughout the year, Korean ancestors prepared different foods for each holiday and enjoyed fresh foods grown in the spring, summer, fall and winter.

Days with odd-numbered dates falling in the same-numbered month were considered festive days. These include Danil (Jan. 1), Dansam (Mar. 3), Dano (May 5), Chilseok (July 7) and Junggu (Sept. 9) in the lunar calendar. Today, New Year's Day, Daeboreum (Jan. 15th according to the lunar calendar), Hansik ("cold food" day, the 105th day after the winter solstice), Dano, Sambok (the hottest period of summer), Chuseok (Thanksgiving Day), and Dongji (winter solstice) are observed as meaningful customs, and we renew their meaning each year.
On New Year's Day, all Koreans start the day with Tteokguk (sliced rice cake soup), and wish for health, happiness and good luck. On Daeboreum, we eat Ogokbap (boiled rice mixed with five grains), dried vegetables and nuts and ask for a successful year filled with vigor and good health. On Chuseok, we thank our ancestors for the joy of the harvest and fruit-bearing. We share our pleasure with others by preparing and sharing various dishes cooked with freshly harvested produce. On Dongji, we cook red bean porridge to ward off bad luck.
Similar seasonal foods were enjoyed by both royals and commoners and throughout different regions. Festive days in Korea are mostly seasonal customs related to monthly farming events. The seasonal customs of the ChoSun Dynasty are described in detail in books such as Dongguk Sesigi, Kyeongdo Japji and Yeolyang Sesigi.

Festive foods and seasonal foods

	Holidays and divisions of the year	Various foods
Jan	New Year's Day	Tteokguk (sliced rice cake soup), dumpling, slices of boiled meat, pan-fried dishes, raw beef, Neureumjeok (beef and vegetable skewer), Tteokjjim (rice dumpling stew), Japchae (glutinous noodles mixed with stir-fried vegetables), cabbage Kimchi, Jang Kimchi (Kimchi pickled in soy sauce), Yaksik (sweet rice cake), Jeonggwa (fruit jam), Gangjeong (fried grains mixed with honey), Sikhye (sweet drink made of rice), Sujeonggwa (fruit punch)
Jan	Daeboreum	Boiled rice with five grains, dried laver, nine kinds of seasoned vegetables, Yaksik, Yumilgwa (oil and honey pastry), Wonso Byeong (rice cake balls), nuts, Nabak Kimchi (water Kimchi)
Feb	Junghwa	Rice wine, fresh fruits, beef jerky, Jeolpyeon (thin, plain rice cake), Yumilgwa
Mar	Samjit	Rice wine, fresh fruits (chestnuts, jujubes, dried persimmons), dried beef/fish, Jeolpyeon, Yumilgwa
Apr	Chopail (Buddha's birthday)	Neutitteok (rice cake), Ssuktteok (rice cake), yangsaek Juak (pan-fried rice cake in two colors), fresh fruit, fruit punch, anchovy or sea bream sashimi, dropwort rolls, steamed sea bream
May	Dano (May 5th)	Jeungpyeon (fermented rice cake), Surichitteok (rice cake), fresh fruit, cherry cake, cherry punch, Jehotang (sweet soft drink), herring dumplings, herring soup
Jun	Yudu (June 15th)	Cold dumplings, sesame soup, fish dumplings, Eochae (cooked fish), Gujeolpan (flour wraps with nine different toppings), Milssam (flour wraps), fresh fruit, Hwajeon (pan-fried dough topped with petals of balsam, persimmon flower and cockscomb), Korean bramble punch, barley Sudan (sweet cake), Tteok Sudan (sweet cake)
Jul	Chilseok (July 7th)	Sesame rice cake, Baekseolgi (white rice cake), Juak (pan-fried rice cake), Guasang (steamed dumpling), tteokguk, sesame soup, chicken soup, Eochae, fresh fruit (yellow melon), Yeolmu Kimchi
	Sambok	Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), roasted carp, cucumber Kimchi, Jeungpyeon, peach punch, Gujang, blowfish porridge
Aug	Hangawi (August 15th)	Torantang (taro soup), steamed chicken, mushroom skewers, Japchae, freshly harvested rice, dried laver, seasoned vegetables, fresh fruit, Songpyeon (rice cake), chestnut Danja (chestnut balls), pear punch, Baesuk (seasoned pear)
Sep	Jungyang (Sep. 9th)	Gamgukjeon (pan-fried dough with chrysanthemum petals), chestnut Danja, fruit punch (citron, pear), fresh fruit, chrysanthemum wine
Oct	Muo	Musirutteok (rice cake mixed with radish), Gamgukjeon, Muobyeong (rice cake), citron punch, fresh fruit
Nov	Dongji	Red bean porridge, Dongchimi (water Kimchi), fresh fruit, gyeongdan (rice cake balls), Sujeonggwa, Jeonyak (herbs mixed with honey)
Dec	Geumeum (last day of month)	Golmubyeong (rice cake), Juak, Jeonggwa, various fruits, Sikhye, Sujeonggwa, tteokguk, dumplings, Goldongban (rice mixed with vegetables), Wanjatang (meatball soup), various stews, Jang Kimchi

Spring Foods

Tangpyeongchae, enjoyed in late spring, is a mix of green bean jelly, pork, dropwort and dried laver seasoned with soy sauce and vinegar. Tangpyeong means maintaining one's balance. King Yeongjo allegedly created Tangpyeongchae out of a strong desire for balance among parties.
Suran, soft-boiled eggs, tastes very good when dipped lightly in soy sauce seasoned with vinegar.
Jogiguk is a soup made with short-necked clams and croakers.
Hadon means blowfish. A bowl of soup cooked with blowfish and dropwort and seasoned with oil and soy sauce tastes excellent when it is prepared before the peach flowers wither.
Domijjim (steamed sea bream) was prepared at the time when the fish were at their most flavorful. It was also called seunggiaktang, which means the dish was so delicious that it was more enjoyable than a party with the gisaengs (Korea's Geishas).

Seoyeojeungsik consists of steamed hemp dipped in honey. It is served on a plate with fresh fruit.
Various types of rice cakes are prepared. In the book Dongguk Sesigi, rice cake dough is rolled into small balls, stuffed with red bean paste, dyed in five different colors and threaded onto a string. This is called Whanbyeong, which means beaded rice cakes.
In addition, rice cakes tinted blue, white or pink were shaped into half-moons. Five small ones of them or two or three big ones are sometimes linked together, which is called sanbyeong. This is similar to what we call gaepitteok today. A larger five-colored rice cake is called majebyeong. Sirutteok (layers of steamed rice cake) made with glutinous rice and topped with jujube is another seasonal food eaten in spring.

Summer Foods

Gijutteok is a rice cake enjoyed in summer. It is prepared by mixing rice flour with liquor and then steaming the fermented dough.
In summer, Hwajeon (pan-fried dough with petal toppings) is prepared by placing yellow rose petals on top of round, flat biscuits of glutinous rice dough.
Eochae is a cooked fish dish. White fish meat is shredded into small pieces, sprinkled with starch and boiled lightly in hot water. When served, it is decorated with cucumber, manna lichens and paper-thin strips of fried egg. Eomandu is a dumpling prepared with fish instead of flour dough. A beef stuffing is wrapped with thin slices of white fish meat. It is steamed and served with soy sauce seasoned with vinegar.
Dropwort rolls are prepared by boiling dropwort or soft scallions in hot water and forming each strip into a roll. Served with seasoned hot pepper paste as a sauce, it makes a perfect side dish for liquors.
Flour noodles are added to sesame soup and adorned with shredded squash and small strips of chicken. Seaweed is boiled in chicken soup and then mixed with flour noodles.
Sliced squash is coated with flour and whipped eggs and pan-fried. Heads of croakers are cooked to make Jijimi (a stew).
Yellow melons are regarded as the best fruit to eat to cool off in the summer heat.
In the royal court, rice dumplings left over from New Year's Day are soaked in water to make tteokguk. Winter foods are enjoyed in summer to chase away the heat.

Fall Foods

In fall, the harvest is at its peak and the new crop of the year is rich, as are the hearts of the people. Chuseok is also called Gabae or Hangawi. In rural areas, lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok are considered as the most important holidays. As it is the season when five different grains are fully grown, fruits are ripe and vegetables are abundant, new grain liquors are brewed from the fresh crops. Fresh fruits are picked and offerings for ancestors are prepared to be used in a rite. This is called the Chuseok rite. Festive foods for Hangawi include Songpyeon (stuffed rice cake), Torantang (taro soup), various seasoned vegetables and GalbiJjim (rib stew).
Rice cakes such as Singwabyeong, mulhobaktteok, musirutteok, bam danja (chestnut balls) and jujube Injeolmi (sticky rice cake), which are adorned with freshly harvested fruits such as chestnut, jujube and persimmon before being steamed, are also special dishes.
Songi sanjeok, prepared by skewering Songi (pine mushrooms) and beef, is another delicacy enjoyed in fall.

Winter Foods

Dongji (the winter solstice) is the longest night and shortest day of the year. Meaning "a day that ushers in the following year," Dongji was also called Ase(sub-year) or "little New Year's Day."
At the homes of commoners, porridge was cooked using red beans. Glutinous rice powder was rolled into small balls to be added to the porridge, which is served with honey. Offering the first harvest of the season to one's ancestors and spreading red bean porridge on doors were popular customs that were believed to keep evil spirits away. These days, Koreans eat a bowl of red bean porridge to ward off evil spirits. Festive foods for Dongji included red bean porridge, Jeonyak (a mixture of herbs, honey, sugar and pepper), Sikhye (a sweet dessert made with rice), Sujeonggwa (a fruit punch) and Dongchimi (water Kimchi).
Jeonyak was offered to the king on Dongji, and then distributed to his followers. To prepare Jeonyak, gelatin is dissolved, herbs (dried ginger, dried cloves, etc.) are ground into a fine powder and jujubes are boiled and passed through a sieve. These are mixed with honey and boiled for a long time to make them harden into a jelly. It is actually a kind of herbed jelly. It is known to protect our bodies from the cold throughout the winter.

Nanrohoe is a seasonal food enjoyed in urban areas. When the weather becomes cold, people gather around a large stove with a stew pot on top. They stir-fry marinated meats and add broth to the pot and let it boil.
Sinseollo originally meant a pot and stove in one. In this pot, various meats and vegetables were neatly arranged and a broth added for simmering. It is also called yeolgujatang or guja, which means "pleasing to the mouth."
Naengmyeon (cold noodles) is one of favorite seasonal choices in winter. In the late Joseon Dynasty, King Gojong was especially fond of noodles and he enjoyed Naengmyeon as a nighttime snack. Since King Gojong didn't like spicy foods, the only garnishes on the noodles were slices of boiled meat, pear and pine nuts. Instead of beef stock, the noodles were added to Dongchimi (water Kimchi) with a lots of pear, which gave the noodles a very sweet and refreshing flavor.

Korean Food Culture: 2) Seasonings and Style of Korean Food

2010-06-07T16:05:00.001-07:00

When cooking, we use various ingredients to create the distinctive flavor of each dish while preserving the individual taste of each food used. We call these ingredients seasonings

In Chinese characters, “seasonings” is written as Yangnyeom(양념), which means “many things mixed equally in the hope that they may be beneficial to the body just as medicines are.” Basic seasonings can be grouped into five categories: salty, sweet, sour, spicy and bitter. Depending on the food, condiments are added to create a distinct flavor. Aromatic condiments emit a good scent or produce a spicy, bitter or nutty flavor. Their unique aromas eliminate or offset any unappetizing food odor and enhance the taste of food.

Basic seasonings used in Korean cooking include salt, soy sauce, hot pepper paste, soybean paste, vinegar and sugar. As for aromatic seasonings, ginger, mustard, pepper, hot pepper, sesame oil, Perilla oil, sesame, green onion, garlic and Chinese pepper are used. A Korean dish is usually prepared using at least five or six different condiments, thereby offering a unique flavor not found in other countries.

Soy sauce and soybean paste are unique bean-based fermented foods of Korea, and important condiments for seasoning. Gan in Ganjang (Korean for soy sauce) refers to the salty taste, while Doen in Doenjang (Korean for soybean paste) indicates its denseness. Traditionally, soybeans are boiled thoroughly in late autumn and shaped into blocks called Meju. They are then kept in a warm place to ferment and dry. After the lunar New Year, they are soaked in a large jar of salted water to make Jang. Once the Jang is fully fermented, the liquid is separated and collected for use as soy sauce, while the solids are drained, seasoned with salt and sealed in jars to be used as soybean paste. To make hot pepper paste, glutinous rice powder is kneaded and steamed, then mixed with Meju powder. When the mix thins, hot pepper powder and salt are added for seasoning. It is then stored to allow it to ferment. Depending on the region, regular rice, flour or barley is used instead of glutinous rice. When making Meju specifically for hot pepper paste, rice powder is sometimes added to boiled beans and mild sauce is used as seasoning instead of salt.

Different types of soy sauce are used in cooking depending on the dish. For soups, stews and vegetables, light-colored mild soy sauce is used. A dense soy sauce is favored for boiling, drying and pickling. Soy sauce is not only used in cooking; it is also mixed with vinegar or other seasonings and served as a sauce. When it is served with a pan-fried dish, dumplings or cold dumplings, vinegar is added to the soy sauce. When making a seasoned soy sauce for use in noodle dishes or grain-based jellies, hot pepper powder, minced green onion and garlic are usually added to enhance the flavor.

Soybean paste is mainly used in soups and stews. It is also a key ingredient in the paste that accompanies wrap dishes, served with lettuce wraps or pumpkin leaf wraps, and in paste cakes. Just like soybean paste, hot pepper paste is used in soups or stews. It is also used as a condiment for flavoring fresh or boiled vegetables or other boiled or broiled foods. Hot pepper paste is also mixed with vinegar and served with sashimi or boiled green onion rolls. Seasoned hot pepper paste is prepared for use in Bibimbap (a bowl of rice mixed with vegetables) or noodles mixed with vegetables.

Go-Myeong (a Korean name for garnishes) is used to decorate food to improve its appearance and color rather than its taste to stimulate people’s appetites by presenting attractive dishes. It is also called Utgi (meaning “toppings” in Korean) or Kkumi (“decorations”). Based on the five-element principle, red, green, yellow, white and black are the basic colors used.

Korean cooking does not focus solely on taste, overlooking appearance. Korean food, which is decorated in five naturally occurring colors in consideration of attractiveness and health, is adorned with colorful garnishes in the noble spirit of suggesting that the food has been specially prepared just for you. It also seems to covey the subtle elegance appreciated by Koreans.

The natural color of each ingredient is made use of to adorn dishes. For red garnish, red peppers, shredded red peppers, jujubes and carrots are used. For white and yellow, eggs yolk and whites are separated and fried paper-thin on a greased pan. This is called Jidan. Dropwort, small green onions, squash and cucumbers are used as green garnishes. Dropwort is neatly skewered, sprinkled with flour and dipped in whipped eggs and pan-fried on both sides just like Jidan. This is called dropwort Chodae. Manna lichen mushrooms, tree ears or shiitake mushrooms are used for black garnish. Minced manna lichen mushrooms are mixed with whipped egg whites to make Jidan.
Egg Jidan is shredded to garnish vegetables or Japchae (glutinous noodles mixed with stir-fried vegetables) or cut in rectangles or diamonds to be used as toppings in soup, stew or casseroles. Jidan is cut into different shapes to match the dish in which it is being served.
Then meatballs are made by finely mincing lean beef, then adding seasonings and shaping the meat into small balls. They are coated lightly with flour and whipped eggs and cooked evenly on a greased pan. Meatballs are used as Utgi in noodle dishes, casseroles or Sinseollo (a fancy hot-pot boiled at the table). Nuts, including pine nuts, ginkgo nuts and walnuts, are also often used as garnishes.

Korean Food Culture: 1) Overview of Korean food

2010-06-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

Korea

has much in common with Asia like China and Japan even United States America in terms of dining style due to frequent cultural and historical exchanges. But over time, Korea has developed its own unique cuisines.
Korea was once a primarily agricultural nation, and boiled rice has become Koreans’ stable food. Stable food and side dishes are clearly distinguished in Korean table settings.

A traditional Korean meal consists of a bowl of rice and side dishes. Koreans use a wide arrange of ingredients such as meat, fish, vegetables and seafood with unique seasonings. As there are many ways to cook these ingredients, Koreans have developed diverse kinds of cuisines.

Boiled Rice, Staple of the Korean Diet

Bap, or boiled rice, is the staple of Korean cuisine. Barley, millet, beans, and red beans are sometimes mixed with rice for special taste and nutritional value. Vegetables, seafood, and Kimchi are also added to rice when cooking for a better taste. One of the most famous rice dishes is Bibimbap, boiled rice mixed with seasoned vegetables and meat.

Juk, or porridge, is grains boiled over time with a lot of water. Many varieties of Juk exist, such as Juk made of pine nuts, abalones, sesame, walnuts, and mung beans. Mie-Um is a thin porridge and Eungi is a thin starch porridge.

Naengmyeon (buckwheat noodles in a cold broth), Manduguk (dumpling soup), Tteokguk (rice cake soup) are cuisines enjoyed in everyday life and on special occasions. These dished are also often enjoyed for lunch.

Guk (soup), Tang (thick soup), Jjigae (stew)

A Korean table is never completed without soups such as Guk, Tang and Jjigae which always accompany bowls of rice. They are made of a variety of ingredients such as beef, seafood, and vegetables, with seasonings such as salt, soy bean sauce, soy bean paste, and seafood fermented in salt. Soups that most frequently appear on Koreans’ tables include seaweed soup, bean paste soup, Seolleongtang (beef and bone soup), Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup). Jjigae, Gamjeong, and Jochi are similar to Guk, but they are thicker in texture and stronger in taste. They are seasoned with bean paste, red pepper paste, and shrimp fermented in salt. Gamjeong refers to Jjigae seasoned with red pepper paste. Jochi is the term for Jjigae served during a royal meal. Casserole is a soup with seasoned meat and vegetables. It is boiled and cooked on the spot and shared by many people.

Namul, vegetable or wild-greens dishes, is one of the most basic side dishes in the Korean diet. While Namul refers to both raw and cooked vegetables and wild-greens, it usually means cooked ones these days. Almost all kinds of seasonal vegetables and wild-greens are used for Namul dishes. Koreans often skewer and dry the ingredients to use them when they’re out of season. There are different ways to cook Namul according to the type of its ingredients. Vegetables with green leafs are parboiled and seasoned with combinations of salt, soy sauce, sesame seeds, sesame oil and garlic. Wild greens such as Chinese bellflowers are boiled and stir-fried with seasonings. Fresh seasonal vegetables are not boiled, but tossed in a sweet and sour seasoning.

Gui, or grilled dishes, first appeared in the Korean diet when Koreans began to use fire for cooking. Neobiani is a type of grilled dish served in royal cuisine. It is thinly sliced beef marinated in a Bulgogi sauce (soy sauce, sugar, garlic, green onions, and sesame oil), and then grilled at the table over charcoal. Sanjerk is a grilled brochette made of seasoned meat, vegetables and mushrooms. There are many kinds of Sanjerk according to their ingredients, such as Sanjerk made of beef and vegetables, mushrooms, green onions and fish. Sanjeok brings beauty to the table as it is made by putting ingredients of many colors onto skewers. Jeon is a pan-fried dish. It is also called as Jeonyueo or Jeonyuhwa. These dishes include thinly sliced meats, fish, and vegetables that are coated in flour, dipped in egg and pan-fried. Some common pan-fried dishes include pan-fried summer squash, pan-fried fish, and pan-fried meat. Jijim is a small pancake made of flour batter pan-fried with various ingredients. Some popular pancakes include mung bean pancake, green onion pancake, and layers of thin wheat pancake.

Pickled and Dried Foods for Long Storage
Jangajji is vegetables pickled in soy sauce, red pepper paste or soybean paste. They are stored for a long time and used as a side dish in winter times when vegetables are hard to get. Jeotgal and Sikhae are also a type of stored foods. They include seafood fermented in salt.
Another type of stored food includes Twigak (deep-fried seaweed or leaves and stems of various vegetables), Bugak (deep-fried vegetables coated with starch), and po (beef or fish jerky). Yukpo, one of the most popular types of jerky, is thin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce, then dried in the shade. It is often served as a dried snack with alcohol or prepared for a wedding ceremony. Kimchi is

Korea

’s most representative fermented food and the most basic side dish in the Korean diet. As it is an indispensable part of any Korean meal, some people say they cannot have a meal without Kimchi.

There are many different kinds of Kimchi depending on region and its ingredients. Kimchi comes in various colors and tastes according to its ingredients, and types of Jeotgal, or fermented seafood, used to make it. There is also a water Kimchi with its refreshing and tangy juice.

Cuisines Unique to Korea

Hoe (raw fish or meat),

Ssam (vegetable leaf wraps),

Muk (Jelly)
Hoe is raw meat, fish, or vegetables served with dipping sauces such as red chili pepper paste with vinegar and sugar, soy sauce with vinegar and sugar, mustard, and salt with sesame oil. Sukhoe is similar to hoe, but it uses parboiled ingredients. Some of the popular ingredients for Sukhoe include parboiled parsley, small green onions, and fatsia shoots. Ssam, vegetable leaf wraps, is a unique eating style of the Korean diet which is loved by many Koreans. Ssam is spoonfuls of rice wrapped in wide leafs such as lettuce, Cabbage, Sesame leafs, fresh seaweed and dried laver with soybean paste.
Also unique to Korean food is Jokpyeon, pressed ox feet, and Muk, firm jelly made of acorn, mung bean, or buckwheat starch.

Tteok (traditional rice cake), and

Han-Gwa (traditional sweets and cookies) for Festive and Seasonal Occasions and Ancestral Memorial Services

Koreans always prepare for Tteok and Han-Gwa for festive occasions and a variety of special occasions. They are usually enjoyed as desserts these days. There are wide varieties of Tteok based on how to make it. Siru-Tteok is rice power mixed with other ingredients and steamed in a Siru, an earthenware steamer. Jeolpyeon and Injeolmi is made by steaming glutinous rice and pounding it to make a firm and sticky dough.

Bukkumi and Hwajeon is kneaded glutinous rice dough shaped into small circles and pan-fried.

Jeungpyeon is a steamed rice cake made with white rice flour and rice wine. It is also called as Sul-Tteok, or rice wine cake.

Yaksik, also called as Yakban and Yakbap, is steamed sticky rice made with chestnuts, Jujubes (Korean dates), honey, pine nuts and cinnamon. Han-Gwa is traditional Korean sweets and cookies. It is rice or wheat flour dough mixed with honey, Yeot (sticky rice sugar), and sugar and then deep-fried. It is also made by simmering fruits and plants’ roots in honey syrup until they are glazed. It is also called as Jogwa, which means cookies made of natural produce by adding artificial flavor. There is a wide variety of Han-Gwa, such as Yak-Gwa (deep-fried honey cookies), San-Ja (deep-fried sweet rice cookies), Ganjeong (deep-fried sweet rice puffs), Yeot-Gang-Jeong (malt toffees), Dasik (traditional pressed sweets), and Jeonggwa (candied fruits and roots).