TRADITIONAL SOUTH KOREAN FOOD

 TRADITIONAL SOUTH KOREAN FOOD

Here we will talk about the traditional -and mostly known- dishes of South Korea.

Korean food is known for its mix of contrasting flavors such as sweet, salty, spicy, and sour, and the importance of variety in a meal. Koreans often enjoy potluck meals, where several small dishes known as "banchan" are served alongside the main dish. Known for being somewhat spicy and seasoned, Korean cuisine has both Chinese and Japanese roots, but differs in some ingredients, flavors, and textures. In Korea, unlike in Western countries, it is not customary to eat a first course and then a second. The diet is based on white rice, a regular accompaniment to vegetable, fish or shellfish dishes. Dishes that stand out for their high vegetable content: they are made with 80% vegetables and 20% animal protein.

So, go to know more about the korean food:

Bibimbap: Perhaps it is the Korean dish that sounds the most to you, and it is not surprising: its success is so great that it can be found in restaurants in the Middle West. Originally from the south, bibimbap means «mixed rice», and it is precisely that: a base of rice and vegetables to which meat tartare is added, either pork or beef, as well as a paste of Korean chili –called gochujang—, sesame and soybean oil. To complete the presentation, it is very typical to serve a fried or raw egg on top of the rest of the food.

Kimchi: Let’s clarify something before we continue: kimchi is not a dish, it’s a side dish! And what are we talking about when we refer to kimchi? Well, fermented cabbage —although sometimes other types of vegetables are used, such as turnips or cabbage— seasoned with different spices, some of them spicy, which give it a very, very characteristic flavor and which, according to what they say , is not only low in calories, but also slows down aging and is good for the immune system.

Galbitang: Surely you have not heard this word in your life, but be clear that, on a trip to Korea, it will become an absolute ally: it is the most traditional soup and one of its most typical dishes. With an intense flavor and well-marked nuances, the broth is made from beef rib, white radish, spring onion and a fried egg in strips. Also includes noodles.

Tteokbokki: They are cakes made from rice flour and cooked in a spicy gochujang sauce —widely used in Korean cuisine— with sugar, and Koreans love it: it will not be unusual for you to see them eating them in any situation, while walking down the street , work or use public transport.

Usually, teokbokki are served with other ingredients such as vegetables or rice, but also, on occasion, complemented by meat or even seafood.

Kimbap: At first glance it would seem that we are talking about Japanese sushi, but no! It turns out that the Koreans also have their own version, although clearly influenced by the Japanese occupation of Korea at the beginning of the 20th century.So let’s not fool ourselves: both recipes are almost identical. We are talking about cooked white rice to which other ingredients such as vegetables or meat are added, and sometimes raw fish, which is wrapped in a type of seaweed called kim. The clearest difference? That rice should be cooked with sesame oil and that kimbap is usually always served with kimchi or danmuji, a pickled radish.

Group #2 Mildre De alba – Andrés Gonzales – Gabriela Castilla – Shaddai Sandoval