korean cuisine

Samgyeopsal and banchan (side dishes)

korean cuisine & spicy dishes

Korean Cuisine is a customary practice of culinary skills of South Korea. This practice has evolved through time, depending on political, social, and economic changes.

One of the images I can remember about Korean cuisine is the Korean series "Dae Jang Geum." If you were a fan of the drama, you'd remember the kitchen scenes showing food ingredients and their cooking methods.

Just like in other parts of the world, people prepare food utilizing all available materials and dietary sources in their surroundings.

Since Korea has access to both the sea and land, available food resources are plentiful. This food accessibility is reflected in the number of dishes that Koreans can prepare for their daily meals.

As Koreans have been tilling land since time immemorial, agricultural products are bountiful, including rice, vegetables, poultry, and root crops.

Although some changes occurred in the past, some changes in Korean cuisine didn't take place in the 80s by assimilating ingredients and methods from other cultures.

For example, Korean food used to be very hot and spicy but getting less nowadays. Besides, Korean cuisine uses more sugar and similar products when preparing dishes such as galbi (pork or beef ribs).

In short, Korean cuisine is fundamentally based on rice, vegetables, fish, and meat. Rice or noodles are always, or almost always, come with several side dishes called 'banchan' which are in small dishes containing vegetables, beans, meats, fish, among others.

Among the side dishes, 'kimchi' is the most essential side dish. You can omit other side dishes but not kimchi.

Korean cuisine and full side dishes

More often than not, Korean cuisine includes the following necessary ingredients:

doenjang (fermented bean paste)
soy sauce, garlic, onion, ginger,
gochujang (fermented red chili paste).

Of course, the taste and ingredients could vary differently by province. Let's see some of them...

1. tubu pork cutlet

Unlimited Tufu Porkcutlet with side dishes

2. jeon (fried veggies, etc.)

Jeon with sea food

3. geopchang (innards)

Geopchang - Innards

4. dueji gukbap (pork & rice soup)

Dueji Gukbap

5. budae jigae (military food)

Budae Jigae

6. bibimbap

Bibimbap

7. chueo ttang (fish soup)

Chueo Ttang (Ground Fish Soup with veggies)

8. yukgaejang galkugsu

Spicy Yukgaejang

9. bossam & oysters

Oysters & Bossam

10. dakturi ttang (spicy chicken soup)

Dakturi Ttang (Spicy Chicken Soup)

Yes, there are a hundred more dishes you can try in Korea. As this page will be updated from time to time, more Korean food will be added.

I hope you are enjoying or will enjoy the Korean cuisine. Let me know if you wish to learn more about this topic.

Thanks and hope to see you here again.