This Month’s Film: To Be Announced
Cuisine: Korean
In my research of Korean cuisine, I have learned that, although exotic to my western palate, the most popular traditional dishes are mainly composed of commonplace meats, seafoods, vegetables and seasonings. No doubt, it’s the way they are combined that give them their ethnic flair. Typical dishes include fresh green salads, hearty soups, savory stews, meats and seafoods simmered with fresh vegetables, barbequed meats, fermented seafoods, pan-fried omelets, rice medleys, steamed or pan-fried dumplings, and boiled, pickled or sautéed vegetables. The most esoteric ingredients appear to be chrysanthemum greens, bellflower root, and chili paste. Other than that, even the spicy kimchi recipe doesn’t call for anything I can’t buy at my local grocery store.
The most widely known Korean dish is probably the type of barbeque called bulgogi. However, Korean cuisine consists of many interesting dishes beyond this common style of food preparation. A traditional Korean meal typically includes a hearty soup, a variety of fresh vegetables, a rice dish, and a fish or meat dish, all of which are served at the same time.
The most common Korean dishes are: Steamed rice called bap, porridge called juk, soup or broth called guk, hearty stew called jjigae, simmered meat called jjim, simmered fish called jorim, vegetables and greens called namul, pickled vegetables called kimchi, fermented seafood called jeotgal, broiled or barbequed meats called gui, pancakes called jeon, and dumplings called mandu.
The Korean people believe that sharing a meal together is an integral part of a strong relationship and families therefore typically share food from a large common bowl. They use soup spoons and chopsticks to eat, and individual bowls and plates should not be picked up and held close to the mouth, but should be left in place on the table throughout the meal.
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