Korean cuisine is one of the few that has carefully preserved most of the traditions of antiquity. In addition, the cuisine of this country is recognized as one of the healthiest in the world, along with the spicy Japanese, Chinese and Mediterranean dishes.
Korean food was not always spicy; red pepper appeared in this country only in the 16th century, brought by Portuguese sailors. The American “peppercorn” has taken root in Koreans so much that it has become its basis. In modern Korean, spicy is synonymous with delicious.
Besides red pepper, Korean food is impossible without spices such as black pepper, garlic, onion, ginger and mustard. Also used in cooking are tomatoes, corn, pumpkin, peanuts, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
The most recognizable dish is Korean-style spicy carrots. This dish is few years old by the standards of historical traditions. It appeared in the 1930s, when Soviet Koreans in their new place of residence were trying to find the usual ingredients for their favorite kimchi, and they took a local vegetable, carrots, as a basis.
Kimchi is such a popular Korean food that even for Korean astronauts, kimchi has been specially formulated for weightlessness. In Korean families, there is a separate refrigerator for kimchi, which is packed to overflowing with this dish. And when prices for kimchi began to rise during the crisis, it became a national tragedy in South Korea, and the government had to cut taxes on the suppliers of the ingredients of the favorite folk dish in order to somehow contain the discontent of the Korean people. Kimchi is a source of vitamins, fiber and lactic bacteria, which according to nutritionists, explains the health of Koreans and their lack of overweight problems.
Kimchi – Fermented spicy vegetables, mushrooms, and other foods. Initially, these were canned vegetables, then beans, seaweed, soy products, mushrooms, shrimps, fish, pork were added to cabbage, radishes, cucumbers – everything that is easy to pickle. The most popular type of Korean kimchi is Chinese cabbage, which is stored in large quantities in Korea.
The daily diet of a Korean is also impossible without soups. It can be a light broth with vegetables and seafood, or it can be a rich meat soup with noodles. The most exquisite soup in Korea is made from pheasant broth with buckwheat noodles. All Korean soups are very spicy; in winter such a dish warms up perfectly, and refreshes in summer.
Due to the Japanese occupation, when most of the Korean rice crop went to Japan, this culture has ceased to be as popular as in other Asian cuisines. Its place was firmly taken by wheat, millet, barley, buckwheat, sorghum, as well as legumes. The popular Korean kongbap dish, originally prepared for prisoners, consists of a mixture of rice, black soybeans, peas, beans, barley and sorghum and contains a balanced composition of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, fiber and vitamins. Of course, rice is also actively used in South Korea – noodles, pastries, wine and even tea are made from it.
The most popular beans in Korea are mung and adzuki. They differ in appearance and taste from the beans we are used to. They do not boil for long, have a pleasant sweetish aftertaste and go very well with spicy additives.
Soy products are also popular in Korea: milk, tofu, okaru, soy sauce, soy sprouts and mung beans. Kimchi is made from sprouts or added to vegetable dishes, salads, sausages. Sausage in Korea is made from blood, “glass” noodles (made from mung beans), barley, soybean paste, glutinous rice, spices, and various flavors.
The basis of Korean cuisine is made up of vegetables and herbs: cabbage, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, zucchini, and mushrooms. Of the plants, fern, bamboo, and lotus root are preferred.
Koreans believe in the power of herbs and collect medicinal plants, mushrooms and berries. And this belief was reflected not only in the pharmaceutical industry, but a whole culinary direction appeared. There are many Korean healing foods that increase vitality, heal diseases, and are a prophylactic remedy for them.
The main meats eaten in Korea are pork and chicken. Beef was not consumed for a long time due to the fact that cows and bulls were considered working animals, and it was impossible to exterminate them just like that. The whole carcass is eaten – legs, ears, stomachs, offal.
Fish and seafood are more popular in Korea. Koreans love shrimp, oysters, mussels, shellfish, sea and river fish. Shellfish are eaten raw, seasoned with vinegar, and fish is grilled, boiled, stewed, salted, smoked and dried.
The biggest fear for a European is the rumor that dogs are eaten in Korea. And this is true, only for this special meat breeds are bred – nureongs. Dog meat is expensive in Korea, and therefore it is impossible to get a dish with dog meat instead of pork in a Korean diner – you would have to pay extra for such freedom! Soup or stew with dog meat is considered a medicinal dish – it prolongs life, balances human energies.
Korean restaurants offer tourists no less exotic and rare dishes than dog meat. For example, sannakji are the tentacles of living octopuses that continue to wiggle on the plate. They are seasoned with spices and served with sesame oil so that the stirring bits quickly pass through the throat.
Korea also produces its own alcohol, which is often not to the taste of tourists. For example, mcgoli is a thick white rice wine that is drunk with spoons. In principle, all Korean alcoholic drinks are designed for a spicy snack, only in this way they will form a harmonious duet. Pungency neutralizes the taste and smell of alcohol, while Korean alcohol extinguishes the pungency in the mouth.
Unusual in Korea and dining. There, visitors prepare their own food, the chef only serves refined ingredients. A gas burner is built into each table in the hall, and guests cook and fry raw foods at their own discretion, guided by the chef’s tips.