Korean food is unique. It’s known
for its spicy flavor and the use of other seasonings to enhance the
taste. Dishes are usually flavored with a combination of soy sauce,
red pepper, green onion, bean paste, garlic, ginger, sesame, mustard,
vinegar, and wine. The Korean peninsula is surrounded water on three
sides, but connected to the Asian mainland. This environment contributes
to the uniqueness of Korean cuisine. Seafood plays a very important
role as do vegetables and livestock. Let’s examine three of
the most common and famous types of Korean food.
Kimchi is
a very popular Korean dish. It is made by fermenting vegetables, usually
cabbage and white radish, and seasoning them with red peppers and
garlic. Kimchi is served with almost every Korean meal. Kimchi
is a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Large quantities of Kimchi
are usually made during the late fall or early winter during a time
called kimchang. The vegetables are buried in large earthenware
crocks to ferment it during the winter months. Kimchi has
become famous worldwide and is very popular in Japan as well as the
United States.
Pulgoki is
commonly translated as ‘Korean Barbeque,’ however this
translation may cause misunderstanding among Americans. Like American
Barbeque, Pulgoki is usually made from beef, pork, sometimes
chicken, and also other more exotic meats like cow tongue. Unlike
American Barbeque, Korean Pulgoki is almost always thinly
sliced and cooked on a built in grill on the table where it will be
served. Kalbi, a type of Pulgoki, is made from thinly
sliced beef short ribs. When eating Pulgoki or Kalbi,
it is customary to cook the meat then move it on to a small dish containing
either sweet or sour sauce. It will be left in the dish until it is
cool enough, at which point it should be eaten. Pulgoki is
very popular in Japan where it is called Yakiniku. It is
also available in America. Where Americans may find Kimchi
too bitter for their tastes, Pulgoki’s taste is more
similar to the popular sweet and meaty taste of American food.
Hoe is the
Korean version of sushi. It is made by slicing and serving raw fish.
The serving methods may vary greatly, but common garnishes include
ginger, mustard, red pepper paste, and soy sauce. Some of the more
popular Hoe dishes in Korea include tuna, croaker, flatfish,
oyster, skate, sea cucumber, abalone, sea urchin, and squid.
Korean food is becoming more and more
popular among other countries. There are already many Korean restaurants
in America, Japan, China, and the rest of the world. As the numbers
continue to grow, Korean food may become less exotic, and more common.
Web Sources:
(http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/STUDENTS/Hwang/home.htm)
(http://english.tour2korea.com/food/about/basic/type/food_type.asp)
(http://www.sigmainstitute.com/koreanonline/food.shtml)
Image Sources:
(http://www.kimchiya.com/kim/kimchi.jpg)
(http://village.infoweb.ne.jp/~fwkf9009/images/yakiniku.jpg)
(http://english.attic.co.kr/infor/image/hoe.jpg)
By Ben Bagley
Last Revised: November 25, 2003
