Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria,Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.
Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs,vegetables,seafood,or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian,Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines,as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia. As a homemade dish,fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes,leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui Dynasty in China and as such all fried rice dishes can trace their origins to Chinese fried rice.
Samgyeopsal,samgyeopsal-gui (삼겹살구이),or grilled pork belly is a type of gui in Korean cuisine.
Korean royal court cuisine was the style of cookery within Korean cuisine traditionally consumed at the court of the Joseon Dynasty,which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. There has been a revival of this cookery style in the 21st century. It is said that twelve dishes should be served along with rice and soup,with most dishes served in bangjja (bronzeware).
Korean–Chinese cuisine,also known as Sino–Korean cuisine,is a hybrid cuisine developed by the ethnic Chinese and the ethnic Koreans in both China and Korea.
Banchan or bansang is a collective name for small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. As the Korean language does not distinguish between singular and plural grammatically,the word is used for both one such dish or all of them combined.
Namul refers to either a variety of edible grass or leaves or seasoned herbal dishes made of them. Wild greens are called san-namul,and spring vegetables are called bom-namul. On the day of Daeboreum,the first full moon of the year,Koreans eat boreum-namul with five-grain rice. It is believed that boreum namuls eaten in winter help one to withstand the heat of the summer to come.
Haejang-guk or hangover soup refers to every kind of guk or soup eaten as a hangover cure in Korean cuisine. It means "soup to chase a hangover" and is also called sulguk. It usually consists of dried Napa cabbage,vegetables and meat in a hearty beef broth. One type of haejangguk,Seonjiguk,includes sliced congealed ox blood and another type,Sundaeguk includes a kind of blood sausage made with intestine stuffed with pig's blood and other ingredients.
Korean barbecue refers to the popular method in Korean cuisine of grilling meat,typically beef,pork or chicken. Such dishes are often prepared on gas or charcoal grills built into the dining table itself. Some Korean restaurants that do not have built-in grills provide customers with portable stoves for diners to use at their tables. Alternatively,a chef uses a centrally displayed grill to prepare dishes to order.
Yukgaejang or spicy beef soup is a spicy,soup-like Korean dish made from shredded beef with scallions and other ingredients,which are simmered together for a long time. It is a variety of gomguk,or thick soup,which was formerly served in Korean royal court cuisine. It is thought to be healthful and is popular due to its hot and spicy nature.
Pyeonyuk is a traditional Korean dish,which consists of thinly sliced meat that has been boiled and pressed. Either beef or pork may be used to make the dish.
Jangajji (장아찌) or pickled vegetables is a type of banchan made by pickling vegetables. Unlike kimchi,jangajji is non-fermented vegetables,usually pickled in soy sauce,soybean paste,or chili paste. Jangajji dishes are usually preserved for a long period of time,and served with a drizzle of sesame oil. Preserved foods like jangajji were developed to attain a certain level of vegetable consumption during the long,harsh winters on the Korean peninsula.
Golbaengi-muchim (골뱅이무침) or moon snail salad is a type of muchim (salad) made by mixing moon snails with vegetables. In South Korea,it is an anju typically made with red,spicy sauce and served with boiled somyeon. Like other anju,it is sold in pojangmacha.
Korean regional cuisines are characterized by local specialties and distinctive styles within Korean cuisine. The divisions reflected historical boundaries of the provinces where these food and culinary traditions were preserved until modern times.
Gegeolmu,or gegeol radish,is a variety of white radish. It is a round,pungent radish with a thick rind and firm flesh that does not get soft even after a few years of storage as kimchi.
Siraegi (시래기) is a Korean ingredient prepared by drying the leaves and stems of a radish or,less commonly,of a napa cabbage.
Doenjang-guk (된장국) or soybean paste soup is a guk (soup) made with doenjang and other ingredients,such as vegetables,meat,and seafood. It is thinner,lighter,and milder than doenjang-jjigae. It is similar to the Japanese miso soup.
