Korea - Korean cuisine - Westlandpeppers

Korean cuisine

Korea, a peninsula in East Asia, is known for its rich history, vibrant culture and flavorful cuisine. Divided into two countries, North Korea and South Korea, it offers a fascinating mix of traditional and modern elements. From ancient palaces and Buddhist temples to bustling cities filled with innovation and technology. Korean cuisine includes varied dishes with unique flavors. It is an important part of the culture and now popular worldwide.

Korean cuisine is based on rice, noodles, meat, vegetables, fish, seaweed and tofu (dubu in Korean). This they generally flavor with soy sauce, fermented soybean paste, garlic, ginger, red chili and sesame oil. The cuisine is characterized by banchan. The collective name for small side dishes such as kimchi and other small appetizers that are routinely served with dishes.

Korean food has taken the world by storm, and for good reason. The flavors are addictively delicious, the techniques innovative and it's often heart healthy, too.

North and South Korea

Korea is one country until Aug. 15, 1945. On that day, the Japanese capitulate and World War II officially ends. Korea, which had been occupied by Japan since 1910, is split into two parts. The north is ruled by the Russians and the south by the Americans. After the Korean War, a 3-year battle, the border that already separated the North and South at the beginning of the conflict becomes permanent.

Because of this, the cuisines are very similar, but over the years, differences have naturally emerged. For example, the main difference between North and South Korean food is the intensity of the spices. In the South, the food is slightly hotter. While they certainly also use North Korea chili to flavor the food, it is often more subtle than in South Korea. And because North Korea is one of the most secretive and isolated countries in the world, little is known about developments in its current cuisine. What we associate and know of Korean cuisine is often based on South Korean cuisine.

What we do know is that North Korean cuisine is unaffected by foreign influences. And because of economic constraints and political isolation, it often has more limited access to ingredients and different types of food varieties. This can lead to a more restricted diet in the North, with an emphasis on simple, traditional dishes with seasonal ingredients.

Features

Rice is an important food crop throughout Korea, and both North Korean and South Korean cuisines make extensive use of it. Rice is often served as the main component of a meal and is the basis for many dishes. Unlike Japan, rice is not eaten with chopsticks, but with a spoon.

There are also many dishes with noodles, often made from wheat, sweet potato starch or buckwheat. These noodles are served in a soup or with fried dishes. Then again, the noodles are eaten with chopsticks, as are the side dishes.

Korea has a long history of fermenting food, which has led to the development of fermented products such as kimchi, doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (fermented red pepper paste). These fermented foods are an important part of Korean cuisine and are often used as banchan (side dishes) or flavorings.

Not only is Kimchi an iconic dish, but dishes like bulgogi (marinated grilled meat), bibimbap (rice bowl with various toppings) and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) are also popular flavorful dishes. Andnot only is the taste of the food important, a lot of time is often put into the presentation as well. Often with vibrant colors and many banchan (side dishes).

Chili peppers

Korean cuisine is known for its love of spicy food, so chili peppers are used in almost every dish to flavor it. From mild to extremely hot, anything is possible to satisfy different taste preferences.

Gochu (고추) is Korean for chili pepper. "Gochu" can also refer more specifically to: Korean chili pepper. Green chilies are called put-gochu and red hong-gochu. Korean chilies are used in all aspects of food. So not only in main dishes, but also in side dishes and sauces. Side dishes such as kimchi and other pickled vegetables are often flavored with chili peppers, giving them an extra kick. In addition, chili peppers are often added to sauces and dips to add a spicy flavor to dishes such as bibimbap and kimbap.

Gochugaru is an important ingredient in Korean cuisine. It is a chili powder made from ground dried red peppers. It gives dishes extra color, spiciness and a subtle sweetness. The sweet taste makes it unique compared to Cayenne / chili powder what we know here in the Netherlands. It is widely used in kimchi, stews, and various sauces.

Another indispensable product in Korean cuisine is Gochujang. This is a fermented paste made from chili peppers, rice, fermented soybeans and salt. It has a unique flavor that is sweet, savory and spicy. Gochujang is often used as a base for sauces, stews and marinades of Korean chicken, for example.

Ferment

Fermentation is an ancient technique used to preserve food, extend shelf life and improve flavor. In Korean dishes, fermentation naturally transforms ingredients, giving them a complex flavor.

Kimchi, made from fermented cabbage and other vegetables, is the most well-known example of fermentation in Korean cuisine. The fermentation process of kimchi is made possible by lacto-fermentation, which uses natural bacteria such as lactobacilli to ferment the vegetables. The combination of cabbage, carrots, radish and a spice mixture of garlic, ginger and red pepper forms the basis of kimchi. Over time, kimchi develops its distinctive tangy flavor and crunchy texture, making it a versatile side dish served with almost any Korean meal.

Although the most well-known variety of kimchi is made from cabbage, numerous regional variations and seasonal recipes exist. Variations can include different types of vegetables, fruits, fish or seafood, depending on the availability and preferences of the region.

In addition to adding flavor to dishes, fermented foods like kimchi offer numerous health benefits. Kimchi is packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals, while the probiotics created during the fermentation process can support gut health and strengthen the immune system.

Korean BBQ

In Korea, they love to barbecue, whether on a small gas stove in a restaurant, or on a fire stoked with charcoal. And it's not just in Korea that this concept is popular; you see more and more Korean BBQ restaurants worldwide. It is loved for its combination of flavorful, tender meat and the social experience with family and/or friends.

Korean Barbecue is also known as "gogi-gui." The word "gogi" simply means "meat" in Korean, while "gui" refers to grilling. The grill is usually built into the dining table, allowing guests to grill their own meat while seated at the table. It begins by selecting high-quality meat, such as beef(bulgogi), pork belly(samgyeopsal) or chicken(dak-galbi). The meat is then thinly sliced and often marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and sugar. This marinade not only adds flavor to the meat but also helps tenderize it.

A typical way to eat Korean barbecue is to wrap pieces of grilled meat in lettuce leaves, along with a little rice, sauce and banchan (side dishes). This creates a tasty and refreshing bite that combines different flavors and textures.

Popular dishes

Kimbap ( 김밥): Similar to sushi, but with Korean flavors. It is a roll of rice, pickled vegetables, meat or fish, and sometimes egg, wrapped in toasted seaweed and sliced.

Japchae (잡채): A dish of fried noodles with vegetables, meat (usually beef) and sometimes mushrooms. It is flavored with soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar, and is delicious both hot and cold.

Tteokbokki (떡볶이): A street food dish of sticky rice cakes topped with a spicy sauce. Made from sticky rice flour, the rice cakes are cooked until soft and chewy, then mixed with a sauce based on gochujang (Korean chili paste), soy sauce and sugar. The result is a flavor explosion of sweet, spicy and savory.

Kimchi Jjigae (김치찌개): A spicy stew made with kimchi, pork, tofu and vegetables. It is considered comfort food, eaten especially during cold days, and usually served with rice.

Korean products

Fermentation kit - hotsauce

From € 7,64

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Arbol chili flakes

From € 4,13

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Delicious recipes from Korea

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Cookbook tips

Taste Korea

Ae Jin Huys

The Korean Vegan Cookbook

Joanne Lee Molinaro

Korea!

Caroline Hwang

The bible of Korean cuisine

Sang-Ah Yoo

Kimchi

Ae Jin Huys

Simply Korean

Aaron Huh
English

Korean restaurants

SEOUL SISTA

Rotterdam & Amsterdam

BapBoss

Rotterdam

Papa Kitchen

The Hague

SOJU Bar

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven & Antwerp

Miss Kim

Arnhem

Nomi

Amsterdam

Daebak

Utrecht

Seoul Garden

The Hague

SAaM

Paris

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