Korean food seems to be the latest hot topic. Even my friends ask me about Korean food or ask me to take them out someday so they know what to order. Korean food is unique and has quite an interesting history. Let’s not kid ourselves, its evolution isn’t as glamorous as French cuisine but it’s our own and it is very delicious. Mmmm Mmmm! So for my friends out there who are interested in Korean food, here’s a quick 101 about Korean food. It’s the basic basics. Next week, we’ll introduce you to kimchi jigae!

1. Bap (steamed rice) and Juk (porridge)
Boiled rice is the staple food for Koreans, it is eaten with almost every meal. In Korea people eat short-grained rice, as apposed to the long- grained Indian rice. Korean rice is often sticky in texture, and sometimes it is combined with beans, chestnuts, sorghum, red beans, barley or other cereals for added flavor and nutrition. Juk (porridge) is a light meal, which is highly nutritious. Juk is often made with rice, to which abalone, ginseng, pine nuts, vegetables, chicken, or bean sprouts can be added. As well as rice porridge, red bean porridge and pumpkin porridge are also delicious.

2. Guk (soup)
Korean meals traditionally consist of a soup served with rice. The soup can be made from vegetables, meat, fish, shellfish, seaweed, or beef bones.

3. Jjigae (stew)
Jjigae is similar to guk but is thicker and has a stronger taste. The most famous jjigae (doenjang-jjigae )is made from preserved soy bean paste. Jjigae is usually spicy and served piping hot in a heated stone bowl.

4. Jjim and Jorim (simmered meat or fish)
Jjim and jorim are similar dishes. Meat and fish are prepared with vegetables and soaked in soy bean sauce. The ingredients are then slowly boiled over a low heat.

5. Namul (vegetables or wild greens)
Namul consists of vegetables of wild greens, which have been slightly boiled or fried, and mixed with salt, soy sauce, sesame salt, sesame oil, garlic, onions, and other spices.

6. Jeotgal (seafood fermented in salt)
Jeotgal is a very salty food made from naturally preserved fish, shellfish, shrimp, oysters, fish roe, intestines and other ingredients.

7. Gui (broiled/barbecued dishes)
Gui is when marinated fish or meat are barbecued over a charcoal fire. The most popular gui dishes are meats, such as bulgogi and galbi, however, there are also many fish dishes which are cooked this way.

8. Jeon (pan-fried dishes)
Jeon is a kind of Korean pancake. Mushrooms, pumpkin, slices of dried fish, oysters, unripened red peppers, meat, or other ingredients are mixed with salt and black pepper, dipped in flour and egg and then fried in oil.

9. Mandu (dumpling)
Mandu are Korean dumplings, which are stuffed with beef, mushrooms, stir-fried zucchini, and mungbean sprouts. Pork, chicken, fish or kimchi are sometimes used instead of beef.

Source: Korea Sparkling

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