Banchan: Unlimited, Free Korean Small Plates

Posted on 11 November 2009 by jumelle

Category: Food

Tags: banchan, jessica chang, korean banchan, korean panchan, panchan, Recipes

Every country has its finger foods. Spanish tapas have ridden the wave of the popularity in recent years. Japanese izakayas serve delectable small plates that taste absolutely divine with sake. The Greeks have their rich and colorful Meze, many of which I tried at Pylos (great place) last month.

So what do the Koreans have? Banchan – unlimited, and best of all, free, appetizers that the waiters so generously stack onto the table immediately upon your arrival. There are endless combinations of different dishes, but they generally fall into the following categories:

Kimchee
Named a national treasure by the Korean Government, kimchee comes in different shapes and forms, ranging from turnip and cabbage to cucumbers pickled in garlic, red chili peppers, and salt. The dish is fermented for months, making it super rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B. It was rumored that back in 2003, SARS barely touched Korea thanks to the properties in kimchee that boosted people’s immunity. I’m by no means a kimchee connoisseur, but I’ve definitely heard people say, you can measure the quality of the restaurant by its kimchee.

Jjim
Jiim refers to steamed dishes, like my favorite steamed egg! The soft fluffy texture of steamed egg is truly irresistible.

Bokkeum
In a nutshell, these are dishes that are stir-fried in a red chili pepper sauce. Bokkeum is often made with squid, kimchee, and pork.

Namul
These are vegetables that are seasoned with sesame oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, green onions, chili peppers, and soy sauce. You’ll often see broccoli seasoned in sesame oil and tossed in with a few sesame seeds.

Jeon
These are the fried dishes, including the popular Korean pancakes. How could anyone not love these pancakes? They may not be the best thing for you, but the crunchiness of the pancakes always leaves me stomach very satisfied. Restaurants have been quite creative with what goes into the pancakes. Zucchini, Potato and Leek, and Seafood are among the favorites.

Jap Chae (see below)
Often eaten as an appetizer, Jap Chae consists of cellophane noodles and vegetables stir-fried in sesame oil and flavored with soy sauce. Made from sweet potato, the noodles are translucent when cooked, and the consistency can often be a bit chew. Make it yourself here!

The variety of dishes make up a very balanced meal (complementing the hefty chunks of galbi and samgyupsal). I also think it’s interesting to note that food can play an important role in defining a culture. Nearly all Korean dishes are meant to be shared, giving it a more communal and familial feel, and unlike Western main dishes that will serve a main course with two self-contained sides on the same plate. In Korean meals, the appetizers arguably can be just as important as the main dish. There’s no hard and fast rule as to what types of panchan restaurants should serve, but there’s generally a pretty good mix of everything (as evident in the pictures below).

Cheers,
Jess