Korean Food 불고기

Liquor

 Origin

Liquor is a fermented drink in which various ingredients  including alcohol were created by microbes’ disintegration  of carbohydrates and is the oldest drink among human made drinks.  The origin of Korean liquor, Takju (unrefined rice wine) and Yakju  (rice wine) is not known exactly but based on the literatures  it seems to have developed over a long period of time after it  was created before Samhan age.

Various kinds of brewing were done in the middle of Goryeo Dynasty  and from that time on the kinds of wines such as Takju, Yakju  (Cheongju) and Soju (distilled liquor) were started to be documented  in the literature. In Joseon Dynasty, the methods of brewage were  diversified by region, family, season and usage, which are largely  categorized into Yakjus, Takjus, Sojus and liquors for medicine use.  From ancient times, Koreans loved to brew wines, enjoyed drinking them and had wisdom and intelligence to control liquor. Based on long history and original culture, Koreans created its own unique liquors and culture. Korean ancestors used to express that they eat wines instead of saying that they drink wines, as they have perceived wines as food instead of merely taste beverage.

Drinks

 Definition

Drinks mean all kinds of palatable drinks other than liquor. Korean traditional drinks have real variety in terms of kinds, type and how to make. From early times in our country, drinks have been classified into Cha (tea), Tang (boiling water), Hwachae (honeyed juice mixed with fruits), Milsu (honeyed water), Sikhye (sweet drink made from fermented rice), Sujeonggwa (fruit punch made of dried persimmons),

Jangsu (fermented grain juice with sour taste), Galsu (thirst water), Suksu (scorched rice tea), Jeup (fruit juice) and milk. Drinks have positioned themselves as native Korean foods which took roots deeply into our dietary life such as ordinary meals, seasonal foods, sacrificial rites and big and small festive events. As dietary life was structured entering into the Three States age, foods are categorized into main dish, subsidiary dishes and dessert, and drinks are developed as the kinds of dessert. With the development as dissert, traditional drinks were positioned as important palatable foods together with cakes. In the cooking related books of old days, we can see that a variety of ingredients were used to make traditional drinks and the drinks were closely related to people’s life as foods used for ordinary meal, special food, special meal and banquet meals. Our ancestors demonstrated their wisdom by appropriately utilizing various kinds of medicinal ingredients produced from mountains, fields and even rivers and sea and putting the ingredients into the traditional drinks so that the drinks helps the promotion of physical and mental health. Such medicinal health drinks have outstanding taste and nutrition based on pure natural foods. Our traditional drinks are the expression of the changes in the tastes of the four seasons in our country by using natural products of the seasons, and as such Korean traditional drinks are the generic Korean food in which romance, elegance and sincerity of our ancestors who knew how to enjoy natural taste and style are kept.

Rice cake

 Definition

Rice cake means all kinds of foods, which are made of the grain powders by kneading the powder with water and steaming it, in which rice cakes such as white rice cake (Hintteok), steamed rice cake (Sirutteok), rice cake coated with beam powder (Injeolmi), rice cake steamed on a layer of pine needles (Songpyeon), flower shaped rice cake, pan-fried rice cake (Juak) and dumpling coated with beam paste (Gyeongdan) are included.

Rice cake is a food which has been developed together with the lives of Korean people and unique sentiment and culture are contained in it. And also the combination of its taste, nutrition, texture and flavor is rather scientific. The taste, flavors and colors of rice cakes are diversified depending on season and region and rice cakes are natural food which is very good for health. The ingredients of rice cake are mostly natural foods and the ingredients are used in the season in which they are produced, and the mixture of the ingredients such as rice, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables contains all five major nutrients with medicinal nature to some extent. Addition of various edible flowers, herb medicines and natural coloring agents and natural flavoring agent makes rice cake more luxurious and graceful. With the harmony of colors from seasons and regions, rice cake has the meaning of the sentiment for mutual help and collaboration by sharing the rice cake with neighbors. Hangwa (Oil-and-honey pastry) means Korean traditional cake or cookie. The making method is far more diversified compared to that of western cakes or biscuits, while allowing longer period of storage than that of western cakes or biscuits without using inflating agent and preserving agent at all. Hangwa is pure natural and healthy snack and is good for health as good as medicine. Glutinous rice is a main ingredient and most ingredients are natural plant foods, especially some herb ingredients such as apricot stone, raspberry and pine pollen are used. That is why Hangwa has outstanding nutrition with even medicinal efficacy to some extent. Color and flavor are made using natural dyestuffs and natural flavoring agents while well balanced nutrition can be taken depending on the combination of main ingredients and subsidiary ingredients.

 Origin

As the agricultural age was unfolded in full scale entering into the Three States age and the Unified Silla age, total grain outputs, especially rice output was significantly increased and therefore rice cakes using grains other than rice were diversified accordingly. Rice cakes are further developed in Goryeo age, and the rice cakes are made by general people for occasionally prepared special foods for ordinary times not as special foods for upper class people, festive days and sacrificial rites only. Entering into Joseon Dynasty, rice cake was positioned as essential food for various ceremonial events such as marriage ceremonies, funeral rites and sacrificial rites as well as large and small banquets, and such customs and practices are inherited as tradition and customs even nowadays.

Sinseollo

 Definition

Sinseollo is a kind of hot pot, which is cooked by putting various ingredients in a metal pot, pouring broth and boiling them together to be taken on-site.  The ingredients are arranged in the pot in good and orderly shape according to color.  The food is similar to stew, but different from it in that stew has mostly one main ingredient while sinseollo has a lot of ingredients cooked together so that diverse tastes originating from each ingredient can be enjoyed in one time.

cooking method is unique in that several persons sitting around the table can dine on it jointly while the food is boiling on the table, each person picking up the food when  suitable to his taste.

 Origin

Sinseollo was originated from the story that a politician Chung Hee-ryang had become a victim in a massacre of scholars under the rule of King Yeonsan in Joseon (Chosun) dynasty.  He fled to a remote mountain and was leading a solitary life like a  hermit.  He made a pot and cooked vegetable by boiling in it, to be taken as daily meal.  After his death, his utensil had come to be called as sinseollo, meaning a fire pot (ro)  used by a hermit (sinseon).  And later, the food has begun to be called as sinseonro  or sinseollo.

Japchae

 Definition

Japchae is a Korean dish which is popular at feasts or during festive days. It is made by putting pan-fried vegetables into sweet potato noodles (called dangmyeon) and stirring them on a pan. Originally, it was one of the palace foods served by mixing the steamed vegetables of thinly-sliced cucumber and radish,  bean sprouts and ballonflowers only. These days, dangmyeon is a major ingredient of Japchae.

 Origin

There is an episode as an origin of Japchae. During the period of King Gwanghaegun in Joseon Dynasty (Reign 1608~1623), one day, king was tired of eating various kinds of loyal delicacies. He asked his subjects, “Isn’t there any better tasty food?” Then, an official named Lee Choong has prepared and served Japchae. King was very delighted with the taste of Japchae and offered him a high position.

Japchae is categorized into Mushroom Japchae, Pine mushroom Japchae and Korean leek Japchae depending on major ingredients. The name, Japchae, literally means a mixture of vegetables ('Jap' means a mixture, and 'chae' means vegetables).  In Joseon Dynasty, it meant the mixing of various raw and cooked vegetables in sliced shape or sometimes it meant the mixing of main ingredients such as steamed and sliced fish, jellyfish and lotus root. In palace, there were a variety of japchaes available such as Japchae with shredded cow foot jelly (Jokchae), Japchae with Mung-bean jelly mixed with beef and vegetables (Tangpyeongchae), Japchae in mustard sauce (Gyeojachae) and Japchae with vegetables and sliced fruits (Wolgwachae).

Samgyetang

 Definition

Samgyetang has long been the most favored invigorating food of Korea, particularly in summer.  The food is cooked by putting glutinous rice, ginseng, jujube and garlic into the inside of chicken and boiling them fully.  There are 24 subdivisions of the seasons in lunar calendar, and among the subdivisions, 'early Bok,' 'middle Bok,' and 'late Bok' come during June ~ July.

They are called 'three Boks,' covering the hottest days in Korea.  During those periods, people shed sweats heavily and lose appetite, thus easily falling into nutrition deficiency.  To overcome the sultry season, Korean ancestors had cooked and enjoyed samgyetang since the early days, and the tradition has been continued till now.

 Origin

In the beginning the food was cooked by boiling young chicken, which was called 'Yeonggye baeksuk' (young chicken boiled in plain water).  Later, ginseng was added and the name changed to 'Gyesamtang' (chicken ginseng soup), which was again changed into the present name of 'Samgyetang.'  The book 'Seoul Encyclopedia' explains in detail the process of name change; "Gyesamtang is a food stimulating appetite and supplying nutrition, cooked by fully boiling chicken added with ginseng.  Cut the belly of chicken, put ginseng inside it and  thread the incised part.  Among special dishes taken in summer, this food was normally enjoyed by people better off than those who ate dog soup.  Its name had long been called 'Gyesamtang,' but later when ginseng became popularized and its value appreciated even by foreigners, the name has changed into 'Samgyetang' with ginseng as the first syllable."   Like beef, chicken does not have fat in its sinew fiber.  It is a high-protein food smoothly digested and absorbed into human body.  Mixed in harmony with the medicinally-effective  ginseng as well as glutinous rice, chestnut and jujubes, it produces balanced nutrition,  and thus it is reckoned as an excellent stamina food.

Naengmyeon

 Definition

Naengmyeon is prepared by boiling and cooling off noodles as a 'sari' (coil) and pouring seasoned and iced water into the bowl, and then have garnishes be laid on top of them.  Among the materials of noodle, buckwheat can make the most delicious cold noodles, i.e. kneading buckwheat flour and pressing them in a machine to transform into noodles.  Cold noodles were mainly developed in the northern area of Korea which had large harvest of buckwheat.

In particular, Pyeongyang cold noodles and Hamheung cold noodles were famous, which have been succeeded to date.  In Pyeongyang city, citizens would enjoy cold noodles at night in winter.  Returning home from the freezing outside, they took out icy juice of watery kimchi from jars and made cold  noodles, and they ate the noodles on a heated floor while thawing their frozen body.  As such, cold noodle was a delicacy of the winter season in the northern area of Korea.

 Origin

As an old record regarding cold noodles, the book 'Dongguk Sesigi' written in 1849 (late Joseon dynasty) writes that; "As a seasonal food in winter, buckwheat noodle added with radish kimchi and cabbage kimchi, also with pork laid above them, is called Naengmyeon.  Among its kind, Pyeongyang cold noodle made in Pyeongan province has particularly excellent taste."

Bibimbap

 Definition

Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish. The word literally means "mixed cooked rice " or "mixed meal.” It is also sometimes spelled "Bibimbab" or "bibimbop.”  It is served with properly cooked rice in a hot or cold bowl, topping various vegetables, meats and egg in colorful fashion. As Bibimbap contains a variety of ingredients, it is very healthy and nutritious Korean food.

 Origin

There are many origins for Bibimbap. First, it was originated from the customs for partaking of sacrificial foods after sacrificial rites. Second, it was originated from way of serving interim meal for workers in the field as it was difficult to prepare meal with many dishes for many people. Therefore they used one big vessel and mixed various foods in it. Third, at lunch time in the palace, a brief meal using only one vessel was served to a member of royal family when they visited palace.

Donghak troop mixed various foods in one vessel in the field for convenience sake. And lastly on the last day of a year, people tried to finish all the left over foods by mixing the foods together and shared the food amongst family members. As such there are many interesting stories and origins related to the Bibimbap. Jeonju Bibimbap is the most famous one and it is said that it is because of bean sprouts which is used as one of the ingredients for Bibimbap as Jeonju area is famous for the taste of bean sprouts. Bibimbap can have a variety by changing the ingredients and vegetables depending on season. One point of consideration is to try to keep good combination and harmony of nutrition and color.

Bulgogi

 Origin

In the 1950s of Korea, some restaurants offered roast meat after cutting into thin slices, which helped shorten cooking time and make meat tender, as thick meat was generally tough and not grilled fast.  Later, cooking utensil was changed from grill to pan, enabling guests to put boiled rice into beef gravy gathered on the pan.  Thus, ordinary people who could not afford the expensive meat often could eat meat and rice more economically.  This method of roasting meat slice on a pan has continued and expanded, which has become bulgogi of today.

 Bulgogi, well known overseas

Bulgogi and Galbigui (grilled beef ribs) are the most favored foods of the Koreans.  Of all the Korean dishes, perhaps bulgogi is most widely known overseas.  Bulgogi not only represents Korean food but also symbolizes the food roasting culture of Korea.  As bulgogi is not pungent, foreigners who experience the food first time can enjoy its taste easily.  Through bulgogi, garlic and soybean paste that are the main ingredients of bulgogi condiments can be also experienced.  Roasting meat while seasoning them on-site is not the only way of cooking bulgogi.  ‘Hot pepper paste bulgogi’ is a kind of bulgogi cooked by storing meat in hot pepper paste for some time before roasting them.  In the past, there was ‘soybean paste bulgogi’ but it has faded away since the method of using hot pepper paste was introduced.  Pork can be also roasted after seasoning or burying them in hot pepper paste.

kimchi

 Definition

Kimchi is a fermented food that mixes pickled Korean cabbage or radish with spicy vegetables and various condiments such as salted fish and red pepper powder. The term ‘kimchi’ was derived from 'chimchae' which means soaking vegetables in salty water and storing them.  To be prepared for the coldest season of

Korea - 3 or 4 months in winter - when food was scarce, vegetables were pickled  and stored beforehand, which was later developed into kimchi.  Kimchi is not a simple fermented vegetable but a complex and indigenous food of Korea involving diverse condiments and spices.

 Origin

In view that Koreans had enjoyed eating vegetables from the ancient times, and that salt had been made and used then, together with the old records on appearance of fermented foods like salted fish and soy in Korea, it is  presumed that kimchi had existed before the three-kingdom era.  Red pepper was introduced into Korea via Japan around 1592-1598 when the Japanese  army invaded Korea.  The first detailed description on kimchi is found in the  book 'Gyeongdo Japji' (written in the late 1700s) which records that radish,  cabbage, garlic, hot pepper powder, turban shell, ear shell, yellow corvina, etc. were mixed into boiled soup of salted shrimps, and then stored in jars during winter season for being fermented and transformed into a hot food.  The book also records that Korean people in 1700s enjoyed the fermented food.  Another record is found in 'Jeungbo Sanrim Gyeongje' (mountains and forest economy) written in 1766, which describes the use of kimchi as daily side dish.  The type of kimchi we see today seems to have appeared after the 17th century when the 'cabbage with head' was introduced from China.  Around this time, condiments and spices were also in full use in Korea, which enabled kimchi to develop into the current version.