Common Ingredients in Korean Cusine
Common Ingredients in Korean Cusine
Common Ingredients in Korean Cusine
Topic:
• Chopsticks should be returned to the table after every few bites and when you drink or
stop to speak.
• Do not cross your chopsticks when putting them on the chopstick rest.
• Do not pick up food with your hands. Fruit should be speared with a toothpick.
• Indicate you are finished eating by placing your chopsticks on the chopstick rest or on the
table. Never place them parallel across your rice bowl.
When you leave a social gathering, say good-bye and bow to each person individually.
Every culture in the world has its dining etiquette that embodies the values,
traditions, and civility of its people. Knowingly or not, parents often teach their
children to discipline through family meals, and the ways of eating that enhance
enjoyment.
For Koreans, having good table manners brings harmony to everyone sharing the
meal, and lets you truly savour the myriad of rich flavours together. So, the next time
you enjoy a Korean meal, remember these 10 basic rules:
1. Say ‘I will eat well.’
Say ‘Jal-mukkes-seub-nida’, which means ‘I will eat well’, or ‘I will enjoy this meal’ – a
polite show of appreciation for the food you receive and the person who cooked it.
It’s akin to saying grace before eating, ‘Bon appetit’, ‘Itadakimasu’ for the Japanese,
or a simple ‘Thank you for the food’.
2. Elder first
Like most Asians, respect for elders is a core value in Korean culture that is also
practised at the dining table. Typically, the elder picks up his/her chopsticks first to
start off the family meal. If you happened to be the eldest? Well, don’t keep everyone
waiting!
5. Don’t hoard
Sharing is caring, cliché as that may be, but absolutely true in a Korean meal. So,
make sure everyone can enjoy the shared dishes. Always take just enough from each
time, and don’t hoard a pile of food on your personal plate and bowl.
8. Stay focused
Enjoying your food and company is more important than scrolling your phone. So,
don’t. No TV, magazine or newspaper either, please. Focus on your meal and
conversations with your loved ones at the table.
1. COOKING TIPS
Korean cooking is pretty straight forward if you have the right ingredients.
Fortunately, the majority of the most important authentic Korean ingredients have a
long shelf life, so they can be bought in advance in one go and kept on standby for
whenever you need them.
Many people assume all Korean food is ridiculously spicy and full of garlic and ginger,
perhaps because some of the nation’s most famous dishes are! However, there are a
great range of dishes that are not overly spicy, or pungent, and those that are can
easily be adjusted to your taste when cooking. However, as with any new cuisine, you
should approach it with an open mind. For example, something like kimchi, a
fermented, spicy cabbage, smells far stronger than it tastes! It is served with pretty
much every meal in Korea and very quickly becomes an addictive must-have with
every meal!
3. Make some side dishes ahead of time and have them stored in your fridge
If you are new to Korean food, you would be forgiven for thinking that an average
meal takes hours to cook, as there are so many side dishes served alongside the main
dish. In fact, most Korean side dishes are either fermented or pickled or naturally
preserved in some way, so they can be made in advance and stored in the fridge,
ready to dip into as and when needed. We would recommend making some kimchi,
pickled garlic, seasoned lotus root, dried seasoned anchovies and spicy dried squid.
The recipes for all of these dishes are in our book Our Korean Kitchen, and all of them
last for weeks, if not months, kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Then all you
have to do is cook a simple Korean dish, and serve it with a little of each of the side
dishes, and you have an epic Korean meal right there!