Korean Food Culture

Korean cuisine is based on the traditional foods and preparation techniques of Korea, its national cookery known nowadays has developed through centuries of social and political conversions. Its origins can be traced back to ancient times with much of the establishment of the cuisine told in myths and legends. Evolving from a cuisine which was highly affected by Chinese culture with Buddhism and Confucianism, the cuisine finally came into its own by distinguishing itself in a number of ways. Ingredients and dishes contrast by province. There are many significant regional dishes found in these countries provinces that have become both national and regional. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated in different variations across the country in the present day. The Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of the unique regional specialties together for the royal family. Meals taken both by the royal family and Korean citizens have been regulated by etiquette unique to Korea. The cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Every meal is accompanied by numerous banchan. Kimchi, a fermented, spicy vegetable dish is usually served at every meal. Korean cuisine usually involves heavy seasoning with sesame oil, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, and gochujang (red chili paste).

Grains in overall, have been one of the most significant staples to the Korean diet. Initial myths from the foundations of various kingdoms in Korea center on grains. One foundation myth relates to Chumong who received barley seeds from two doves sent by his mother after establishing the Goguryeo kingdom. Yet another myth speaks of the three founding deities of Cheju Island whom were to be wed to the three princesses of Tamna, the deities brought seeds of five grains which were the first seeds planted which in turn became the first instance of farming.

Korean foods are basically categorized into groups of "main staple foods", "subsidiary dishes", and "dessert". The main dishes are made from grains such as bap (a bowl of rice), juk (porridge), and guksu (noodles). Many Korean banchan rely on fermentation for flavor and preservation, resulting in a tangy, salty, and spicy taste. Certain regions are especially associated with some dishes (for example, the city of Jeonju with bibimbap) either as a place of origin or for a famous regional variety. Restaurants will often use these famous names on their signs or menus (i.e. "Suwon galbi"). Romanization of Korean words may vary widely, with g/k (eg galbi/kalbi), j/ch, d/t and b/p often used interchangeably.

Korean restaurants are commonly available in areas with large Korean populations. Common examples include Koreatowns situated in other countries. Restaurants run by the North Korean government have opened in China, Mongolia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Through the pre-modern era, grains such as barley and millet were the chief staples and were supplemented by wheat, sorghum, and buckwheat. Rice is not an indigenous crop to Korea, and it is likely that millet was the preferred grain before rice was cultivated. Rice became the grain of choice during the Three Kingdoms period, particularly in the kingdoms of Silla and Baekje in the southern regions of the peninsula. Rice was such an important commodity in Silla, that it was used to pay taxes. The Sino-Korean word for tax is a compound character that utilizes the character for the rice plant. The preference for rice escalated into the Joseon period when new methods of cultivation and new varieties emerged that would help increase production. As rice was prohibitively expensive when it first came to Korea, it is likely that the grain was mixed with other grains, nuts, or berries in order to "stretch" the rice; this is still done in dishes such as boribap (rice with barley) and kongbap (rice with beans). White rice, which is rice with the hull removed, has been the preferred method of eating rice since its introduction into the cuisine. The most traditional method of cooking the rice has been to cook it in an iron pot called a sot or musoe sot. This method of rice cookery dates back at least to the Goryeo period, and sot have even been found in tombs from the Silla period. The sot is still used today, much in the same manner it was in the past centuries. Rice is used to make a number of items, outside of the traditional bowl of plain white rice. Rice is commonly ground into a flour and used to make rice cakes called tteok, of which there are over two-hundred varieties. Rice is also cooked down into a congee (called juk in Korean), or gruel (called mieum in Korean) and mixed with other grains, meat, or seafood. Koreans also produce a number of rice wines, both in filtered and unfiltered varieties.

In ancient times meat was likely attained through hunting and fishing. Records indicate that rearing of livestock began on a small scale during the Three Kingdoms period. Meat was likely consumed roasted or in soups or stews during this period. Those that lived closer to the oceans were able to compliment their diet with more fish while those inland had a diet containing more meat. Fish and shellfish have always been a major part of Korean cuisine because of the oceans bordering the peninsula. Evidence from the 12th century illustrates that commoners consumed a diet mostly of fish and shellfish such as shrimp, clams, oysters, abalone, and loach, while sheep and hogs were reserved for the upper class. Both fresh and saltwater fish are popular and are served raw, grilled, broiled, dried, and served in soups and stews. Common grilled fish include mackerel, hairtail, croaker, and Pacific herring. The fish is generally salted as Jeotgal and grilled either whole or in fillets and served with rice. Fish is often dried naturally in order to prolong storing periods and enable shipping over long distances. Fish commonly dried include yellow corvina, anchovies (myulchi) and croaker. Shellfish are often used in stock and soup preparations. Raw oysters are used in the preparation of kimchi to aid in the fermentation process and as a flavoring. Dried shrimp are used as a seasoning agent known as saeujeot for the preparation of some types of kimchi. Large shrimp are often grilled as daeha gui or dried, mixed with vegetables and served with rice. Mollusks eaten in Korean cuisine include octopus, cuttlefish, and squid.

Beef is the most prized of all meats, with the cattle itself holding an vital cultural role in the Korean home. The cattle were regarded as servants and seen as an equal to human servants. Cattle were also given their own holiday during the first 'cow' day of the lunar New Year. The importance of the cattle does not suggest that Koreans ate an abundance of beef, however, as pork and seafood were more likely consumed on a more regular basis as the cattle also served as beasts of burden. The Buddhist ruling class of the Goryeo period forbade the consumption of beef. The Mongols dispensed with the ban of beef during the 13th century and they promoted the production of beef cattle. This increased production continued into the Joseon period when the government encouraged both increased quantities and quality of beef. Today beef remains a protein for special occasions or for those that can afford it more often in the upper economic classes. It has only been in the latter part of the 20th century that on a whole, people in Korea have been able to eat beef. Beef is prepared in numerous ways today including roasting or grilling (gui), boiling in soups, or drying (yukpo).

Chicken has played an vital role as a protein in Korea's history, evidenced by a number of myths. One myth tells of the birth of Kim Alji, founder of the Kim family of Gyeongju being announced by the cry of a white chicken. As the birth of a clan's founder is always announced by an animal with preternatural qualities, this myth speaks to the importance of chicken. Chicken is often served roasted or steamed with vegetables or in soups. All parts of the chicken are used in Korean cuisine, including the gizzards, liver, and feet. Young chicken are braised in a medicinal soups eaten during the summer months to combat heat called samgyetang. The feet of the chicken, called dakbal, are often roasted and covered with hot and spicy gochujang-based sauce and served as an anju, or side dish, to accompany alcoholic beverages, especially soju.

Pork has also been another significant land based protein for Korea. Records reveal that pigs have been a part of the Korean diet back to antiquity, similar to cattle rearing. Pigs were pen raised early in Korean culture, with pigs in special pens being raised on the Cheju Island. The pigs on Cheju Island were raised in pens built around raised privies which held human excrement which these pigs consumed. These pigs were considered a delicacy and were known as tong dwaeji. A number of foods have been avoided while eating pork including Chinese bellflower (doraji) and lotus root (yeonn ppuri) as the combinations have been thought to cause diarrhea. Blood taken from the pig's tail is thought to have medicinal properties. All parts of the pig are used in Korean cuisine in a variety of cooking methods including steaming, stewing, boiling, and smoking.

Dog is one more meat that has been consumed in Korea dating back to ancient times. The essential dog breed raised for meat, the nureongi, differ from those breeds raised for pets which Koreans may keep in their homes. Dog meat is usually consumed during the summer months and is either roasted or prepared in soups. The most popular of these soups is gaejang-guk, a spicy stew meant to balance the body's heat during the summer months, this is thought to ensure good health by balancing one's gi, or vital energy of the body. A 19th century version of gaejang-guk explains the preparation of the dish by boiling dog meat with scallions and chili powder. Variations of the dish contain chicken and bamboo shoots. The dish is still popular in Korea during the summer months.

Soups are an everyday regular part of any Korean meal. Dissimilar other cultures, in Korean soup is served as part of the main course rather than at the beginning or the end of the meal. Soups known as guk are often made with meats, shellfish and vegetables, formal soups known as tang are prepared with meats offered at ancestral rites, and jjigae are a thicker, simple soup or stew. Korean soups can be split into four categories. The first category, clear soups or called malgeunguk, are flavored with ganjang. Small amounts of long boiled meat may be added to the soup, or seafood both fresh and dried may be added, or vegetables may be the main component for the clear soup. The second category, known as tojangguk are seasoned with doenjang. Common ingredients for tojang guk include seafood such as clams, dried anchovies, and shrimp. For a spicier soup, gochujang is added. The third category of soups is gomguk, and they are made from boiling beef bones or cartilage. Originating as a peasant dish, all parts of the cow are used including tail bones, leg-bones and rib-bones with or without meat attached, are boiled in water to extract fat, marrow, and potassium to create a milky-white soup. Some versions of this soup may also use the cow's head and intestines. The only seasoning generally used in the soup is salt. The final category of soup is naengguk, which are cold soups generally eaten during the summer months to cool down the diner. A light hand is usually used in the seasoning of these soups usually utilizing ganjang and sesame oil. Stews are referred to as jjigae and are often a shared side-dish. Jjigae is often both cooked and served in the glazed earthenware pot (ttukbaegi) in which it is cooked. The most common version of this stew is doenjang jjigae which is a stew of soybean paste, with many variations, common ingredients include vegetables, saltwater or freshwater fish, and tofu. The stew often changes with the seasons and which ingredients are available. Other common varieties of jjigae contain kimchi (kimchi jjigae) or tofu (sundubu jjigae).

Kimchi: vegetables (commonly Napa cabbage, daikon, or cucumber) are usually fermented in a brine of ginger, garlic, scallions, and chilli pepper. There are never-ending varieties, and it is served as a side dish or cooked into soups and rice dishes. Koreans by tradition make enough kimchi to last for the entire winter season, although with refrigerators and commercial jarred kimchi this tradition has turn out to be less commonplace.