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Korean Cuisine: spicy but healthy

When most people think of Korean food, they always think of the well-known dish, kimchi. Actually, there are other delectable dishes offered in gourmet restaurants.

Korean food is a characteristic of Korean tradition. It is rich in nutrition, balanced in content as well as low in calories and fat and can be eaten much without gaining weights. The most distinguishing feature of Korean food is spiciness.

Korean cuisine has its own style which is definitely different from Chinese and Japanese. Rice is the staple food and a typical Korean meal consists of rice, soup, three to four side dishes and a variety of vegetables including kimchi. Most Korean soups and side dishes are heavily laced with red pepper.

Kimchi is a traditional fermented vegetable dish with a pickling method. It is served with every kind of Korean meals and can be preserved for a long time. Today, there are many types of kimchi differentiated by regions and ingredients and all rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers and lactic acid. Its hot and spicy taste stimulates the appetite. Kimchi is also used as an ingredient in other popular dishes such as kimchi fried rice, kimchi stew and kimchi pancake. These days kimchi is gaining popularity worldwide for its nutritional value and disease prevention effect.

Seasonings are used to improve the taste and aroma of the food. The basic seasonings are red pepper paste, soy sauce, bean paste, ginger root, sesame and mustard. In the past, every Korean family made their own traditional seasonings with herbs and spices. The herbs and spices which give Korean cuisine distinctive flavors also carry medicinal properties. They are eaten in the meal to help cool or warm the head and the body. These three seasonings are the most important in Korean meal. Today, ready-made seasonings are available in every store, yet many households especially in the countryside still keep their practices.

Chopsticks and spoons are the main eating utensils. Different from Chinese and Japanese, Korean chopsticks are thinner and made of metal instead of wood. While dining, the Korean eat their rice and soup with a spoon and side dishes with chopsticks, but not simultenously. In addition, they don't hold their bowls and plates while eating.

During the meal, the Korean rarely drink anything but a bit of water or barley tea called poricha. However, there is a wide range of beverages in Korea as well as many different types of traditional alcoholic drinks featuring soju, makgeolli and dong-dong-ju.

Where to sample Korean food