Categories: Uncategorised

Korean Food 101: Fun Facts And Cultures

Korea has successfully “importing” their culture around the world through music, drama, film, fashion, beauty, and also food.

Fans of Korean food in Malaysia must be familiar with their dishes; rice, soup, or gravy.  Well, these five quick introductions to Korean cuisine will give you all the basics you need.

1. Food is medicine

First, Koreans said food is medicine. They practice the slogan “You Are What You Eat”. For them, food is important for one’s physical and emotional well-being.

They believe that harmony can be achieved through a combination of different balanced materials such as the yin-yang aspect. Korean food is also one of the healthiest traditional dishes in the world due to the common use of natural ingredients, seasonal ingredients: tofu, taucu, chili, garlic, and spicy kimchi.

2. Rice is a good food


The second thing you need to know is that rice is good and nutritious food. Korean food is not complete without a bowl of steamed rice. This is a bowl of short starchier rice from the local version, with a sticky texture like glutinous rice. Sometimes beans, cereals, barley, and corn are added for conversion or made into JuK (porridge). Coarse brown rice is more popular in rural areas.

Waste rice is a taboo in their culture. So most Koreans feel responsible for consuming every grain of rice leftover. Water is sometimes poured over the rice crust at the bottom of the rice cooker and left to soak for a while before the crust is scraped to make a Sungyung. Every drop and last detail is fully utilized.

3.Served simultaneously

Korean food will be served simultaneously at one table. Unlike Western food that comes in separate in a variety of courses, Korean dining has all the different dishes served simultaneously. Everyone will have their own bowl of rice and soup. It is customary for five to 12 banchan dishes to be served in addition to main dishes such as meat, seafood, and tofu in the size of a family meal.

4.No broth and lots of banchan


You also need to overcook gravy except for certain soups and stews, you will not find any dishes that are loaded with gravy in Korean cuisine. Although JuK (Korean porridge) tends to be cooked thick and viscous while jjigae (Korean stew) only has a small amount of liquid in it.

However, there are indeed many banchan dishes in every Korean dish, with five or more side dishes becoming the norm. Served in the middle of the table to share, the food set served consists of hundreds of different types. Apart from the famous kimchi, a large number of banchan are vegetable-based and cooked boiled in pots or fried in various sauces and spices.

5.Not sweet

If Western food always ends with a dessert that tastes sweet, it is different from Korean dishes. Typically, Korean dishes are topped with green tea or refreshing beverages such as like (pounding rice), Hwachae (fruit pounding honey), and Ohmija (slightly sour raspberry tea flavor with pine nuts).

Sources: HungryGoWhere.com

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Tous les Jours Expands in Malaysia with New Outlets at Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Velocity

Malaysian fans of delectable K-inspired baked goods will be delighted to hear that Tous Les… Read More

4 hours ago

Stitch Lands in KL, Disney’s Blue Menace Takes Over Pavilion This School Holiday

Get ready for a school holiday filled with tropical vibes as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur transforms… Read More

4 hours ago

Malaysia Gears Up for Southeast Asia’s First Smart City Expo, Here’s Why You Should Care

Kuala Lumpur just flipped the switch on something big. The 100-day countdown to Smart City… Read More

4 hours ago

Ejen Ali: The Movie Review, A Next-Level Win for Malaysian Animation

Ejen Ali: The Movie 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s a bold upgrade that proves… Read More

5 hours ago

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor With its latest collection… Read More

2 days ago

TCL Malaysia Opens First-Ever Brand Store at Sunway Pyramid by Vivid Concepts

TCL, a global leading consumer electronics brand, officially launched its first-ever TCL Brand Store in… Read More

2 days ago

This website uses cookies.