Category: Food

Origins and history of kimchi
But First, What is Kimchi?

If you love Korean food, and you are still not aware of kimchi, you must be living under a rock, or not eating at the right places. Let us begin by learning the background and history of kimchi.

Feasting on Bibimbap, Kimchi and other traditional Korean food

Undoubtedly when ordering in a Korean restaurant, if not always, kimchi will be one of side many dishes that will come along with your main course.

Kimchi is a traditional side dish made out of salted and fermented vegetables.

Due to the process of fermentation, kimchi has a sour, spicy, and umami taste. Umami is the fifth taste of tastes. We know about sour, sweaty, salty, and bitter, but this is savoriness. Food like fish, ripe tomato, cheeses, and whine has an umami taste.

The key ingredient to this traditional delight is napa cabbage.

Fun fact, the history of kimchi starts back to 57 B.C.E.

Kimchi is now becoming more popular in other parts of the world, which gives it all the more reason for people to learn about the history of kimchi.

The History of Kimchi

It is impossible to exactly track down the history of kimchi.

The farthest record starts around the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE – 668 CE), but others argue that kimchi dates farther back.

The early population of Koreans was going through a difficult time with agriculture during the winter.

The cold weather would prevent food from growing.

Kimchi cabbage.

As they continued to deal with the winter every year, Koreans were able to adapt and grow new skills.

To save food during the winter, they would dry their food, and also preserve their food with salt— creating kimchi.

Koreans store kimchi in large earthenwares (also known as Onggi) which they left underground to prevent freezing.

Do note, the first kimchi was not spicy nor was it made out of the cabbage. It was made out of radishes. Surprising right? Other vegetables and spices will come at a later time.

It is important to note that Korea was very isolated during the beginning, which explains why their recipes evolved as they came in contact with other countries.

Goryeo Period (918-1392)

During this period, researchers found the first written records of kimchi.

This also marks the beginning of Korean tradings with other kingdoms. This not only introduced new vegetations but spices.

Chinese tradings changed the kimchi recipe by introducing napa cabbage and garlic.

This change made kimchi similar to the sauerkraut.

Korean traditional fermented appetizer kimchi cabbage and radish salad, hot spicy anchovies fish snack in ceramic plates with Vietnamese oregano greens over grey spotted background. Flat lay, space.

Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910)

This period marks the influence of the Japanese people in Korea.

Throughout the many intents to conquer Korea, the Japanese introduced soy sauce impacting Korean cooking while also introducing another method to preserve kimchi.

Some researchers think that Japan helps the trade between China and Korea in this period. Koreans were able to get sweet potato and chili peppers from the Chinese.

The introduction of chili pepper created the kimchi we now know today. This on also embarked the makings of the many other kimchi recipes.

Other Types of Kimchi History Has Created

As stated before, kimchi comes in different types of shapes, forms, and flavors.

There are about 200 ways of making this side dish.

In the olden times, people would consume kimchi based on the season.

Here are some popular ones:
- Baechu Kimchi is one of the most popular and it is usually eaten with every meal. It is made out of napa (baechu) cabbage, red pepper powder, chopped garlic, ginger, and pickled seafood. You will see this in any KBBQ.
- Baek (White) Kimchi is for those who do not like spicy. Parents give this type of kimchi to their children. Baek is like baechu without the pepper powder, however, it does include chives, radishes, chestnuts, and fruit (like the Korean pear).
- KKakdugi (Radish cubes) Kimchi has the same ingredients as beachu, though the taste is more juicy, sweet, and crunchy. This is popular during the winter when napa cabbages are not in season.
- Nabak (Red Water) Kimchi is not that spicy. It is like a red cold soup with radishes, carrots, green onion, napa cabbage, garlic, ginger, brine Korean pear juice, and a tiny bit of red pepper.
- Yeolmu Mul (Green Water) Kimchi is best for those hot and humid summers. This kimchi has green chili peppers, red chili peppers, garlic, and kimchi sauce.
Health Benefits of Kimchi

Now, kimchi is so popular because it can deliciously pair with any meals. You can eat this with burgers, ramen, rice, egg, fish, and the list goes on and on.

And others like it for it sour umami taste, it reminds them of dill pickles or sauerkraut.

However, others do enjoy it for its health benefits.

Kimchi provides lots of probiotics detoxifying your body from any toxins, which boosts your immune system while strengthing your body to fight against infections.

Furthermore, the fiber in the kimchi help minimizes your chances of health complications. Some examples are diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, and digestion.

And if you are trying to lose weight, kimchi can reduce food cravings, and regulates your appetite.

Lastly, Kimchi is rich in vitamin A which can slow aging and repair old skin.

Kimchi is delicious and beneficial for your health. If you have not tried it yet, you are missing out.

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Korean Food

Making Kimchi

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April 12, 2021
Korean Food in Korea vs Korean Food in America
Korean food in Korea vs Korean food in America, what makes the food different from country to country? To start, dishes made in Korea are usually made with whole ingredients and spices. In America, it is common to use a lot more of preservatives. Even though the dishes may be the same, depending on the country, the outcome can be different. In other words, eating a common dish in Korea may taste different from eating that same dish in America.

Korean dishes
1. Kimchi – fermented cabbage, usually eaten as a side dish during meals
2. Korean fried chicken
3. Jajangmyeon – noodles in a black bean sauce
4. Bibimbap – rice with meat and vegetables
How these dishes are made/taste in Korea
- Kimchi
  - To start, the process of making kimchi is very hands on. The sauce has to be made, the cabbage needs to be washed, and then the sauce needs to be put onto the cabbage in a specific method.
  - Kimchi in Korea is a whole new level of spicy. Sometimes it is so spicy you cannot taste any of the sauces flavor. In other words, have a bowl of rice ready when eating this side dish and be careful.
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- Korean fried chicken
  - Firstly, it may sound like any other ordinary chicken, but it is not. The chicken is perfectly fried, and is not greasy at all.
  - Secondly, the taste is out of this world. The chicken can come in a variety of flavors. There are a range of spices/flavors for you to choose from. Be careful when choosing the spiciness level because heat in Korea is different!
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- Jajangmyeon
  - Firstly, this dish consists of noodles, vegetables, and meat or seafood in a black bean sauce. Depending on where you are and your taste preferences you can choose meat or seafood. In Korea, a majority of the time, this dish is made with seafood.
  - Secondly, this dish has an earthy flavor. The black bean sauce makes it taste delicious and healthy.
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- Bibimbap
  - Lastly, we have bibimbap. This dish has rice, vegetables, meat, and an egg in it. In Korea, the dish is usually in a stone pot. The rice they use is also purple and not white.
  - When eating this dish in Korea, you can expect a lot more vegetables than meat. The dish overall is has a lot of whole ingredients, and it not very seasoned.
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How these dishes taste/made in America
- Kimchi
  - Firstly, when eating kimchi in America, the taste can vary. A lot of times when you are eating out at a restaurant the kimchi will taste authentic, but still different from eating it in Korea. You can find kimchi at restaurants and also in jars.
  - Secondly, the taste is much greater in kimchi in America. You can taste the flavor of the sauce, and sometimes it is almost sweet. It is still spicy, but has an abundance of flavor.
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- Korean fried chicken
  - Firstly, this dish is a staple in Korea. In America, in order to get the most authentic version of Korean fried chicken, you need to go to a Korean restaurant. The chicken almost tastes like it has been air fried
  - Secondly, the chicken is delicious, but there are not as many varieties of flavors to choose from. In other words, the chicken in America still tastes great and has a lot of flavor, but it does not compare to getting it in Korea.
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- Jajangmyeon
  - Firstly, Americans prepare this dish the same as in Korea, but America definitely adds a lot of preservatives to give it more flavor.
  - Secondly, in America, instead of using seafood we use meat in the sauce. The ingredients that we add into the sauce also give it a sweeter taste. In Korea, the sauce is earthy tasting, but in America it is sweet and light.
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- Bibimbap
  - To begin, bibimbap is the dish that tastes the most different depending on where you eat it. In America, the dish is has white rice, vegetables, and way more meat.
  - Lastly, the meat has a lot of seasoning added to it. In Korea, the meat does not taste like it has seasoning, and it tastes a lot more healthy.
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Eating food in Korea vs eating food in America

To begin, Korean food in Korea vs Korean food in America, is a little different, so when eating out it will be a little different too. When eating out in Korea, you can order your main dish, but a bunch of side dishes called banchan (반찬 )come along with it. While, in America, if you go to a Korean restaurant you will receive side dishes, but not as nearly as many as you do in Korea.

Prices differences between Korean dishes in Korea and Korean dishes in America

The price differences of these dishes from Korea to America are drastic. You can eat the same dishes in each country, but the prices are completely different. For example:
- Kimchi – side dish/usually home made
- Fried chicken – in Korea ranges from $10-15, in America ranges from $18-20 depending on how many pieces you want
- Jajangmyeon – in Korea $3, America $10
- Bimibap – in Korea $3, America $12
Conclusion

In conclusion, Korean food in Korea vs Korean food in America definitely have similarities and differences. But, good thing it is possible to make and enjoy these dishes in Korea and in America. The overall process of making the dishes are relatively the same, but Americans seem to add extra ingredients for seasoning purposes. The price differences are pretty drastic, but it makes sense that they are cheaper in their country of origin. In other words, these dishes are staples in Korea and you should try them at least once. Whenever you have spare time make them or try them at home, and if you ever have the chance to travel to Korea, try them there too and compare!

If you want to read more blogs like this, then visit kworldnow.com! If you want to learn more on Korean food, check out the video below!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lQeHcfhk2w[/embedyt]
March 26, 2021
Korean Vegetarian Dishes
When thinking of Korean food, vegetarian dishes are the last thing to come to mind. Meat and fish are usually present in Korean cuisine since it makes part of the culture. Some of our favorite Korean foods have meats and animal products like gimbap, bibimbap, soft tofu stew, and jajangmyeon. But, this can be changed. Although it is hard to find vegetarian food in Korean, it is not impossible to make vegetarian dishes.

Why Vegetarian Dishes Are Hard To Find in Korea

Korean’s Love For Meat

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If not all, then most Korean love meat. For the older generation, beef symbolizes wealth. So in a sense, eating meat in most meals means that you are wealthy.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Koreans eat more meat in a year than a Chinese and Japanese person.

In Korea, the average person eats 51.3 kg (113 lbs) of meat a year. Whereas in China, it is 47.1 kg (91 lbs) and 35.5 kg in Japan (78 lbs).

Again, Korean treasure meat because it is luxury.

Meat Shows Financial Stability

During the 1960s and 1970s, eating meat daily was not realistic. At the time, common people only ate meat on special occasions since it was very expensive. In contrast to today, where many people can eat meat no matter their financial situation, the Korean royals only ate meat once or twice a week. As buying meat was financially hard, many people would alternate for beef fat to make in stews. Beef fat would give the soups the meaty flavor and satisfaction. As opposed to now, past-Koreans would eat 1.2 kg (3.6 lbs) of meat each year.

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The reason why meat was scarce and expensive, is due to the number of cattle available. A cattle’s purpose was for harvesting, creating vegetation, and not for eating. However, things began to change when the Japanese colonize Korea.

Japan has influence Korea in many aspects and learning how to multiply cattle was one of them. Japan was able to increase the number of cattle in Korea for military use but after the war was over, they took a great number of cattle back to Japan. This only made it harder for Koreans to get a hold of meat.

As time went by, Koreans were able to adapt and increase the number of cattle. As a result, many of the older generations who went through this experience treasure beef, and see beef as a symbol of financial stability.

Finding Vegetarian Dishes in Korea

Being a vegetarian in Korea is hard, but being a vegan can be impossible. If you are vegetarian or vegan, think twice before traveling to Korea or consider changing your diet while traveling. Without a doubt, most of the dishes you see will have beef, chicken, pork, fish, or some sort of animal product. Even in the veggie side dishes can have animal products just by the way it was made. A strict vegetarian or vegan will have a hard time eating out. When traveling, make sure to learn how to order food. Unless you do not mind removing the meat yourself, learning phrases to try to remove any meats from the meal can help.

Some helpful phrases:

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Where can I eat vegetarian food?

채식 음식 어디에서 먹을 수 있어요?

Chaeshik eumshik uhdiaesuh mukeul soo issuhyo?

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Do you have anything without meat?

고기 안 든것 있어요?

Gogi ahn deungeot issuhyo?

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Are there animal products in this?

동물성 식품 들어있어요?

Dongmoolsung shikpoom deuluhissuhyo?

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Please do not put meat and egg in it.

고기하고 계란 넣지 마세요.

Gogihago gyeran nuhji maseyo.

It is important to emphasize what to take out of the meal for a lot of older generations are not aware of the vegetarian lifestyle and the restrictions.

Buddist Temple Food

Do not lose all hope, for vegetarian dishes is possible in Korea. Reliable vegetarian dishes can be found in Buddist temples. Since monks (also known as seunims) mainly follow a meat-free diet, people can find vegetarian dishes in places labeled as temple food.

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Even some Korean Buddist monks use the vegetarian term loosely since there are seunims who eat meat on certain occasions. These circumstances fall under being sick or in social events where there are not alternatives.

Vegetarian Dishes in Seoul

Although Korea continues to remain a meat-loving community, vegetarian alternatives are increasing especially in Seoul.

Restaurants with vegetarian dishes:

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Loving Hut is a food chain that started in Asia and has many vegan and vegetarian dishes. You are able to eat Asian cuisine and not feel worried about the animal products

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Hongdae has a Mexican restaurant have is both for vegetarians and meat lovers. B’mucho Cantina is a great place to eat with friends since one no will feel restricted.

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Yummy Yomil is the home of vegan burgers with over 10 different options. Not only do they have vegan burgers, but they also have vegan desserts.

Making Korean Vegetarian Dishes

The best part of cooking Korea food is the part where you can alter the ingredients to your liking. It is not hard to make Korean vegetarian dishes. In most situations, all you have to do it remove the meat, or not cook the food in animal broth.

Here are some vegetarian dishes you can make:

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Buchujeon (Garlic Chives Pancakes) so delicious and very simple to make. These pancakes only need four ingredients: all-purpose flour, garlic chives, onion, and soy sauce.

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Kongnamul Japchae can be easily made with soybean sprout, onion, mushrooms, carrots, cucumber, spinach, and sesame seeds. Not only is it healthy, but easy to make.

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With Gimbap, it is an easy fix. It is vegan and vegetarian friendly. You can which out the beef, crab, and egg with tofu. To get more experimental, you can marinate the tofu for a savory taste.

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Dubu Jorim (Braised Tofu) is a savory, spicy vegetarian side dish that pairs well with any meal. This dish is made with tofu, pepper flakes, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, onion, and green onions. This dish takes less than 15 minutes to cook.

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If you have leftover japchae, you can easily make crispy seaweed noodle rolls. By placing japchae in seaweed and the roll dunking into a flour and potato starch batter and frying it, you can make a delicious snack. A tip is to double dry for extra crispiness.

For more blogs like this:
To learn more on Korean food, you could also watch the video below!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn_MwXv3MDw[/embedyt]
March 11, 2021
Patjuk: the Must-Have Korean Food for Winter
Like the other seasons, the winter season is full of its own traditions. There are always clothes you wear, activities you do, and food you eat during winter that you probably don’t do in other seasons. Like many other things, each country holds their own traditions for the winter season. In South Korea, there are many foods that one would consider a “winter” food. In this article, I’ll be talking about one food in particular that has a strong tie with the winter season: Patjuk.

If you’d like to read into a few other Korean Winter Foods, you can check out this article on our blog!

What is Patjuk?

For a simple description, Patjuk is red bean porridge with rice cakes/dumplings. It’s served warm and usually as its own meal—not a dessert or snack. This meal in particular is served in the winter time during Dongji (or, the Winter Solstice). Though there may be various garnishes, this dish usually comes in a bowl by itself.

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What are the ingredients?

Compared to some other Korean meals, Patjuk includes only a few ingredients. Also compared to other meals, the ingredients within this dish are simple and easy to find.

For a basic Patjuk recipe, there will be four main ingredients:
- Red beans
- Water
- Rice
- Salt
However, since this meal is rather simple, it can come in a few variations. And, with the variations to the meal, the ingredients list gets longer.

For the variations, you can have Dan-Patjuk—a sweetened porridge made of the same ingredients, but with added sugar or honey to make it sweeter. Another variation is the Patkalguksu—a red bean noodle dish that uses noodles instead of rice.

This meal is also rather popular because its ingredients are vegetarian/vegan friendly.

What is the history of Patjuk?

As I mentioned before Patjuk is a dish closely tied to the winter solstice (dongji). Winter solstice takes place every year either on December 21^st or December 22^nd. This makes it the heart of winter, meaning the perfect time for a warm meal.

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However, the reason Patjuk is such a traditional dish for the winter solstice in Korea is because of the folklore tied with it. Though there hasn’t been a specific tale labeled as the cause, there are a few guesses as to which tale this dish is closely tied with.

As we know, winter solstice is the day with the shortest daylight and the longest night in a year. This means that there is more darkness during this day than any other day of the year. And, as is with many folklore, darkness is usually symbolic for negative things (negative being illnesses, bad luck, or evil spirits).

If we were to look at the one folklore people tie to the history of Patjuk, you will see this theme prevalent. This folklore, an old Chinese folklore, is about a man’s son who dies on winter solstice and becomes a disease-spreading evil spirit. However, according to the story, the son was afraid of red bean porridge. As a result, people started to make Patjuk on winter solstice to ward of the evil spirit.

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Furthermore, there’s a belief that the color red is symbolic of positive energy. Meaning that this red-colored meal will ward off any bad luck, diseases, and influences of evil spirits that might come your way.

Another Reason for Patjuk’s History

If you’re a bit skeptical about Patjuk being tied to a folklore, then there’s another reason that Patjuk became such a staple during the winter season. In the history of Korea, they were always heavily agricultural—meaning that they relied heavily on having rich harvests.

During winter months, since it was too cold to provide harvests, they would make Patjuk with fewer resources than other meals. Since Patjuk contained so few ingredients, it wasn’t hard to do. Though they did not put a lot of rice in because of the rationing of rice throughout the winter season.

Along with this, the dish became a ritual to wish for abundant harvests in the upcoming farming season.

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How do you make Patjuk?

Along with the simple ingredients, it’s actually rather easy to make Patjuk. The only issue is that it’s a bit time-consuming.

The first steps include boiling the water and red beans. After that, you drain the water, add salt to the beans, and then mash them. Yes, mash them. With the use of a strainer, you can mash the juice from the beans into a bowl.

From here, you add water to the mashed bean liquid and boil again. Somewhere after here, you add the rice. And, of course, you add red beans again (not mashed this time) to the mix.

It’s a bit hard to explain, so you can check out this recipe. You can also watch this video to help with the cooking process. I know it sounds a bit confusing now, but it’ll make much more sense after watching the video and reading the recipe.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU4KpvG_a1I[/embedyt]

If, after all this talk about food, you want to glance at a few other articles we’ve written about Korean food, feel free to check out our Food Category. And if you want to check out Korean foods specifically for the winter season, you can visit the article I mentioned at the beginning here or watch the short video below.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emQfGrCIeFc[/embedyt]

There are plenty of wonderful Korean foods that you can try out, so don’t worry about not finding one right away to fit your taste buds. Give a glance at our articles and give each food a chance before you push them aside. Perhaps Patjuk will truly bring you the positive energy you need to get through this winter.
February 22, 2021
Popular Korean Dishes To Try This Winter

Everyone loves something cozy and steaming hot to keep them warm during the winter. People will light up their fireplaces, drink hot chocolate, and break out their winter boots. However, food is just as important when it comes to staying warm and happy during the frigid winter months. Everyone has their favorite food go-to’s for every season, but have you tried these popular Korean dishes for the winter?

Check out these five popular Korean dishes for the winter:

The first of the popular dishes: Hotteok

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Hotteok is one of the popular Korean dishes that you can find from street vendors during the cold months. It is like a pancake and made from a similar type of dough. Then it’s filled with a sweet and gooey mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and peanuts or sesame seeds. The ball of dough, pressed flat into a disk on a greasy griddle, cooks. The disk is then served hot to the customer. As you can see, it is easy to carry and eat with your hands, so you can grab it and go while walking to and from classes, to work, or even on a fun day out.

If you didn’t want to go out and about to try Hotteok, then you can purchase the mix from the store and make it at home. With the simple ingredients, it would almost be like making filled pancakes at home on the griddle or in the frying pan.

Bungeoppang

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Bungeoppang, also known as carp bread, is another popular Korean dish that you can find in street stalls since it is also easy to make, carry, and eat. This hot pastry is shaped like a fish and has a sweet red bean paste filling on the inside. There are other variations of this pastry, but this is the most common. It is pressed into a hot waffle-like mold to bake and keep its shape, then served piping-hot to busy customers on the go. I’m sure it’s popular among students running to and from classes on a cold day, with busy professionals, and those walking about for errands or fun. You can eat this sweet pastry with your hands fairly easily and stay cozy and warm in the cold weather.

Patjuk

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Patjuk is a winter staple in Korea, especially around the Winter Solstice (Dongji). This heart-warming meal is a red bean and rice porridge. Some describe it as similar to oatmeal or cream of wheat. Amidst the red beans and rice are little dumplings. As you can see, it’s an interesting yet cozy meal that is quite tasty. You can make Patjuk at home for the holidays and share it with others. With the symbolism around Dongji and the new year, Patjuk wards off bad luck and illness. Maybe this next Winter Solstice you should try Patjuk to warm your soul and start off the new year on the right foot!

Jjim Dalk

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Jjim dalk or Jjimdak, is a braised chicken dish in Korea. It typically braises in a sauce with vegetables and sweet potato noodles. There is a more popular version, Andong Jjimdak, which is the spicy version. It has a sweet, savory, and spicy taste with the addition of chili peppers to the recipe. This is another popular Korean dish to eat in the winter, and it can be served in restaurants or made at home. Check out the recipe here, and try it yourself at home!

The last of the popular dishes: Jjigae

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Jjigae is another staple dish in Korea, especially during the winter. There are several versions of Jjigae, like Kimchi Jjigae, Budae Jjigae, and Sundubu Jjigae, but the version in the photo above is Kimchi Jjigae. Jjigae is a hot, savory stew and often eaten with rice and several side dishes. This dish is also a type of sit-down meal. You can find it at restaurants or even make it at home for a cozy dinner with family and friends. If you want to try it out at home, check out the recipe here!

These are all great Korean dishes to try this winter. However, if you can’t make it to a restaurant or street vendor (or don’t live in South Korea), then there are some hot dishes listed that you can make at home.

If you enjoy trying different foods and want to learn more about Korean food, click here or watch the video below!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT85fk1DsvA[/embedyt]

February 4, 2021