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In spite of the similarity in many basic ingredients, Korean food is
distinct from the food of either Japan or China. For example, sesame seeds
are almost always toasted before being used, to emphasise their nutty
flavour. The basic flavours of Korea include garlic, ginger, black pepper,
spring onions (scallions), soy sauce, sesame oil, bean paste, toasted
sesame seeds and red chilli, plus the judicious use of sugar and rice
vinegar.
Famed for its pickles, none more so than kim chi, boldly flavoured with
chilli and garlic and served at every meal. As well as cold pickles, there
are a number of cooked relishes, each using a seasonal ingredient
lightly cooked in oil flavoured with garlic, onion, spring onion or ginger
and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
In addition to these, there are a few unique ingredients. Nowhere else can
you encounter noodles made from sweet potato known in Korea as dang myun.
There are, courtesy of Japan, other popular varieties of noodle including
udon and the famous buckwheat (soba) noodles, naeng myun in Korean.
Meat for the famous Korean barbecue Bulgogi is sliced paper thin and marinated in soy, sugar, toasted
sesame seeds, ginger and spring onions (scallions), before being cooked on
a heated brass dome variously called a Mongolian or Korean barbecue. The
finishing touch is a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, sesame oil, bean
paste, rice wine, toasted sesame seeds, chilli sauce, spring onion, garlic
and sugar.
Steamed rice is always on the table accompanied by some kind of seasoned
dipping sauce, as well as a number of tasty raw and cooked relishes. As in
all Asian cuisines, there is an acute awareness of balancing the key
flavour components of salt, sweet, hot, sour and bitter. Salt is provided
by soy sauce, salt or salty bean paste; sweet by honey or sugar; hot by
pepper, fresh, dried or powdered chilli, chilli sauce or mustard; sour by
vinegar; and bitter by ginger. Korean bean paste, dhwen jang, is
considered more flavoursome than the Japanese red bean paste equivalent
and the Korean chilli paste, gochujang, is quite unique. |
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