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Revision as of 09:47, 29 July 2002 by Joele Gilbert (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, vegetables, fish, seaweed and tofu. A typical Korean meal consists of rice, soup and a variety of side dishes which are often fermented to achieve a "pickled" quality. Korean food derives it pungent flavors from various combinations of sesame oil, soy bean paste, soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger and, most importantly, red pepper, which gives it its distinctive spiciness.
Korean dishes:
- Kimchi - vegetables (usually cabbage or radish) fermented in a brine of anchovies, ginger, garlic , green onion and red pepper. There are over 200 varieties, which are served as side dishes.
- Bulgogi - beef (and sometimes pork) marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper, cooked on a grill at the table. Bulgogi literally means "fire beef" and is often called "Korean BBQ."
- Bibimbap - rice topped with vegetables, beef and egg, and served with a dollop of red pepper paste. A variation of this dish is served in a heated stone bowl, in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl.
- Kimbap - rice and strips of vegetables, egg, ham and pollock, rolled in laver (seaweed) and sliced. This is a popular snack or child's lunch, similar to Japanese sushi rolls.
- Naeng Myeon (literally "cold noodles") - this summer dish consists of several varieties of thin, hand-made noodles, and is served in a large bowl with a tangy iced broth and raw julienned vegetables.
The Korean Table Setting: Koreans traditionally ate (and a large number still do eat) on cushions, seated at low tables. The presentation of a Korean meal is almost as important as the taste. A typical table setting consists of:
- a personal bowl of rice, either stainless steel or clay, usually with a cover to keep the rice hot.
- a personal set of stainless steel chopsticks
- a large personal spoon for rice and soup
- a small, personal or large, shared stone bowl of hot soup
- various small bowls of shared bite-sized side dishes
It is customary not to finish all the food provided, in order to show that the eater has been thoroughly satisfied by the meal. By the same token, it is usually perfectly acceptable to ask for refills on any of the side dishes, since all traditional Korean restaurants are, in this sense, "all you can eat."
There has been some international controversy about Korean cuisine over the fact that a few dishes consist of dog meat. During the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, the South Korean government asked its citizens not to consume dog meat to avoid bad publicity during the games. Korean law technically prohibits dog meat, but the laws are not enforced. The controversy surfaced again in 2001 when the organizer of the 2002 FIFA World Cup soccer games, under pressure from animal rights activists such as PETA, demanded that the Korean government re-address the issue, but little changed. Many people have argued that international organizations such as FIFA and PETA have no right to interfere with an ancient Korean custom, since the only difference between slaughtering a dog for food and slaughtering a cow or a pig is the culture in which it is done. However, part of the controversy stems from the methods of slaughter, one of which includes beating to death by clubs to ensure that the dog is filled with adrenaline, believed to increase the sexual stamina of the (usually male) eater. The average Korean does not consume dog meat on a regular basis, as it is generally considered a medicinal dish (either to promote male virility or to combat the heat in summer). Many Korean Buddhists consider eating dog an offense.