Korean Traditional Food, 'Hansik'

By Um Yoonsun

Traditionally, Koreans have believed in the notion that "Food is medicine, and Eating is the work of Heaven." Therefore, they have sacred the whole food preparation process from mere growing ingredients, cooking, table setting, to sharing and eating the food.

Since Korea has four distinctive seasons and well-developed agriculture, it was able to produce rich rice and a variety of grains. In this process, various cooking methods have been brought about.

What's more, the Korean Peninsula is surrounded by sea and is home to plenty of marine products, vegetables and aquatic plants. This helped Korea develop numerous cooking skills utilizing its seasonally-provided local ingredients. Also, Korean dish is famous for the pure natural taste of each material that it is made up of.

◇ Characteristics of Traditional Korean Food

Most of the Korean traditional food is not instant but preserved and fermented dish for a certain period of time. This gives traditional Korean food its unique characteristics, for example, the taste of originality and better nutrition.

Furthermore, Korean food well represents the characteristics of each season and region, while placing importance on the harmony of different tastes by combining various ingredients.

Thus, Korean food contains eco-friendly philosophy of understanding and adapting to its geographic, social, and cultural environments.

Tons of efforts are needed to prepare Korean food and this makes proper attitude and spirit crucial in its cooking.

Not only are the nutritious aspect, color, taste and temperature of the food critical, but also the concordance with plates the food is placed on extremely significant when it comes to Korean traditional food.

◇ KIMCHI

Kimchi is the most representative of Korean foods. It is a fermented food that mixes pickled Korean cabbage or radish with spicy vegetables and condiment like red pepper powder.

The term ‘kimchi’ was derived from 'chimchae' which means soaking vegetables in salty water and storing them. In order to survive piercing winter cold in the past, Koreans pickled and stored vegetables and this later developed into Kimchi, the indigenous Korean food.

Korea's ‘Food Culture’ CEO, Cho Tae-kwon insisted that “Korean people need to show a more globally sophisticated attitude towards the culture of its long culinary tradition in order to introduce ‘Hansik,’ Korean food, to the international community.

AJP