Korean cuisine showcases ingredients in their true natural state unlike any other popular cuisine in the world. Today, Korean food has evolved like any other cuisine around the world, but it has stayed very true to its traditional roots of dishing out delectable food using the best natural produce in the simplest of form. Sesame and sesame oil are as important to Korean cuisine as olive oil and parmesan are to Italian. The only other similarity between the two cuisines is the use of mushroom. Pine tree mushrooms, which grow between September and October, are highly valued because of their seasonal availability. They are to Koreans what truffles are to Italians.
Food today has become more petit, dainty and exquisite tempting the eye. However modern the cuisine and its interpretation, Koreans still follow a strict etiquette while eating. Elders are always the first ones to eat followed by the young ones.
Korean food traditionally involves many preparations of rice, soup, seafood and meats with vegetables. The cuisine balances colour by using five different colours of vegetables in every dish like moong bean or egg white for white, pimentos for red, zucchini for yellow, chives or spinach for green and mushrooms for black.
Koreans prefer using a spoon to eat their rice or soup, and use chopsticks for other food items. The food is made with high emphasis on the final taste. For this, three fermented seasonings are given high prominence: red chilly paste, soya bean paste and soya sauce. They are used to bring out the best flavours.
Korean culture believes in using the best seasonal produce for preparing food, making it one of the healthiest cuisines.
Bibimbap is a dish made of cooked white rice, vegetables, beef, garnishes and fried pepper paste. It is said that this dish originated from memorial services and rural villages where health is given high importance.
The food incorporates medicinal values given by hidden ingredients such as garlic, bell flower roots and ginseng. It is said that in spite of China growing ginseng on its land, Chinese chefs prefer to use Korean ginseng because of its high quality due to fertile Korean land and higher medicinal value.
The latest cuisine trend in Korea is to offer common man what?s known as temple food. The USP of this trend is that the temple cuisine does not use five ingredients?onion, garlic, chives, wild garlic and leek?yet the food is relished for its taste and healthy nature. Koreans have started eating out often and their favourite snack is the sanjuck constituting different varieties of meats and vegetables on skewers, grilled and served.
Apoorva Kunte is sous chef, Rick?s & Emperor?s Lounge, Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi