Not only most tourists, but also many Koreans love Bulgogi. It is sweet and juicy and takes just a short time to make this delicious food.That is why Bulgogi is ranked as number one among Korean food. When people eat Bulgogi, they often wrap it in lettuce, sesame leaves or other leaves. It brings about a more genuine taste and much more nutrition compared to having Bulgogi alone. For these reasons, when we are served Bulgogi, we may no longer be hungry, full of nutrition and delighted.

- Preparation Time: 30 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Serving size: 3

Ingredients

600g sliced beef tenderloin, 300g washed lettuce, 12 cloves of garlic, 6 mushrooms, 1/2 large onion,
3 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoon sesame oil
Marinade for meat : 4 tablespoon soy sauce, 4 tablespoon chopped leek, 1 teaspoon minced garlic,
2 tablespoon ground sesame, 2 tablespoon refined rice wine, ground pepper

Recipe

1. Slice mushrooms, onion and garlic.
2. Mix sliced tenderloin with sugar and sesame oil.
3. Combine the soy sauce with chopped leek, minced garlic, ground sesame, refined rice wine and
ground pepper. Mix well in a bowl.
4. Add tenderloin to the bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat a large frying pan over moderate heat. Add marinated meat to the pan.
6. Add sliced mushrooms, onion and garlic to the pan until well done.
7. Serve with lettuce.

※ Korean eating style is to wrap the Bulgogi and grilled vegetables in lettuce

Samgyetang, a ginseng chicken soup, is the most common and famous health food eaten in the summer. The chicken, just enough for a single serving, is stuffed with ginseng, garlic, jujube, and sweet rice.

Kimchi is the most well-known Korean dish. There are different varieties, according to the ingredients. Baechu-kimchi is the most popular type of Kimchi. It is made by mixing brined cabbage with vegetables,
salt-fermented sea foods, and various spices like ground red pepper and fermenting the mixed result.

Topokki is made by stir-frying rice cakes with vegetables and fish cakes in gochujang(red pepper paste) sauce. It is one of the most popular dishes in Korea. There are many fusion Topokkis, such as Ramen Topokki (Topokki + Ramen) and Cheese Topokki (Topokki with cheese topping).

What comes to your mind first when traveling in unfamiliar places overseas? A historic church? A mystic temple? Grandiose Mother Nature? New people? Relaxation?

There is a Korean proverb that says, “Even Mount Geumgang can be appreciated only on a full stomach”, equivalent of the English proverb “A loaf of bread is better than the song of many birds”.

This means a traveler must eat well and be healthy however fabulous the trip may be. If you’ve tasted cheese and wine in France, sushi in Japan and rice noodles in Vietnam. You could then have intimate and profound understanding of each country’s culture, history, people and the atmosphere.

49% of foreigners who visited Korea cited ‘Korean food tasting’ as the reason for coming to Korea, and as much as 50% of foreigners who developed emotional bond with Korea said ‘Korean food’ comes to their mind first when thinking of Korea.

According to a survey conducted by Friendly Korea Community, which is run by the cyber diplomatic organization VANK where foreigners who love Korea and Koreans build friendship, Korean food was also cited as Korea’s greatest appeal by 40% of respondents.

As such, Korean food is not just a mere tourism resource and an export item but is Korea’s greatest tourism resource with the biggest charm for the world to enjoy. Now, why don’t we embark on an exciting journey of Korean food, which will help you understand Korea’s history, culture and people better?

Distinguishing features of Hansik(Korean Food)
Korean food is well known to the world as food that is decorative, delicious and, above all, healthy. The first feature of Korean food – Medicine and food share the same origin. There is a long-held belief by Koreans that ‘Medicine’ and ‘Food’ share the same origin. This is a traditional belief in great medicinal values of food when consumed carefully by physical constitution and health status, which places health above all others. As Korean food began to be received as healthy food, there is a growing number of hospitals in the U.S. that serve Korean food to patients.

The second feature of Korean food – Balanced food ingredients. The secret of Korean food in preventing nutritional imbalance and obesity lies in the ingredient mixing ratio. Meat and vegetables used in the traditional Korean food are 2 to 8 ratio-wise.

The third feature of Korean food – In harmony with the Nature. Koreans think that food can connect people with the Nature. Therefore, Korean food is distinctive in that it is cooked to preserve the taste of each ingredient that comes from the Nature.

Namul(Seasoned greens), Korea’s favorite side dish, are made by simply mixing fresh vegetables with dressing or parboiling greens to be seasoned afterwards. In this way, flavor of each ingredient can be preserved to offer taste of the Nature as much as possible.

The fourth feature of Korean food – Food embracing Yin-Yang and the five elements of Eastern philosophy. Consuming food was not just for taking nutrition for Koreans since early times. Korea has fostered a unique culture of food, which reflects the theory of Yin-Yang and the five elements that serves as a corner stone of Eastern philosophy.

The theory divides all things in the universe into Yin and Yang. In Korea, plants taking roots in the ground are categorized as ‘Yin’ while plants bearing fruits above the ground, animals and fish fall into the category of ‘Yang’. Moreover, the five elements are earth, water, wood, metal and fire according to a theory that says all things in the universe are made up of these elements in balance. This is why various researchers at home and abroad study Korean food with huge interests since it encompasses health, balance, harmony with the Nature and Eastern philosophy.

Representative Korean food 1 – Bibimbap or ‘mixed rice’ in its literal meaning. One of representative Korean food that embodies the theory of Yin-Yang and the five elements the best would obviously be Bibimbap. Ingredients of Bibimbap are rice, Korean hot pepper paste, seasoned greens using dropwort, bean sprouts and brackens as well as minced raw beef and eggs, which have a perfect balance of Yin and Yang. Bibimbap is also decorated using five colors symbolizing the five elements with yellow in the center while blue in the east, white in the west, red in the south and black in the north. Bibimbap was chosen as the world’s best in-flight meal in 1996 and 1998, receiving ITCA Mecury Award.

Representative Korean food 2 – Kimchi
Kimchi has as many varieties as French cheese and is a dish representing Korea. Its varieties well exceed 100 in number. Kimchi is unique in that it goes through fermentation after seasoning its main ingredients, mostly vegetables such as napa cabbages, cucumbers and radishes, with spices including salt, garlic, leeks, ginger, red pepper and salted fish. Kimchi goes well with other ingredients and thus is used much in other dishes such as Kimchi stew, Kimchi Gimbap or dried seaweed rolls, Kimchi fried rice and other steamed dishes. 
[Subtitle: Kimchi stew, Kimchi Gimbap or dried seaweed rolls, Kimchi fired rice and other steamed dishes]
[Codex of CAC that sets global standards in food acknowledged Kimchi as having satisfied the global standard on July 5, 2001.]
[The American health-related monthly magazine 'Health Magazine' included Kimchi in the top five healthy foods the world over.]
[CNBC NEW reported in April of 2010 that lactobacilli found in Kimchi proved to be effective in treating atopic dermatitis.]

Representative Korean food 3 – Bulgogi or marinated Korean BBQ
Bulgogi is also known as Korean BBQ in the world, which is as famous as Kimchi and Bibimbap. Bulgogi is often grilled at the table. The unique way of enjoying Bulgogi by wrapping the meat with greens is cited as the most interesting experience of tasting Korean food for foreigners. There are diverse Bulgogi varieties in Korea by region and background.

Tasting Korean food

The cyber diplomatic mission VANK has been promoting not only the history and culture of the Republic of Korea but also its food culture to the world. In a campaign aiming to globalize Korean food, VANK has been introducing diverse Korean food and local specialties to foreigners so that foreigners could find Korean food agreeable and palatable.

If you want to present Korean food to the world and have real taste of Korean food, then please refer to the website of the cyber diplomatic mission VANK

Bajirak-kalguksu(Hand-style Noodle)
Soup with Little-neck Clams Kalguksu has various kinds of flavors according to its main ingredient, such as beef, chicken, seafood, or others. Seasoned with bajirak (little-neck clam), Bajirakkalguksu’s soup tastes good and refreshing.

Seolleongtang(Ox Bone Soup)
Seolleongtang is a soup made with ox bones, intestines and shank, simmered for a long time. It is served with cooked rice and seasoned with green onions, black pepper and salt.

Wang-galbi(King Size Beef Ribs)
Suwon became famous for galbi as the cattle market developed during the reign of King Jeong-Jo(1752-1800) of
the Joseon Dynasty. In particular, Suwon galbi is known as “the king size beef rib” due to its huge size, which is
more than 15 ㎝ each, and its great taste.

Dakgalbi Spicy Grilled Chicken
Dakgalbi refers to stir-fry chicken and vegetables such cabbage, sweet potato, carrot, and sesame leaf together
with spicy seasoning in a big pan. After eating Dakgalbi, the leftover seasoning is stir-fried with cooked rice,
which makes an extraordinary taste.

Hanu-gui(Grilled Korean Beef)
Hanu refers to Korean local cattle, and especially those bred in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province are famous in
the country. Gangwon Province’s unique natural conditions of the highland, more than 600m above the sea
level, improve the meat’s texture and flavor.

Honghapbap(Cooked Rice with Sea Mussels)
Honghapbap, cooked rice with sea mussels, soy sauce, and sesame oil, had been a special dish only for the residents
of Ulleungdo Island, but now it became a favorite menu also for the tourists from the mainland.

Chodang-Sundubu(Soft Tofu)
To make tofu, grind soaked beans and boil them before coagulating them. ‘Chodang’ originates from pen name
Heoyeop(1517-1580), vice envoy of Gangneung area of the Joseon Dynasty, and the tofu he made was called
Chodang Tofu. Tofu tastes nutty and plain and is a healthy food with low calories.

Gwamegi(Semi-dried Herring and Saury)
Gwamegi refers to semi-dried herring and saury. Although people generally eat gwamegi with garlic and
leeks wrapped in seaweed stem, people in Pohang, the area of gwamegi production, eat plain dried gwamegi to
enjoy its unique taste.

Jjimgalbi(Spicy Braised Beef Ribs)
To make Jjimgalbi, first thoroughly steam galbi (beef rib) and steam it again with a spicy sauce made of ground
red pepper, garlic, and ginger for 10 minutes. It is fairly spicy, so your eyes might water. The food is so popular
in Daegu, home of jjimgalbi, in that even a ‘Jjimgalbi Alley’ was created.

Daegejjim(Steamed King Crab)
As daege looks like bamboo, it is named dae (bamboo) crab. Generally, daege is served as a steamed dish without
special seasoning, and it is stringy and tastes plain. Moreover, Yeongdeok area of the east coast has long been famous for daege.

Sikhye(Rice Punch)
Sikhye is a punch made by fermenting steamed rice in malt water. Since sikhye helps digestion, it is mostly preferred as a dessert in festivals and feasts when people dine much more than any other days.

Chungmu- Gimbap (Dried Seaweed Rolls)
To make Gimbap, spread cooked rice on a dried seaweed and roll it after putting on various ingredients. The
food provides various nutrients at once. However, it easily goes bad. To solve this problem, Chungmu-gimbap,
wrapped rice offered with radish Kimchi and seasoned squid as side dishes, was created.
 

Dongnae-pajeon(Dongnae-style Seafood and Green Onion Pancake)
Dongnae-pajeon is the food that Dongnae vice envoy of the Joseon Dynasty presented to the king. To make one, fry the dough that mixes flour and rice flour with plenty of green onions and seafood. Today’s Dongnae-pajeon has become a favorite dish among ordinary people, not the kings.

Samgyetang(Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Samgyetang, a ginseng chicken soup, is the most common and famous health food eaten in the summer. A chicken, just enough for a single serving, is stuffed with ginseng, garlic, jujube, and sweet rice. Geumsan is a representative area for ginseng cultivation.

Yeonipbap(Cooked Rice Wrapped with Lotus Leaf)
In Buyeo, there is Gungnamji Pond constructed in Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C- A.D 660). Since this pond has been famous for lotus flowers, people of the area have cooked rice wrapped with lotus leaves.

Gulbap(Cooked Rice with Oyster)
Oyster, often called the ‘milk of sea’, is very nutritious, which has been favored in both the East and the West.
Gulbap is a representative Korean oyster cuisine. To make gulbap, cook rice with oysters and mix it with seasoning before eating.

Hodu-gwaja(Walnut Cookies)
Hodu-gwaja is a cookie shaped like a walnut. They are filled with the mushy red-bean, and taste soft and sweet.
They originated from Cheonan, but now you can find them anywhere in Korea.