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One of the most celebrated cuisines in the world is Korean cuisine. In what could be described as a melting pot of different flavors, Korean cuisine manages to bring together a variety of ingredients whilst simultaneously maintaining a perfect balance of all elements. This is a direct reflection of the Korean belief that is yin and yang. So without any hesitation let’s dive into the world of Korean cuisine.

6 intriguing facts about Korean Cuisine –

• What’s life without rice - One ingredient that has always had an integral role in Korean cuisine is rice, in fact rice was considered to be such a luxury that during ancient times it was used to pay taxes, given as a gift and even used as a currency. Not just that but it was considered to be of such high value that even the farmers who cultivated this crop were not allowed to consume it.
• Metal for the win - Like China and Japan, in Korean cuisine too, chopsticks and a spoon is the main cutlery used to eat food. However due to a scarcity of wood since ancient times, they have been using metal chopsticks. Not just that but Korean chopsticks are quite unique as they are shorter than Chinese chopsticks and unlike Japanese chopsticks they have a blunt end.
• We really do eat with our eyes - Unlike other cuisines one of the most fascinating aspects of Korean cuisine is the fact that they serve all their courses / meals at once. It is said that this is done as Koreans enjoy the visual presence of various dishes spread out all at once.
• The fresher the better - Another distinguishing factor about Korean cuisine is that they are all about serving fresh food. By this what is implied is that either Korean food is prepared to order or it is served raw and is to be cooked at the table. It has some of the best meat and seafood to offer.
• Old but gold - Despite the fact that Koreans love enjoying their fresh produce they also boast of some fabulous fermented foods. In fact one fermented Korean dish that you must have heard of or tried is Kimchi. It is one of the most popular Korean foods and also the National dish of the country.
• Dessert, what’s that? - Contrary to western cultures, In Korea there is no traditional concept of dessert. Although they have sweet rice cakes (tteok) and hangwa which is a traditional confectionary ,According to Korean culture a meal usually ends with green tea.

3 must try Korean dishes –

1 – Kimchi – As mentioned before Kimchi is the national dish of Korea and it is considered that without kimchi a meal is incomplete. Essentially kimchi is a spicy and sour dish that consists of various fermented vegetables with the main ingredient as cabbage.

2 – Bibimbap – Another popular Korean dish, bibimbap is often referred to as a comfort food. Bibimbap was developed for the royals and consists of rice, mushrooms, beef, soy sauce, namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) , a fried egg and gochujang (Korean red chili paste)

3 – Kimbap or Korean style sushi – Similar to Japanese sushi, kimbap is basically rice, spinach, meat, and stir fried vegetables wrapped in seaweed and then served alongside kimchi. In Korea and Seoul specifically kimbap is a popular street food.