Like many Asian cultures, Koreans have cultivated rice as their staple food since ancient times. Korea is unique because of its culinary emphasis on fermented and preserved food, such as fermented spicy cabbage, seafood fermented in salt and fermented soy bean paste.
The prominent feature of a Korean table setting is that all dishes are served at the same time. Traditionally, the number of side dishes varies from three for the lower classes to 12 for royal families.
Here, courtesy of the Korean National Tourism Organization (english.tour2korea.com) is a rundown of Korea's favorite foods--good for the body and the soul:
Bap (steamed rice) and Juk (porridge)
Boiled rice is the staple of Korean cuisine. Most people use sticky rice, which sometimes has beans, chestnuts, sorghum, red beans, barley, or other cereals added for flavor and nutrition. Juk is thought of as highly nutritious and light. There are many varieties of juk--made of rice, red beans, pumpkin, abalone, ginseng, pine nuts, vegetables, chicken, mushrooms, and bean sprouts.
Jjigae (stew)
The most famous jjigae is made from fermented soy bean paste. Jjigae is usually spicy and served piping hot in a heated stone bowl.
Jjim and Jorim (simmered meat or fish)
Jjim and jorim are similar dishes that are prepared with vegetables and soaked in soy bean sauce, then slowly boiled together over a low flame.
Namul (vegetables or wild greens)
Namul is made from slightly boiled or fried vegetables and wild greens mixed with salt, soy sauce, sesame salt, sesame oil, garlic, onions, and other spices.
Jeotgal (seafood fermented in salt)
Jeotgal is a very salty food made of naturally fermented fish, shellfish, shrimp, oysters, fish roe, intestines, and other ingredients.
Gui (broiled/barbecued dishes)
When cooking gui, marinated meats are barbecued over a charcoal fire. There are also many fish dishes cooked this way.
Jeon (pan-fried dishes)
Jeon is a kind of pancake made from mushrooms, pumpkin, slices of dried fish, oysters, unripe red peppers, meat, or other ingredients that are mixed with salt and black pepper, dipped in flour and egg, and fried in oil.
Mandu (dumpling)
Mandu is dumplings stuffed with beef, mushrooms, stir-fried zucchini, and mungbean sprouts. Pork, chicken or fish is sometimes used instead of beef.
