Korean American Food

Korean cuisine is richly endowed with fermented foods, hundreds of vegetable and wild greens dishes, grains, soups, teas, liquors, confections, and soft drinks. Traditional hanjongshik literally means “full course Korean meal.” It is invariably accompanied by a huge, steaming bowl of soup or stew and features grilled fish or meat and many vibrant side dishes. Korean food is seldom deep-fried like Chinese food; it is usually boiled or blanched, broiled, stir-fried, steamed, or pan-fried with vegetable oil. Vegetables are parboiled and seasoned with spices that specifically complement the main dish. It is said that the vegetables ought to be mixed, seasoned, and soaked by hand to improve the taste. Unlike Western cuisines, where courses are served one after the other, Korean dishes are served all at once—some at room temperature, others piping hot, and many in fact, while still cooking, as anyone who has seen the giant clam in a spicy Korean stew (chigae) can attest.