Gathering ’Round the Korean Table

In a traditional family-style Korean meal, everything comes with rice, which is served hot in a stainless steel or ceramic bowl. All the dishes are set out at once, and diners pick and choose what and when to eat at their leisure. The rice is accompanied by at least five side dishes (banchan), which include savory mounds of vegetables (namul) and kimchi, the famous Korean fermented vegetables. These dishes are highly seasoned and only small amounts are plucked with long silver or stainless steel chopsticks and added to the rice along with small helpings of the main dish. Each diner uses a personal long-handled spoon to dip into the communal dishes, and to add morsels to his or her rice bowl. In this way each diner creates a uniquely flavored mixture. When company is coming or when there is an event to celebrate, even more banchan are set out It is almost a misnomer to call them side dishes. Their role in a Korean meal is quite central.