I’ve had a passion for Korean culture for a very long time now. One of the things I love a lot about it, is the food. And not only is Korean food absolutely delicious, but some are also very easy to make. So I decided to let you guys in on a small 101 Korean cuisine. 

Since ancient times, the Korean people have maintained a belief that food and medicine have the same origin and hence perform the same function, following the adage that “food is the best medicine”. They believe that health and illness alike come from the food they consume and how they eat it, and this idea has played a crucial role in the development of traditional Korean medicine whose basic principle is that we should use medicine only after food has failed. 

Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Korean cuisine has evolved through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends. Korean cuisine is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (반찬 banchan). Kimchi (김치) is served often, sometimes at every meal. 

RECIPE INGREDIENTS 
• 1 bunch spinach, steamed 
• 2 carrots, cut in long thin strips 
• 1 yellow pickled radish, cut in long thin strips 
• 2 tbsp vinegar 
• 1 tbsp sugar 
• 1 piece thick sliced ham, cut in long thin strips and fried 
• 1 egg, fried like omelet and cut in long thin strips 
• 3 cups of cooked rice 
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds 
• 2 tsp sesame oil 
• 1 package roasted seaweed sheets 

COOKING DIRECTIONS 
1. Stir fry carrots with salt and pepper. 
2. Mix radish with vinegar and sugar. 
3. Mix rice with the sesame seeds and sesame oil. 
4. Place one seaweed sheet on a bamboo sheet. Put rice on half of the sheet and add 2 pieces of spinach, 1 carrot strip, 1 radish strip, 1 ham strip, 1 egg strip on top of rice. Roll in a log and squeeze tight. Use some rice to stick the seaweed together to keep it rolled. 
5. Place a little sesame oil in your hands and rub it on the seaweed roll. 
6. Put a little sesame oil on knife to cut roll. 

RECIPE INGREDIENTS 
• Head of Napa cabbage/chinese cabbage - about one pound 
• ¼-⅓ cup red chili pepper flakes 
• 1 tbsp minced garlic 
• 1 tbsp minced ginger 
• 3-4 green onions, sliced 
• 2 tablespoons anchovy or fish sauce (optional) 
• ½ yellow onion 
• ½ ripe apple 
• ½ ripe pear 
• Sea salt 
• Water 

COOKING DIRECTIONS 
1. Separate the cabbage leaves and chop into bite-size pieces. 
2. Dissolve a quarter cup of sea salt in a bowl of warm water then pour salt water over the cabbage leaves. Give the cabbage a gentle toss to distribute salt water. Allow the salted cabbage to sit for at least four hours. 
3. Give the cabbage a good rinse to remove excess salt then transfer the cabbage to a large bowl. 
4. Combine a quarter cup of fine red chili pepper flakes with warm water, stir gently with a spoon to create a red chili paste, then transfer the chili paste to the cabbage. 
5. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, green onions, and fish sauce. 
6. Blend a yellow onion, an apple, and a pear with one cup of water, then add this natural sweetener to the cabbage. 
7. Put on a pair of plastic gloves and give everything a thorough toss and rubdown. You want to evenly distribute all ingredients, especially the red chili paste. 
8. Transfer the seasoned cabbage leaves into a large glass jar. Be sure to use firm pressure with your hands to push down on the cabbage leaves as they stack up inside the jar. 
9. Transfer any liquid that accumulated during the mixing process into the jar as well - this liquid will become kimchi brine. 
10. Be sure to leave about 2 inches of room at the top of the jar before capping it tightly with a lid. Allow the jar of kimchi to sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours. 
11. Refrigerate and take out portions as needed. The refrigerated kimchi will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator over time. So long as you use clean utensils to take out small portions, it will keep for up to a month in your refrigerator. 


Enjoy the food. Or, as Koreans politely say before every meal 잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokkesseumnida


Thank you Simone [Unashamed] for this lovely layout

Now beginning to gain a worldwide reputation as a representative food of Korea, kimchi (김치) has been praised for its anti-carcinogenic properties and nutritional value. The most common type of kimchi is made by mixing salted white cabbage with kimchi paste made of chili powder, garlic, spring onion, Korean radish, ginger, fish sauce and other ingredients like fresh seafood. Kimchi is normally eaten after fermenting it for several days. Fun fact: Like the McDonald’s University of Hamburgers in Illinois, US, there is a Kimchi Research Institute located in Busan National University, South Korea. 

Bibimbap (비빔밥 literally “mixed rice”) is essentially a dish of cooked rice served after mixing it with an assortment of fresh and seasoned vegetables, fried egg, minced raw beef and other ingredients before cooking. The dish is closely related with Jeonju, an UNESCO-designated "City of Gastronomy". Bibimbap has recently begun to attract worldwide attention for its nutritional balance, which is said to help keep those who eat it free from geriatric diseases, and is now generally cited as one of the three most representative dishes of Korean cuisine along with kimchi and bulgogi. 

Bulgogi (불고기) which literally means “fire meat”, refers to a traditional Korean dish made by grilling beef or (rarely) pork after shredding or slicing it and marinating it in sweet soy sauce mixed with a great variety of condiments. It is one of the rare meat dishes to have developed in Korea, where people were generally more accustomed to eating vegetable dishes, and has won many enthusiasts outside the country. Bulgogi has recently been adopted by fast-food restaurants in Korea, resulting in the emergence of bulgogi hamburgers and pizzas. 

Gimbap (김밥) is considered one of the most popular and nutritious Korean meal. It consists of rice and strips of vegetables, egg, and meat, rolled in laver (dried seaweed) and then sliced. This is a popular snack or lunch that can be made with infinite variety of ingredients using different kinds of meat and/or vegetables. Popular ones include bulgogi, spinach, pickled radish, and eggs. Korean 101: Gim refers to the sheets of dried seaweed, and bap is the Korean word for cooked rice.