Pap (Boiled Rice)

Boiled rice, or rice mixed with barley, corn, or other grains, is the staple of the Korean diet. There are many ways to cook rice and different ingredients can be added to it. Besides boiling rice on its own or with other grains, it can also be re-cooked with vegetables, eggs, or meat.

Kuk or T'ang (Soup)

Soup should be served at any Korean meal. Ingredients commonly used for soup include meat, vegetables, fish, seaweed, clams, and even the bones and internal organs of cows and pigs.

Tchigae (Stew) & Chon-gol (Casserole)

Stews contain less water and more ingredients than soup. Depending on the main ingredients, soy sauce, soybean paste, and red pepper paste can also be added. Tchigae is an example of a stew dish. Chon-gol, a casserole dish, is cooked by placing layers of sliced, seasoned beef at the bottom of a pot.

Tchim & Chorim (Smothered and Soy Sauced Glazed Dishes)

To cook tchim, put whatever ingredients you want along with seasonings into an earthenware pot and steam them at a low heat for a long time until they softened. There are many varieties of tchim. Glazing in soy sauce, or in red pepper paste, is a time-honored technique, which can preserve food for weeks.

Kui (Broiled Dish) & Chon (Fried Dish)

You can broil food on a spit or directly on a grill. Barbecued beef is the most popular broiled dish. One popular fried dish is chon. Chopped or whole meat, fish, or vegetables are covered with flour. It is then dipped into beaten eggs and pan-fried to make chon.

Hoe (Sliced Raw Fish and Meat)

Many people enjoy either raw or parboiled fish. Both dishes go well with drinks and are usually eaten on special occasions.

Namul (Vegetable Dishes)

Vegetables may be parboiled or fried, and seasoned with various spices. They should be mixed, seasoned, and soaked by hand to improve the taste.

Chotkal (Salted Fish)

Koreans preserve fish, clams, fish eggs, or the internal organs of fish with salt until they are fermented. This brings about salty yet tasty side dishes and appetizers. They also make good seasonings for other foods, especially kimch'i.

Ttok (Rice Cakes)

Rice cakes are made by steaming rice flour in a rice cake steamer. These traditional cakes are usually made for ancestor worship ceremonies and for holidays.

Ch'a (Teas)

Green Tea, Job's Tears Tea, Citron Tea, and Ginger Tea are all examples of popular teas. A special etiquette called tado (the way of tea) is observed when drinking tea.

Korean Liquors

Korean beer and soju, a distilled liquor, are popular drinks. There are great tasting traditional Korean liquors such as Ch'ongju (strained rice wine), Insamju (ginseng liquor), and Makkolli (unrefined rice wine). Each province has its own special liquors. Munbaeju in Seoul, Igangju in Chollabuk-do province, Andong Soju in Andong, Kyongju Popchu in Kyongsangbuk-do province, Changgunju in Chonju, and Paegilju in Kongju are famous. Korean drinking etiquette is also slightly different. When somebody offers to fill your glass, hold it up with your right hand and place your left hand lightly under it.