Enjoying Korean Restaurant Dishes To The Fullest
If you have ever eaten in a Korean restaurant you know what it’s like to be amazed at the profusion of tiny dishes you will be served. These side dishes, called bonchon, are part of any Korean meal and they make our main dishes exceedingly more enjoyable. A walk through some of the most popular culinary offerings will help you enjoy Korean restaurant dishes to the fullest.
The Most Popular Main Dishes
There are several Korean dishes that have become beloved by diners of different ethnicities. These popular dishes are usually available in Korean restaurants and they are wonderfully tasty.
• Kalbi or galbi is babecued beef short ribs marinated in soy sauce, garlic, onions, a little ginger and sesame oil. This is probably the most popular of all Korean dishes. In the past, this dish was considered a high end delicacy in Korea because beef was expensive. Though it has become more affordable no, it remains a treat for most. This is usually served with side dishes, kimchi and lettuce wrap.
• Bulgogi or pulgogi is made of very thinly sliced rib-eye beef pan fried or cooked on a hibachi grill. It is also marinated in soy sauce, garlic, onions, a little ginger and sesame oil. Sometimes, sesame seeds are added during the marinating process. The dish is quickly cooked and served with side dishes as well.
• Samgupsal is made of nearly paper thin slices of pork belly. Some cooks will salt the strips lightly but usually the pork is either cooked directly over a Hibachi grill or pan fried. The strips cook very quickly because they are so thin so this is one dish that can be prepared in minutes as long as everything has been prepared. This is usually eaten wrapped in lettuce with samjang, a sweet spicy sauce. It is of course served with side dishes.
• Kalbi Jim is a beef dish made with a slightly spice, slightly sweet dish. Its sauce is made with sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, dried dates and daechu. Some cooks will put potatoes in this dish while some will add radish. This casserole takes hours to prepare; for hours the beef is soaked in cold water which is changed every now and then to get rid of any blood that would give a gamey taste. Then, the meat is boiled till falling-off-the-bone soft. Most cooks will also add a dash of pepper flakes to add a little heat.
• Korean style fried chicken is becoming increasingly popular among chicken lovers because it is extra crispy. This is partly because the batter used to coat it is made from cornstarch which makes for a lighter mixture. Traditionally the chicken is fried twice which, for some reason, seems to make it stay crispy longer than other battered chickens. This is served with a sweet spicy sauce and the more faithfully traditional shops outside of Korea will serve it with pickled radish.
• Chapche or japchae is a dish of glass noodles sautéed with beef, soy sauce, dried mushrooms, sesame oil and a little sugar. Strips of stir fried spinach, scrambled eggs and sesame seeds are used to garnish the dish right before it is served. Among the popular Korean restaurant dishes, japchae is one of those that lends itself to vegetarian cooking.
• Bonchon or Banchan are entrees in small plates or bowls that come with the meal. They complement the heavier main dishes. The most common stir-fried mushrooms, seasoned seaweed, bean sprouts seasoned with sesame oil, anchovies, stir-fried tofu and different types of kimchi.
Korean restaurant dishes are becoming popular all over the world. For those who have yet to sample this culinary genre, trying it for the first time will be exciting. For many who have tried the specially prepared rice (a combination of red rice and white rice steamed with different kinds of beans), the main dishes and the bonchon, Korean fare is addicting.
