Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Thomas]

Recently I was looking for some Korean cultural resources for teaching about Korea and I came across the Korean Cultural Service (http://www.koreanculture.org/04online_lib/online_lib.html) through the Korean Consulate in New York City. They were exceptionally kind and generous about sending me a whole bunch of teaching resources (to the school I work at in the US).

Among the treasures received was a slim and unassuming book by Dr. David R. Carter, who according to the inside cover, has been teaching in Korea since 1991 and has written many articles for Korea Times, Korea Herald, and The Daily Telegraph (London).

The title of the book is Food For Thought: Reflections on Korean Cuisine and Culture and is published by the Agricultual and Fishery Marketing Corporation (no copywrite date), 199 pp., ISBN 89-88747-07-0 (An ISBN search turned up a copy on biblio.com but noted it was scarce)




I am a huge fan of Korean food and during the four years I was in Korea I kept lots of mnotes on all the various foods I had tried (which was a lot). Dr. Carter has taken the whole concept even further and his book details the various classifications of Korean food with their historical background, ingredients and cultural perpsectives, even sprinking in various Korean Language idioms and food-related phrases for better understanding.

The Best Things About this Book
- He does a really nice job of detailing the various differences in a lot of foods that even many Koreans would have a hard time explaining the differences, like the differences between the various types of kimchee, differences between gook/tang/jjigye and so on. He makes it easy and quick to figure that stuff out.

- He shows a lot of the food from a cultural perspective, getting into where/when/why this food is eaten and what influences may have shaped it. He also gets into the anju culture as well as details omn some foods you'd only encounter during ceremonies.

-As a small, pocket-sized book, it really is quick and clean to read and is loaded with pictures and the (romanized) Korean terms for everything you might run into, even to listing specific regions of cities to get the best examples.

-Armed with this book and basic knowledge of how to get around in Korea, you really would have a step up omn exploring the wonderful foods of Korea and wouldn't be stuck eating bibimbap and bulgeogi everyday!

Weak Parts of the Book

- He mentions that the book was developed from a series of articles and this is very clear. The transition from topic to topic can be a bit choppy and there are places where the chapter introductions are "copy and pasted" into the middle of the chapters. A little bit more polish and "fitting" would make the chapter flow better. The parts like that are pretty easy to skip through though and shouldn't be a deterrant to getting this book.

- My biggest complaint is that he doesn't use any Hangeul (or Hanja) for the food terms. The Romanization is pretty good but having the Hangeul would make this book an even better research for study and travel.

Regardless, this is the best book on Korean food I have and even though it may not have the depth of a cookbook or the scale of my coffee-table Kimchee book, the material is on the spot practical for travel and a great read for anyone who is interested in Korean food and language and culture.




For more info on the Agricultual and Fishery Marketing Corporation
see the excellent resource site at http://www.agrafood.co.kr/

Also, check out http://www.agrotrade.net/app/servlet/RequestProcessor?event=BizCenterKoreanFoodCulture.Click&selMenu=b&mkmart=m
and
http://www.at.or.kr/tp0500/tp0506/se060200/se060200.html

[Thomas]

While I am on the topic of food recommendations, here's a bunch I really liked. Feel free to print this out and go exploring for food (in my opinion, one of the best things about being in Korea)



1. 삼겹살 (Sam Gyeop Sal) - Roasted side pork, usually wrapped in lettuce with seasoned soy bean paste.
2. 감자탕 (Kam Ja Tang) - A hearty stew made with potatoes and pork bones.
3. 두부김치 (Too Boo Kimchee) - A plate of warm tofu and kimchee, often served with soju.
4. 비지찌개 (Bee Gee Chee Gay) - A thick stew made from the skins of the soybeans.
5. 인절미 (In Jeol Mee) - Round or rectangular rice cakes brushed with bean powder.

6. 잡채 (Jhap Chay) - A dish of clear noodles mixed with various vegetables.
7. 된장찌개 (Tien Jang Chee Gay) - A hearty stew of soy bean paste, tofu and vegetables.
8. 칼국수 (Kal Gook Soo) - Broad white flour noodles in a rich broth.
9. 참치볶음밥 (Cham Chee Boke Um) - Stir-fried tuna and kimchee with rice.
10. 냉면 (Naeng Myeon) - Cold buckwheat noodles, served in an icy broth with various vegetables, a boiled egg and mustard paste.

11. 김밥 (Kimbap) - Vegetables and ham rolled in rice and seaweed.
12. 참치김밥 (Cham Chee Kimbap)- Tuna and vegetables rolled in rice and seaweed.
13. 누드김밥 (Noo Duh Kimbap) - Vegetables and other ingredients rolled in seaweed and rice with the rice facing out.
14. 불고기 (Bool Gogi)- Marinated beef with mushrooms and other vegetables cooked in a pot.
15. 메기매운탕 (Maegi Mae Oon Tang) - Spicy stew made with whole catfish.

16. 떡볶기 (Tokk Boke Ee) - Cylindrical rice cakes boiled in hot sauce.
17. 떡국 (Tokk Gook) - Flat round rice cakes in a thin broth, commonly served on Lunar New Year's Day.
18. 내장탕 (Nae Jang Tang) - Spicy soup made from fish intestines and vegetables.
19. 돌솥밥 (Tole Sut Bap) - Rice and vegetables served in a hot stone bowl.
20. 호두과자 (Hoe Doo Gwa Ja) - Sweet walnut cakes made in the shape of a walnut, famous in Chonan.

21. 새우젓 (Say Ooh Cheot) - Salted shrimp, used as a seasoning for pork or for making kimchee.
22. 설렁탕 (So Long Tang) - A soup made from beef broth, spring onions, rice, salt, and red pepper paste.
23. 닭갈비 (Tak Kal Bi) - Boneless chicken seasoned with spring onions, red pepper paste, sweet potatoes, rice cakes and garlic; usually wrapped in lettuce with seasoned soy bean paste.
24. 닭죽 (Tak Jook) - Thick porridge made from chicken broth, sticky rice, ginseng, garlic and salt.
25. 알탕 (All Tang) - Spicy soup made from fish eggs, red pepper, spring onions and other seasonings.

26. 장어구이 (Jang Oh Goo Ee) - Marinated and barbecued eel filets wrapped in lettuce.
27. 삼계탕 (Sam Gye Tang) - A whole chicken stuffed with rice, jujubes, garlic and ginseng and boiled whole
28. 곰 탕Gom Tang - Soup made from tailbones (beef), you can put your bowl of rice into it and can add red pepper powder if you like.
29. 설렁탕 Seol-Leong Tang - A similar soup to above but is made from general beef bones.
30. 추어탕 Choo Oh Tang - boiled loaches - a kind of small fish found in the rice paddies) that are crushed up and mixed with a variety of vegetables. The soup is seasoned individually by each person with a variety of spices and fresh vegetables, eaten with rice.

31. 오리탕 Oh Ri Tang - Boiled duck with vegetables and rice. Very rich from the duck's natural fat and goes well with rice.

32. 부대찌개 Boo Tae Chee Gae - Soldier's Soup??made from a variety of ingredients (whatever you have on hand). Normally it's made with Ramyeon noodle seasoning (and the noodles at the end) with kimchee, spam, and whatever vegetables and leftovers you have. Spicey and filling!

33. 버섯전골 Beo Seot Jeon Gol - This is a hearty stew made from several varieties of mushrooms boiled in a nice stock. Other vegetables may be added.

34. 쌈밥 Ssam Bap - A big plate of various greens (lettuce, herbs, weeds, and others) that you take a wrap with other greens and fill with rice and garlic and soybean paste. Optionally you may have some grilled meat to go with this. Hopefully, the restaurant will have a big wall poster showing what the various greens are. Definitely will give you an appreciation for the various greens.
35. 순두부백반 Soon Too Boo Paek Pan - Fresh soft tooboo (Tofu) served up with a nice variety of side dishes.

36. 순두부찌개 Soo Too Boo Chee Gae - Fresh soft (uncurdled) tooboo (Tofu) made into a soup with red peppers and often shellfish. Served with side dishes.

37. 아꾸찜 Ah GGoo Jjim is a kind of fish whose name I never learned and instead referred to as " Big mouthed ugly fish" (and it is). In this dish, it's mixed with red peppers and veggies and made into a stew.

38. 생등심 Saeng Tung Shim - Fresh beef sirloin grilled in front of you and cut into nice bite sized pieces which may be dipped into a sesame oil- salt and pepper dip and wrapped in lettuce with garlic, leeks, and/or soy bean paste. (note that the생- prefix on meat refers to Never frozen, fresh meat, as opposed to frozen meat, usually better tasting)
39. 안심 Ahn Shim - Like above but it is the beef tenderloin

40. 돼지갈비 Dwae Ji Kal Bee - Pork ribs with seasoning cooked on a grill in front of you and eaten with rice, sidedishes and lettuce to wrap the meat in (w/ garlic, soybean paste, and greens)
41. 소갈비 So Kal Bee - Similar to above, but these are a richer seasoned beef ribs

[Hater Depot]

And if you'd like a nice collection of pictures for them....

http://wiki.galbijim.com/Category:Images_of_food

[tzechuk]

Korean food isn't half bad. The only problem is that almost every soup is spicy. I mean.. if you have a stomach problem, the last thing you'd want is a bowl of deathly spicy jee-gae... at least it is so for me...