Korean Noodles

ths is for our  subject bc101;

Bi-Bim Guk-Su
Sweet & Spicy Cold Noodles
비빔국수

Bibim guksu, a cold dish made with very thin wheat flour noodles called somyun with added flavorings, is one of the most popular traditional noodle dishes in Korean cuisine. It is also called guksu bibim which literally mean stirred noodles or mixed noodles. The dish is especially popular during the summer season much like another similar Korean noodle dish called jjolmyun.

There are many kinds of cold noodle dishes in Korea, including one made with cold beef broth; however, spicy cold noodles have historically been appreciated by spicy food lovers in Korea and also recognized internationally. What makes this dish so distinct from other cold noodle dishes from different cultures is the strong spicy flavor produced from the combination of gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes), gochujang (red chili pepper paste), and minced garlic, along with a sweet-and-sour flavor created by vinegar and sugar. Most spicy cold noodles are prepared with a slight touch of sesame oil to enhance the richness of its flavor.

Typically the dish would be prepared by stir frying diced beef, julienned pickled cucumbers, and mushrooms in sesame oil, which is all mixed together with the cooked noodles, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds and sugar. Garnishes placed on top and around the spicy noodles include hard-boiled eggs, pickled radish, dried layer strips, cabbage, sesame leaves, and sometimes sliced Korean pear.

Jang-ban-guk-su
Spicy Buckwheat Noodles w/ Vegetables
쟁반국수

 

Jangban guksu is a healthy and delicious noodle dish mixed with assortment of vegetables. 

Buckwheat noodles are mixed in with perilla/sesame leaves, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, and carrots in a zesty spicy sauce called chojang. Chojang comprises of watered down gochujang mixed with chopped green onions, rice vinegar, sesame seed and sesame oil.

Different variation of this noodle dish exist, including a non-spicy version in which gochujang is substituted with soy sauce along with other ingredients as its base sauce. Additionally, thin strips of Asian pear can be added for additional mixture in taste as well as a boiled egg for garnish.

Soup And Stew

Bu-dae Chi-gae
"Army" Stew
부대찌개

Budae chigae is one of many favorite dishes for Koreans worldwide.  

Budae which translates into army in Korean and chigae meaning stew, this dish is known to have originated from the Korean War.  

During the war, Koreans have salvaged any means of food from the American soldiers in which there were an abundance of hot dog, sausages, and spam along with other staples.

Much like kimchi chigae, this soup-based dish contains kimchi, tofu, scallions, onions, gochujang, and much more.  Also, to add texture and volume to the soup, it can contain vermicelli as well as ramyun noodles.  It is consumed along with a bowl of steamed rice, bop, to compliment its spiciness and its abundance in meat such as spam, sausages and pork.

Meat & Poultry

Bul-go-gi Grilled Marinated Beef 불고기                     Bulgogi is one of Korea's most popular beef dishes that is made from thinly sliced sirloin or another prime cut of beef (rib eye). It is usually marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic, onions, ginger, and sugar for two to four hours to enhance the flavor and its tenderization.  Bulgogi is traditionally grilled but broiling or pan-cooking is common as well. Whole cloves of garlic, sliced onions, and chopped green peppers are often grilled or cooked at the same time. It is often served to non-Koreans as a first taste of Korean cuisine. This dish is usually served with a side of lettuce, spinach, or other leafy vegetable, which is used to wrap a slice of cooked meat, often times along with a dab of ssamjang, kimchi, or other side dishes, and then eaten as a whole. To see a visual illustration, click here. Korean 101: Bul is the Korean word for fire and gogi is meat, therefore, it translates into fire meat. However, it's not quite spicy in taste but somewhat on the sweet side.   Gal-bi-Jim Braised Beef Short Rib Casserole 갈비찜   Galbijim is a popular Korean casserole dish made with galbi, generally from beef short ribs and a definite crowd-pleaser whether it's eaten at a restaurant or served at home. It's commonly served as the main dish but leftovers or smaller portions can be served as a side dish as well.  During preparation, surplus fat is removed from the ribs by cutting and removing after parboiling. Soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, minced garlic, pepper, ginger juice, and sugar are mixed together with ribs and slowly simmered in a large pot over medium to low heat to enhance its tender and sweet finish. When the meat is almost cooked, jujube, ginkgo nuts, carrots, and/or pine nuts are be added and boiled once again. Chestnuts and shitake mushrooms can be also added near the end to bring out extra flavors to this dish. Galbijjim is usually served in a bowl rather than a plate and traditionally served in a bowl with cover.

Korean Rice

Gim-bop

Korean Style Sushi Roll
김밥

Gimbop 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.

At first glance, gimbop often resembles a Japanese maki or a sushi roll. 

However, there are a few differences between the Japanese sushi roll and the Korean-style gimbop. The main difference is that Japanese sushi rolls are rather minimal in ingredients. Sushi rolls usually consists of just tuna or salmon within the roll whereas gimbop contains a variety of ingredients as mentioned earlier. Also, while the Japanese use raw fish (sashimi) in their sushi rolls, Korean gimbop do not contain any raw fish. Lastly, Japanese sushi is often dipped in wasabi while gimbop usually has sesame oil.