KOREA HANSIK ( PART 1)

 HANSIK IS NATURE

Earth is the source of life for man. Thus, the healthiest nourishment for man is earth’s natural foods, weathered by the sun, rain and wind. Hansik uses pure, naturally grown ingredients from the mountains and rivers.

It is a culinary heritage that evolved over thousands of years based on the idea of oneness between man and nature.

SLOW …….AGED OVER TIME

HANSIK is the ultimate slow food. The age old practice of naturally fermenting food gives a deep and complex flavor to foods such as KIMCHI and JANG (fermented sauce). The mellow, aged taste of jang is produced as soybean breaks down, ferments and matures. Three major fermented sauces- soy sauce ( ganjang), soybean paste ( doenjang) and red pepper paste ( gochujang) – form the basis of hansik seasoning. The taste of Kimchi comes from ripening, not cooking, fresh vegetables. Fermentation is a lengthy, artisanal process, yet the resulting taste is a gift from nature that is certainly worth the wait.

EARTHEN JARS – EARTHEN JARS for ageing ganjang, doenjang , gochujang  and kimchi are placed in a sunny spot, usually in the east side of the backyard. The specially fired clay jars allow the sauces and kimchi to breathe and ferment properly.

JANG – THE ESSENCE OF HANSIK

In fall, soybean is boiled, mashed and shaped into blocks ( meju) . The meju blocks are dried until spring when it is washed, soaked in brine and fermented. After 40 to 60 days, the solids and liquid are separated: the liquid is brewed and strained to make soy sauce ( ganjang) and the solids are aged to make soybean paste ( doenjang). Red pepper paste ( gochujang) is separately made in March or April by mixing powdered meju with glutinous rice, wheat flour, barley or sweet potato.

KIMCHI – THE SCIENCE OF FERMENTATION

There are hundreds of varieties of Kimchi depending on region and season. The most common one is baechu kimchi which is made with nappa cabbage, white radish, red pepper, scallion, garlic and salted fish. Kimchi is flavorful and rich in vitamins and minerals. It also contains a number of lactic acid bacteria which helps fight cancer growth and obesity, promotes a youthful complexion and boosts the body’s immune system.

GUK – BRIMMING WITH FLAVOR

GUK (thin soup) is made by simmering vegetables, fish or meat with seasoning in a generous amount of water until the broth is infused with the flavors of the ingredient. Thus guk is enjoyed for the flavor of the broth. There are basically 3 types of guk: clear meat broth (jangguk) made with sliced vegetable or meat and seasoned with soy sauce or salt : bean paste soup ( tojangguk) made with vegetables and soybean or red pepper paste ; and meat soup( gomguk ) made by slowly simmering meat until tender.

TANG – THICK SAVORY SOUP

Whereas thin, clear guk soup is intended as an accompaniment to rice, tang soups are so rich and thick that it takes over as the main dish. In fact, most of the time, the bowl of rice disappears all together into the thick soup. The most well-known tang soups are galbitang ( beef rib soup) , seolleongtang ( ox bone soup) and samgyetang ( ginseng chicken soup)

RUSTIC – THE FEEL OF HOME

HANSIK is unpretentious and humble. With its roots in peasant cookery, hansik consists of a wide range of hearty soups and stews that satisfy the stomach and comfort the soul. The Korean meal is considered to be complete only when there is a soupy dish to complement the dry dishes. The Korean word eumsik (food) comprises of the character “eum” which means “ drink”and “ shik “ which means “ eat”. Depending on the consistency, soups are divided into guk (thin soup) or tang (thick soup). Nothing warms the soul like hot soup that brings back memories of home.