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.
