I think one thing I am looking forward to when I go back home is all of the Korean food I will get to eat.
One thing I have noted about Korean food that is not in other cultures is that we have many side dishes. I remember mentioning it in 105, but Korean meals typically consist of rice and side dishes. Side dishes in Korean are called banchan. These side dishes include soups, kimchi, varieties of pickled vegetables, potatoes, and more. The soups are usually very healthy, as a large portion of Korean soups are bean and vegetable-based.
I was personally very curious about why we have so many side dishes, so I decided to look it up. One theory that I have found is that, by eating side dishes, we get full quickly, feel light, and it helps our digestion. One thing I should note about Korean banchan is that they are overwhelmingly on the healthy side. Most that I have seen are a form of raw vegetables. All the flavors we use are natural, and it lends Korean food to be very refreshing. With the new health movements going on, maybe this could explain why Korean food has been becoming more popular.
I learned in one of my classes this semester how there are health disparities among ethnic groups. One reason for this is the diets many of these groups eat. I was surprised to see that Koreans are among the healthiest eaters in the world, and maybe this tradition of eating banchan has helped us thrive in a healthy manner.
I remember going to a Korean restaurant with my non-Korean friend, and she was fascinated that the restaurant was giving us so much free food (when she saw the banchan). I remember telling her that we usually eat this alongside rice, and it is not typical to eat the banchan by itself.
I think even now, in college where I live in an apartment, I struggle to eat regular foods by themselves. If I am eating anything, I always find myself looking for rice to eat it with. However, it will no longer be a struggle when I get to go home and I finally get to eat rice and banchan again!!
https://asianinspirations.com.au/asian-culture/why-do-koreans-have-a-lot-of-side-dishes/
Comments