KOREAN CUISINE
By: Mahmudova Sevara Doniyor qizi
Student of the 4th year, Korean Philology
Kimyo International University
Annotation:
This article presents a selection of Korean dishes. It also explores certain aspects of Korean food culture.
Keywords: Bibimbap, Bungeoppang, Hotteok, Liliya Tyan
Introduction:
Today, we can observe that some Korean dishes and the ingredients needed to prepare them at home — including salads — are becoming increasingly available in stores. Korean eateries and restaurants are also growing in number. Why is the interest in Korean food increasing year by year? Let’s take a closer look at the reasons behind this trend.
Main Body:
One of the most popular dishes among Koreans and foreigners alike is bibimbap. With its colorful presentation, it is visually appealing at first glance. Professor and physician Kang Je Hon stated that this dish is very beneficial for health. “It is made with rice, various green vegetables, and small portions of fish or meat,” he explained. Due to its low calorie and carbohydrate content, as well as its attractive appearance, it is also widely consumed by foreigners.
Bungeoppang is one of the popular winter snacks. It is shaped like a fish and made from dough using a special mold. There are many varieties, such as pizza-flavored, cream-filled, chocolate-filled, and more. This dish has even appeared in Korean dramas (K-dramas), through which many drama fans have come to know it. Since it looks similar to ingeoppang, people often confuse the two. However, there is a difference: bungeoppang has a thick, crispy crust, while ingeoppang has a thinner, oilier dough. They are entirely different snacks.
Another popular winter snack is hotteok. It originated from bread consumed in Turkey and India and entered Korea via China along the Silk Road. It is entirely different from the American hot dog. Visually, it resembles khachapuri, which is often seen online. The dough is leavened and filled with brown sugar, honey, and sunflower seeds. There are also versions filled with vegetables, cheese, and kimchi. This snack has recently gained popularity among Americans and is well-liked by many.
Liliya Tyan, a Korean-Uzbek featured on “Voice of America,” is the owner of the “Cafe Lily” restaurant. In 2006, she won the Green Card lottery and moved to the U.S. with her family. She later opened her own restaurant, “Cafe Lily.” What sets her restaurant apart is its unique menu, which includes Korean, Russian, and Uzbek dishes. “Uzbeks have lived with Koreans for a long time, so especially the elderly remember Korean food fondly,” said Liliya Tyan. Her restaurant has even been featured in The New York Times.
Koreans have a proverb similar to the Uzbek saying: “Hot cuts hot, cold cuts cold.” That’s why Koreans eat hot foods in summer and cold foods in winter. For example, they eat ice cream in winter, just as Uzbeks drink hot tea in summer. Some even eat ice cream after spicy foods because of a belief that consuming hot food in summer increases body temperature, helping the body adapt to the heat.
Koreans also have a cultural habit of asking, “Have you eaten?” when greeting one another — similar to how Uzbeks say, “How are you?” This style of greeting dates back to the war period in Korea, when famine was widespread. People would greet each other by asking if they had eaten, and over time, it became a cultural norm.
There is also a cultural custom related to the apple fruit. Among peers, if someone makes a mistake and wants to apologize, they offer the other person an apple. This symbolizes asking for forgiveness.
Conclusion:
The history of Korean cuisine dates back centuries. Many of its dishes have developed over time. There is limited information available in Uzbek on this topic online. With further study, we can find many Korean foods that are beneficial to health — even useful in medicine. Their dining etiquette and food culture also share similarities with that of Uzbeks.
References:
Books:
- Kim Seon Jung, Park Sung Tae, Kim Sung Su – Self-Study Guide: Korean for Uzbek Speakers, Level 2
Web Sources: