The most common form of Korean meal is to have rice as the main food with a set of banchan (side dishes) that include guk (light-broth soup), jjigae (thicker stew), and a variety of vegetable or meat dishes. Because of the widespread difficulty of livelihoods and scarcity of resources, vegetables were used as main ingredients of side dishes rather than meat or fish. Protein deficiency stemming from the lack of intake of meat and fish was complemented by bean-based condiments (jang) and food such as tofu. Vegetable oils were also widely used including sesame oil, perilla oil, and soybean oil. Various methods of making banchan include grilling, simmering, stir-frying, or steaming. They may also take the form of pancakes, pickles, seasoned vegetables, or jeotgal (fermented seasoned seafood). Fermented food such as kimchi, jang, and jeotgal (fermented salted side dish or condiment) are made in the correct seasons and served all year round.

• Main Food
• Side Dishes
• Desserts
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Main Food

1) Bap (Steamed Rice)

Bap is made by steaming rice or other grains and is the most basic food of Korean cuisine. Types of bap include white steamed rice; japgokbap (steamed rice with mixed grains) made with barley, millet, soybean, or red bean; beolmibap (special steamed rice) made with vegetables, fish, or meat; and bibimbap (mixed rice) served with vegetables and meat on top of steamed rice to be mixed together.

2) Juk (Rice Porridge)

Juk, one of the earliest types of Korean food to be developed, is made by adding 5-7 times the amount of water over rice or other grains and simmering for a long time. There are many types of juk according to the ingredients used. Juk is eaten not only as staple food but as special dishes, patient food, and boyangsik (health food) .

3) Guksu (Noodles)

Noodles are made from grinded grains such as flour or buckwheat and brought about the development of a chopstick culture.

4) Mandu (Dumpling) and Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)

Mandu is made by filling thin flour dough with fillings and cooking them by steaming or boiling. It was popularly eaten in the cold Northern regions of Korea. Ddeokguk is a traditional Korean soup for eating in the New Year, consisting of broth, thinly-sliced rice cakes, and garnishes.