الجمعة، 20 مارس 2015

Korean Seafood Grows In Popularity

By Lelia Hall


The fact that fish and shellfish feature prominently in the cuisine of Koreans is not surprising as the small peninsula is bordered by oceans. Korean seafood dishes are prepared in numerous different ways such as boiling, grilling, roasting, frying and braising. Fish are even fermented and eaten raw.

It has taken a while for this type of cuisine to become popular in other parts of the world. However, currently many restaurants exist in America dedicated to not only making food for Koreans but exposing Americans to this cuisine too. Some of these create fusion foods to appeal to the American palate. However, many of them offer authentic cuisine as Americans begin to embrace the foods of other cultures.

This type of cuisine has very strong flavors, something the European palate may take a while to become used to, especially if one is accustomed to eating bland food. The five flavors of salty, sweet, sour, spicy and acidic are all found in one dish. This diet also has the great benefits of being largely free of gluten and dairy, a fact much appreciated by those looking for tasty dishes consisting largely of vegetables and fish or meat.

The use of ingredients such as sesame oil, garlic, ginger, fermented chili paste and fermented bean paste all add to the robust flavors. Many types of fish are used and the use of shellfish is very popular with crab, clams and shrimps commonly used and octopus and squid often used as well. The fish or shellfish may be prepared by grilling, boiling, steaming, frying or roasting. Fish may be eaten raw and it is often fermented or dried too.

Hweh is raw fish and once it has been freshly caught, it is cut into very thin slices or strips. These are then dipped into a sauce such as a fermented bean paste or a red pepper paste. In hot weather, a trip to the pier at Redondo Beach, California, for raw, sliced fish, crisp veggies and a kimchi paste will hit just the right spot. Westerners no longer have an aversion to raw fish and have realized just how tasty and nutritious it can be.

Fermenting of smaller fish and shrimp, squid and mollusks are common. They are then used to add flavor to dishes like soups and stews. They often have a strong smell but work extremely well as a seasoning. A famous dish in Korea is skatefish that is deeply fermented resulting in a very soft texture but a very, strong ammonia smell as well that even Koreans may find hard to stomach.

Grilling fish is also common and yellow croaker or Jogi was traditionally used as a staple on the menu. It was accompanied by hundreds of banchan or side dishes, as is common in this type of cuisine. Fish like herring and mackerel are commonly grilled and served with vegetables and rice.

Once the fish is dried, its name changes and its purpose does too. Some fish are dried completely and they are then suitable for using in soups. If they are only half-dried, they can be steamed successfully and eaten with toppings and sauces. This wonderful cuisine is now no longer restricted to one small peninsula but is now enjoyed by many people. More and more restaurants all over the world are dedicated to providing people with more of this type of food as the demand increases all the time.




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