Korean Cuisine: Red Beans and Rice
On Sundays I talk Korean food here at Al Dente, a cuisine that I love and that I love to share with others. Have you already discovered Korean cuisine? If so, I'd like to hear from you. If not, I'm discussing Korean food, dish by dish, so you can become familiar with the wonders of rice and spice.
Rice, plain white rice, is certainly a mainstay of Korean meals, as with most Asian cuisines, but you'll find other rice dishes as well. My sister loves what she calls "purple rice", a traditional rice made with red beans.
I'm not talking Mexican rice and beans, nor Cajun red beans and rice, I'm talking pat bab, the Korean rice dish made with, you guessed it, red beans and white rice. This rice dish is easy to make at home, simply boil the red beans and add your white rice in the last twenty minutes. The color is lovely and the flavor is a nice alternative to standard white rice.
Remember, Korean dishes are served all at once, with soups, meats, vegetables and rice delivered to the table all at the same time, along with the banchan, Korean small plates of spicy pickled vegetables like kimchi. I like to take lots of friends with me when I eat out at Korean restaurants because there is so much food to eat.
Korean meals are always a feast, and Korean menus are fascinating to explore. Won't you tell us what you discover the next time you eat Korean?
--Tracy Schneider
Neil on March 14, 2011 at 06:47 AM
Are you familiar with "black bean noodles". There was a restaurant in Memphis that served them, but they closed and no one else seems to know the dish. The owner of the restaurant said it was a dish served to children after school.
Phyllis on March 14, 2011 at 07:54 AM
How about Ice Noodles? Yum... the savory version is great. Makes me feel really healthy. And Corn Tea. What a treat!
Tracy Schneider on March 14, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Neil, I think you're describing jajangmyeon, a very popular dish on the menus of the Korean-Chinese restaurants that you find all over South Korea. The noodles are served with a thick black bean paste sauce. I'm surprised that Memphis had a restaurant that served jajangmyeon, because it's hard to find outside of Los Angeles and New York City. I'll make sure to include jajangmyeon in an upcoming post and touch on other popular Korean-Chinese dishes as well.
Mandy on March 14, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Have you tried Korean Beef Barbecue (Bulgogi)? It is my favorite dish and a very popular Korean dish. It is a tiny sliced meat slices marinated in a sweet smoky flavor. At Korean BBQ restaurants they grill the meat right in front of you.
Tracy Schneider on March 14, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Phyllis, did you know that ice noodles, or naengmyeon, were originally a cold weather dish? They're eaten all year long now, but are particularly popular in the summer. I may not be able to wait until summer though, to discuss them, so look for a post in another few weeks.
I too love roasted corn or oksusu cha, a common beverage at Korean restaurants. I especially like that oksusu cha contains no caffeine, so I can drink as much as I want. I'll add a post on beverages too. Thanks so much!
Tracy Schneider on March 14, 2011 at 11:20 AM
Mandy, bulgogi is a favorite of mine too, and I do love watching the marinated meat cook in front of my eyes at Korean BBQ restaurants. You're making my mouth water. A post is coming very soon!
r4 on March 14, 2011 at 11:15 PM
I think you're describing jajangmyeon, a popular dish on the menus of Korean-Chinese restaurants found throughout southern Korea.I may not be able to wait until the summer, however, speak of them, so look a post in another couple of weeks.
Sara Dupre on April 02, 2011 at 12:58 AM
Hi there Tracy! I never knew Koreans love this New Orleans delicacy, too! Here’s my favorite version. It’s really yummy!
Chopsticks on May 20, 2011 at 09:46 AM
Koren food is extremely good! And if you want to honor their traditions, try eat it with chopsticks.