Before you Cook Korean dishes....
Koreans use red bean paste (gochujang), and bean
paste (doenjang) for cooking many dishes. Doenjang is like Japanese miso,
but doenjang has stronger bean taste. Doenjang and gochujang are
essentials for Koreans, as much as Kimchi. Doenjang and gochujang are made
of soy beans, so without a lot of explanation, they are good for you!
Recently, I heard that gochujang has special enzyme that helps people to lose
weight.
If you are trying first time, get the smallest jar or plastic
container of gochujang and doenjang.
Roasted sesame seeds (Cham ke) and sesame seed oil (Cham girum) are also essential ingredients in Korean cooking. I noticed that there are some brand of sesame seed oil that does not have the distinctive smell. That is useless for Korean cooking. Get them either at a Korean market or at a Japanese market.
A lot of times, Korean dish uses green onion and garlic. Make sure to brush your teeth after meal...^^ Eat a lot of Kimchi. It does not control breath smell, but it supposed to help control body odor. (Did you know Koreans have the least body odor because of Kimchi?)
When you cook rice, try adding some other grains. In a Korean market, you can find pressed barley, black rice.. and so on. Try mix 1/4 of other grains in everyday rice cooking. It will be good for you, if you eat them often. Black rice will make everything else black, so if you want to make Korean roll, it is not a good idea to put black rice. I don't recommend any kind of beans to cook with, because you have to soak beans at least for a day before cooking.
Soy sauce is called ganjang in Korean, and soy sauce for soup is called kook ganjang. I recommend people to get kook ganjang at a Korean market, because when it comes to soup making, kook ganjang really bring out the tastes. (for example, seaweed soup)
If you don't have a rice cooker, I recommend you to get one. But if you don't want it yet but still want to cook some rice... ok. Here's how you do it.
1. Wash rice for about 3 to 4 times or until water becomes clear. 2. Put the rice in a deep sauce pan. 3. Pour water of 1.5 times of the volume of rice into the sauce pan. 4. Put the lid over the sauce pan and boil over high heat for 5 minuets. 5. Leave the lid on for about 20 minuets over medium heat. 6. leave it over low heat, for 5 minuets. 7. Turn the heat off, and leave it on the stove for five minuets. Serve. :)
Start with Quick and Easy dishes!
Natural Seasoning Powders You make!