Monthly Archive for June, 2008
It is without a doubt that the dolsot bibimbap is a popular Korean food both on the domestic and international level. Surprisingly though, it seems that what the Koreans enjoy about the dolsot bibimbap slightly differs from what everyone else enjoys about it.
As if the saying “the best for the last” is really true. The part that the Koreans enjoy the most is at the very bottom of the sizzling hot dish. It is pronounced as “nooroongji” in Korean.
A nooroongji is basically rice that has become hard due a long exposure to the extremely hot surfaces of the dolsot. Therefore, only the rice that is in direct contact with hot dish can “turn in” to what is known by Koreans as nooroongji. Some people might think, “Okay, what’s so good about a hardened rice?” There are a few reasons why the Koreans like it so much.
The first is, as it should be with dishes, the taste. The nooroongji has quite a different taste than the rest of the rice in the dolsot bibimbap. Because it has been hardened, the rice is quite crunchy, making the chewing more enjoyable along with the taste. Also, as nooroongjis are first steamed between the rest of the rice above it and the hot dish beneath it, a lot of the “juice” of dolsot bibimbap soaks inside the rice. Consequently, when the rice becomes dry and hard again (now called a nooroongji), it now has the taste of dolsot bibimbap inside the rice. So, when you chew on the nooroongji you can taste the scent of the whole bibimbap in a unique way.
Part of scraping the nooroongjis is fun too. As nooroongjis are first steamed and then hardened, they tend to stick onto the dolsot. Therefore, it is quite hard to scrap the nooroongjis. Koreans use spoons to scrap the nooroongjis, which often the children enjoy doing (although they’re not that good at it!).
The dolsot bibimbap is certainly a delicious dish. While many people are aware of its overall taste and look, it has a lot of unique parts to it which unfortunately many outsiders are not aware of. Nooroongji is one of them: popular among Koreans, but unfortunately not that widely known. Next time you get yourself a dolsot bibimbap, don’t forget to try the nooroongji’s before the waitress takes the dish away! You certainly will enjoy it!
Since the human beings began cultivation, they enjoyed eating vegetables which are rich in vitamins and minerals. However, due to the cold winter, there need to be some kind of preservation method and that is pickling. Kimchi is a kind of pickled vegetable that is fermented through lactic acid at low temperature for preservation. It started being developed from 7th century and now it is a food which all Koreans enjoys to eat and becoming popular worldwide.
Many people think of the use of hot red pepper powder when they hear about Kimchi, but at first it was just salted vegetables. In the 18th century, hot red pepper became one of the major spices used for Kimchi and with the introduction of Baechu (Chinese cabbage) in the 19th century, people are now seeing the type of Kimchi that we know today. As you know there are only few fermented vegetable food worldwide, and there are several possible reasons why Kimchi was developed. First, Korean people’s main industry was agriculture, so that vegetables were popular for them. In addition, Koreans had prominent technology for slating fish, which was usually used as a seasoning and introduction of Baechu was suitable for making Kimchi.
There are many characteristics and beneficial effects of Kimchi. It develops a unique taste that differs from ingredients and condiments, and it becomes more palatable as it ferments. This fermentation is caused by bacteria which are contained in the ingredients of Kimchi and it is controlled by the temperature and the amount of salt. In the late period of this process, an enzyme decomposes pectin and as a result, it softens Kimchi fiber. When this process goes well and properly matured, Kimchi has a good taste, but it is easily acidified when it is left in high temperature and it becomes inedible in two days.
Due to the beneficial effects of Kimchi, it is still widely eaten by people and becoming a popular worldwide food. It has antibacterial effect, prevents acid toxicosis, and prevents the development of disease such as obesity and cancer. Moreover, it can help the recovery, delays the aging process, promote digestion and strengthen the immune system. Kimchi is also a food full of nutrition. By eating it, it keeps the balance of nutrition and it is low calorie and good for our body. It provides lots of vitamins and calcium instead of providing calorie.
Currently, Kimchi is being paid attention by Japan and many other countries worldwide. It is because of these characteristics and beneficial effects. People are now recognizing Kimchi not just as a simple food but as a healthy food.
If you’ve never tried dolsot bibimbap, you’ve been missing out on one of the tastiest dishes in Korean cuisine. Heck… in any cuisine. While it sounds pretty simple on paper (as you’ll see as you read on), in reality the combination of ingredients used to make this dish makes for something surprising, wonderful… and remarkably healthy.
So, what sets dolsot bibimbap apart from plain old Korean bibimbap? Simply put, it’s the temperature. Regular bibimbap consists of warm or cold rice served up in a bowl and covered with assorted seasoned veggies (called namul), meat, a fried egg, and a wonderful chili sauce (called gochujang). Dolsot bibimbap is just… well… hotter. Doesn’t sound like it would make a big difference, right?
But it does. Simply serving a bibimbap in a hot bowl (this is called a dolsot –hence the name) takes an already-wonderful Korean dish to a mind-boggling level of deliciousness. The dolsot is heated approximately to the level of the molten lava, and the inside is covered with sesame or olive oil before the warmed rice is added. The rice touching the bowl gets crisp and fried and, well… indescribably delicious. This almost-burnt rice is called nurungi, and is so wonderful that they actually sell it on its own as a snack in Korean grocery stores.
Eating a Korean Dolsot Bibimbap
When you make a dolsot bibimbap (or order one at your favorite Korean restaurant), it comes out sizzling, smelling wonderful, and very pretty. But it won’t stay pretty for long– because you’ve got to add plenty of gochujang chili sauce and mix it all up into a tasty homogenized mess before eating. A raw egg is generally floating up on top of the rest of the ingredients, bright and gooey and a little strange-looking. But don’t worry– the bazillion degree heat of the dolsot will cook the egg as you mix, making it creamy and delicious.
What’s in Your Dolsot Bibimbap?
While all dolsot bibimbaps are similar in concept, the ingredients can vary widely. Like regular Korean bibimbap, this dish was originally considered a good way to use up leftover rice and vegetables. So while you’re probably not using leftovers at home (or eating them in a Korean restaurant), almost any ingredient can be tossed into your dolsot bibimbap. And it’ll all taste good– that much I can promise you.
Though you can toss just about anything into your bibimbap, some of the most popular Korean ingredients you’ll find in them are:
* Rice or a multi-grain rice mixture.
* Sesame or olive oil.
* Assorted raw, blanched, or cooked and seasoned veggies. These include carrots, squash, soybean sprouts, red cabbage, mushrooms (generally shitaki), burdock root, fern stems (called gosari), and others.
* Fried ginkgo nuts.
* Meat (generally beef), or Korean Bulgogi, a meat mix made with wine, garlic, onion, and pineapple, among other things — so delicious!
* Egg (generally raw, though it can be fried first).
* Toasted sesame seeds.
* Gochujang sauce (sometimes spelled Kochujang). This sauce is both sweet and spicy, but generally not too spicy. Use it generously.
You’ll find a wide combination of these and more ingredients in a dolsot bibimbap. And even if the idea of eating that many vegetables doesn’t excite your inner glutton… don’t listen to him. All veggies or no, dolsot bibimbap is a Korean delicacy you won’t want to miss out on.
Dolsot bibimbap is a popular Korean dish which many individuals love to order when they go to eat at a Korean restaurant. It is flavorful and bountiful enough to be a meal in and of itself. Although the traditional type of dolsot bibimbap consists of the usual ingredients such as marinated beef, kimchi, rice, egg and an assortment of vegetables, there are variations of this delicious dish which many opt for when they need a change.
One variant of the dolsot bibimbap is to add fish instead of the usual beef ingredient. Salmon is one type of fish which makes for a unique and tasty combination. Chicken is another popular meat substitution for the prepared dolsot bibimbap as some individuals do not eat red meat and would prefer to have the chicken comprise the main part of the dish instead of the marinated beef. Vegetarians may also be able to eat dolsot bibimbap as tofu has been known to be included with this dish so that all may enjoy this traditional Korean entrée.
In addition to switching up the type of meat which is part of the dish, dolsot bibimbap lovers can also make variations of this item by adding and/or leaving out different types of vegetables. Some of the more commonly added vegetables to this dish include kimchi, cucumber, zucchini and mushrooms. However, this is just an example of the more commonly cooked type of dolsot bibimbap. Those who prepare this dish may add and delete different vegetables as they see fit.
Lastly, the heat factor of the dolsot bibimbap may vary as well. The one ingredient used in this dish which gives it a little kick in the area of heat is gochujang, or chili pepper paste. Those who like their bibimbap a little hotter may choose to increase the amount of gochujang to their liking. These are just some of the many different variations one can choose in order to make their dolsot bibimbap appeal to their tastes.
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