Korean cuisine is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. If you have ever been to a Korean BBQ restaurant before, you were first greeted with so many small plates of colorful, beautiful array of salads, kimchis and simple seafood dishes. I am always amazed with the generosity and variety of Korean dishes. Korean cuisine of course had much influence from the nearby countries in its development, but it is definitely unique in every way.
We will focus on a dish called Gungjung Tteokbokki today. The literal translation would be Gungjung (palace or royal court) tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cake). It is the traditional version of the tteokbokki with meat, vegetables and soy sauce, which happens to be my favorite kind. It is one of the traditional dishes that is enjoyed during the Lunar New Year celebration. The Wikipedia article on tteokbokki explains its history: “According to bibliographic data, the first tteokbokki in Korean history is said to appear in a cook book called “시의정서 (Siui jeongseo)” written in the late Joseon dynasty. However, based on the fact that tteok (the main ingredient, also known as rice cake) was produced even before in the Three Kingdoms period, it's possible to assume that the history is longer than what's usually considered. Tteokbokki can also be found in medical records: a book called “신뇨찬요 (Shingnyo chanyo)” written by Jeon Sunui, a medical officer in the Joseon dynasty (1460). The purpose of the book was to cure people through food and tteokbokki was part of it.” The name may give off an impression of a very sophisticated, difficult dish, but it is easier to make than you might think! Here is an excellent recipe with simple ingredients, from a blog called Korean Bapsang, a Korean mom’s home cooking, an excellent source for great recipes! Here is a recommendation of a restaurant for those of you that want to experience authentic Korean delicacies, including the Gungjung Tteokbokki. If you are in the Central Jersey area, you should definitely try Chung Sol Bat in Edison, NJ. Photo from the Korean Bapsang blog
0 Comments
Jamaica maybe a small island nation, but its contribution to the world has been nothing but tasty. There is Jerk Chicken, Jamaican Patties, Rum Punch, Ginger Beer and Ackee with Salt Cod, to name a few. If you have never heard of, or had the pleasure to know what these are, it is highly recommended that you take some time to look into them.
Today, we will delve into the history and making of Jerk Chicken, one of the most famous dishes out of Jamaica. Jerk refers to a way that a meat, be it chicken, beef, pork, goat, fish, vegetables or fruit is seasoned and cooked. The typical cooking style uses a marinade or paste that includes at least pimento, which is often called allspice, and scotch bonnet peppers, also known as habenero. The meat is then marinated and slow smoked over pimento wood. Allspice is called pimento because the early European settlers mistook the berry and tree as black pepper, which was called pimento in Spanish, so allspice is often called pimento. In this interesting article of the history of Jerk Chicken including pictures, we learn that the word “Jerk” comes from the Peruvian word Charqui, a word that describes dry strips of meat, like in “Beef Jerky” that we use very often. Most historians agree Jamaica was settled by the Arawak Indians over 2500 years ago from South America. They used similar techniques to smoke and dry meat in the sun or over a slow fire, that were common in Peru. This was important as the dried beef could be taken on journeys and eaten as is or chopped and reconstituted in boiling water. This ancient technique goes on today and is known as jerky. Now, how to duplicate the authentic flavors and smoking technique used in Jamaica? This can be a challenge, because the smoke from the allspice tree is what creates the unique jerk flavors. Here is a great recipe to try to duplicate this amazing flavor at home from seriouseats website. For a full experience of Jamaican food, try out Morgan’s Island Grill in Hightstown, NJ! It serves amazing Jamaican food, with great ambiance and is easy on the wallet. |
AuthorUnicultural team and trainers, sharing our views and experiences on everything cultural. Archives
May 2016
Categories
|