Why do Korean eat rice as a main food? - Korea Food Culture

Why do Korean eat rice as a main food? Korea Food Culture

The students who live with Korean family are often surprised by that Korean generally have meals with rice all the time. At the first time, you may be surprised and not be able to understand. In fact, there are reasonable reasons based on the Korean culture. 
Now we let you know them!

The main dish and the side dish are clearly distinct from each other

While the main food is generally served by a dish, in Korea the main food is normally served by several dishes. You wound consider the rice is the main food, but the rice is actually same as bread which is eaten not itself, but with other food. In fact, the food, which you consider as the side, is a kind of the main food. 

There are a variety of the grain recipes such as Tteok

Korean eats rice or wheat everyday, so the recipe using the grain has consequently been developed. Tteok, rice noodles, tofu and so on. 

Highly developed preserved food

Korea has distinct four seasons. Furthermore, Korea summer is hot and humid, which is the most difficult to preserve food. 
It results in developing Korea own food preservation method, which is a fermentation such as Kimchi. It is also the reason why most of Hansik is quite spicy and savoury. 

Breakfast is pretty important meal in Korea

While breakfast is normally simple meal, for example only cereals or some pieces of bread, in Korea food culture Korean style breakfast is quite heavy because we consider the breakfast most important meal so as to get all-day energy. 

Eat for health

In Korea food culture, food is not only a meal, but also a medicine. For example, we believe eating a carrot helps eye’s health. Eating sweet wormwood is good for curing a cancer. It is why Hansik is often made with medicinal herbs such as Ginseng.

Hansik has a lot of interesting stories based on history and science. 

Listen, See, and Eat Hansik!