History
Banchan as it is known today was probably the result of Buddhist influence beginning sometime around the mid Three Kingdoms period. The dominant Kingdoms of Korea adopted Buddhism as state religions and a near Korea wide proscription against eating meat was instituted. With the banning of meat dishes, vegetable arrays rose in prominence and became the primary feature of meals. Court kitchens developed a variety of methods for preparing, cooking, and presenting these dishes to the Kings and nobles. Smaller arrays were developed by the less affluent or common people.
The Mongol invasions ended the proscriptions against meat and meat offerings again appeared in Korean meals, but nearly six centuries of primarily vegetarian fare had indelibly stamped Korean cuisine.
Types of Banchan
Banchan dishes fall into several broad categories, with numerous types in each category. The main categories are Kimchi, Namul, Bokkeum (wet or dry), Jorim, Jjim, and Jeon.
Kimchi
- Kimchi is fermented vegetables, the most common of which is baechu (Napa cabbage) seasoned with chili peppers, garlic, and salt. There are many varieties of kimchi which range from mild and somewhat sweet, to very hot and salty.
Some Varieties of Kimchi:
- Nabak kimchi 나박김치 A slightly pink kimchi made with Korean cabbage, thinly sliced white radish, water, and greens. (Recipe)
- Dongchimi 동치미 A kimchi made of whole white radishes, green onions, garlic, ginger and salt water. (Recipe)
- Geotjeori 겉절이 Fresh non-fermented kimchi, meant to be crisp, and usually made from Korean cabbage.
- Ggakdugi 깍두기 White radish (Daikon) cut into cubes and seasoned with red chili peppers (Recipe)
- Oi-sobagi/Oi-sobagi-kimchi 오이소박이김치 A kimchi made of cucumbers cut into three to four sections, slit lengthwise, and stuffed with a filling of green onions, garlic, ginger and red chili pepper powder (Recipe)
- Chonggak kimchi 총각김치 whole radish with chili pepper seasoning. Made with a small variety of white (Daikon) radish called dallangmu
- Yeolmu kimchi 열무김치 A kimchi made of young summer radish (smaller roots with larger leaves) (Recipe)
- Pa kimchi 파김치 A kimchi made with lightly salted green onions seasoned with pickled anchovy sauce, garlic and red chili pepper powder (Recipe)
- Gat kimchi 갓김치 A kimchi made of gat, a kind of mustard leaf. The stems and leaves are seasoned with pickled anchovy sauce.
Namul (나물)
Namul is seasoned vegetable dishes. The specific name of the dish depends on the vegetable/plant used and how it is prepared.
Just about any type of edible plant or plant part (roots, leaves, stems, seeds, sprouts, petals, and fruits) can be used.
Namul are typically made with minimal preparation, and may be served fresh (raw), boiled, fried, sauteed, dried, or steamed.
Some Varieties of Namul:
- bakogari-namul 박오가리나물 A side dish made of dried gourd skins that are soaked, seasoned, and simmered
- Kongnamul 콩나물 Blanched soy bean sprouts lightly seasoned with salt, minced garlic, chopped green onions, and toasted sesame seeds. May be lightly dressed with roasted sesame oil. (Recipe)
- Sigeumchi namul 시금치나물 Lightly parboiled seasoned spinach. (Recipe)
- Miyeok muchim 미역무침 Seaweed dressed with sweetened vinegar and salt.
- Mu-namul 무나물 Shredded white radish mixed with green onions, garlic, ginger juice and salt.
- Musaengchae/Muchae 무생채/무채 Shredded white radish in a sweetened vinegar sauce. (Recipe)
- Gosari namul 고사리나물 Lightly stir fried fern sprouts. (Recipe)
- Chwinamul 취나물 Lightly stir fried seasoned Aster.
- Bireum namul 비름나물 Parboiled and seasoned Korean Amaranth
- Naengi namul 냉이나물 Parboiled and seasoned shepherd's purse
- Dolnamul 돌나물 Raw Sedum with pepper sauce dressing
- Gogumasun namul 고구마순나물 Blanched sweet potato stems, seasoned and lightly stir fried.
- Gaji namul 가지나물 Steamed and marinated Eggplant.
- Doraji namul 도라지나물 Bellflower roots boiled in water or broth, drained, then stir fried with chopped green onions, garlic, and sesame salt (Recipe)
Bokkeum (볶음)
Bokkeum refers to stir fried or sauteed dishes. The dishes may be "dry fried" or fried in a sauce.
Some Varieties of Bokkeum:
- Sauced
- Gari bokkeum 가리볶음 scallops mixed in a seasoning of red chili pepper paste and soy sauce, then stir-fried with onions, chili peppers and green onions
- Gan bokkeum 간볶음 Beef or calf liver sauteed with vegetables such as green onions, garlic, ginger and carrots, then seasoned with soy sauce, sugar and pepper
- Nakji bokkeum 낙지볶음 small octopus mixed in a seasoning of red chili pepper paste and soy sauce, then stir-fried with onions, chili peppers and green onions
- Ojingeo bokkeum 오징어볶음 squid cut into strips and seasoned with gochujang and soy sauce, then stir fried with a variety of vegetables
- Seongi bokkeum 송이볶음 Thinly sliced pine mushrooms lightly seasoned and stir fried with beef, onions and the white portion of green onions
- Maneuljjong bokkeum 마늘종볶음 Side dish of garlic stems that are cut and stir fried with various seasonings (Recipe)
- Dry
- Myeongtae bokkeum 명태볶음 made with Alaska pollack
- Jaban bokkeum 자반볶음 made with salted mackerel
- Gochu bokkeum 고추볶음 Side dish made of young green chili peppers sliced lengthwise and stir-fried with other green vegetables such as bell pepper and celery
- Gochujang bokkeum 고추장볶음 made with meat and gochujang
- Myeolchi bokkeum 멸치볶음 A side dish of dried anchovies pan-fried with soy sauce or red chili pepper paste and glazed with sugar or maltose syrup
- Saeu bokkeum 새우볶음 made with shrimp
- Jogaesal bokkeum 조갯살볶음 made with dried clams' flesh
- Ojingeochae bokkeum 오징어채볶음 Dried shredded squid seasoned with a mixture of gochujang (chili pepper paste), garlic, and mulyeot (korean malt syrup) and stir fried.
- Jwichichae bokkeum 쥐치채 made with dried shredded Stephanolepis cirrhifer
- Jeyook bokkeum 제육볶음 stir-fried pork with gochujang (chili pepper paste) sauce and onions.
- Kimchi bokkeum 김치볶음 stir-fried kimchi, often with pork (similar to Jeyook bokkeum)
Jorim
Jorim generally refers to dishes made of vegetables, meats, seafood, or tofu simmered in a seasoned broth or sauce.
The sauce for jorim is mostly ganjang (soy sauce), but for some red meats or strong odored fish, gochujang or ground dried chili pepper may be added to ganjang and cooked.
Some Varieties of Jorim:
- Jangjorim 장조림 beef simmered in soy sauce, optionally with hard-boiled eggs or hard-boiled quail eggs (Recipe)
- Godeungeo jorim 고등어조림 Mackerel seasoned with soy sauce, green onions, garlic and red chili pepper powder, then braised over low heat until reduced
- Yeongeun jorim 연근조림 made with lotus root
- Dubu jorim 두부조림 tofu simmered in diluted soy sauce, a little bit of sesame oil, minced garlic, and chopped green onion.
- Ggatnip jorim 깻님조림 perilla leaves simmered in diluted soy sauce with green onion, garlic, and ground dried red chili pepper.
- Gamja jorim 감자조림 Cubed potatoes braised with fish or dried anchovies, soy sauce and oil. Served as a side dish (Recipe)
Jjim 찜
Jjim refers to braised, simmered or steamed Dishes. The main ingredients, usually either meat or fish, are seasoned and simmered until the liquid is reduced and the ingredients take on the full flavor of the seasoned liquid.
Some Varieties of Jjim as Banchan:
- Gyeranjjim 계란찜 eggs that have been cracked, mixed, seasoned, and steamed in a container, eaten with a spoon
- Saengseon jjim 생선찜 made with fish
- Jeonbokjjim 전복찜 Whole or chopped abalone with beef, sea cucumber, octopus, mussels, mushrooms and spices simmered in seasoned soy sauce and honey
- Dubujjim 두부찜 tofu simmered in a soy sauce base with onions, green onions, and possibly pepper paste
- Tteokbokki 떡볶이 A dish made with rice pasta, seasoned beef and assorted vegetables. Originally Tteokbokki did not include spicy chili seasonings, but the very popular contemporary version does. (Recipe)
Jeon
Jeon (Pan-fried Delicacies), are a variety of pan-fried meats, seafood, or vegetables which are usually dredged in four and egg before frying.
Some Varieties of Jeon:
- Meat
- Yukjeon 육전 made with shredded beef
- Wanjajeon or wanja 완자전/완자 small ball shaped jeon comprising of minced beef, tofu, and vegetables, coated with wheat flour and egg batter.
- Ganjeon 간전 Thinly sliced beef liver seasoned with salt and pepper, then coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried
- Cheonyeopjeon 처녑전 made with omasum.
- Seafood
- haemul jeon 해물전 jeon made with fish, shellfish, shrimp, or octopus.
- Guljeon 굴전 made with oysters coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried
- Daehajeon 대하전 Peeled king prawns coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried
- Saewoojeon 새우전 made with shrimp coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried
- Saengseon jeon 생선전 small portions of fish coated with eggs and pan fried (Generally, white fish is preferred for making jeon)
- Mineojeon 민어전 croaker coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried
- Daegujeon 대구전 made with pacific cod coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried (Recipe)
- Vegetables and mushrooms
- Kimchijeon 김치전 thin pancakes with old (ripe) Kimchi. (Recipe)
- Pajeon 파전 thin pancakes with green onion. Can also be made with just eggs and green onions. (Recipe)
- Gamjajeon 감자전 Korean style potato pancakes
- Hobakjeon 호박전 made with squash
- Yeongeunjeon 연근전 made with lotus root
- Gochujeon 고추전 Green chili peppers cut lengthwise and stuffed with ground beef. The stuffed peppers are then coated in flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried
- Gajijeon 가지전 Eggplant slices coated with flour, dipped in egg, and pan-fried (Recipe)
- Deodeokjeon 더덕전 made with deodeok (Codonopsis lanceolata)
- Gosarijeon 고사리전 made with bracken
- Pyogojeon 표고전 Shiitake mushrooms coated in flour, dipped in an egg batter, and pan-fried. The mushroom is often filled with minced beef and other ingredients
- Other Jeon
- Modeumjeon 모듬전 A dish of assorted pan-fried delicacies such as beef, fish fillet, mushrooms and summer squash slices that have been coated in flour and egg, and pan-fried
- Bindaetteok 빈대떡 A fried pancake made of mung bean flour and a little glutinous rice flour cooked with pork, sliced kimchi, green bean sprouts, green onions and garlic
- Dubujeon 두부전 Dubu (soybean curd / tofu) sliced into flat pieces and pan-fried (Recipe)
- Hwajeon 화전 made with edible flowers, such as azalea or rose
- Donggeurang ttaeng 동그랑땡) patty made with tofu and meat and vegetables, coated with eggs and pan fried
Other Banchan
- Japchae (잡채) Vegetables and beef pan-fried separately then mixed with clear noodles, soy sauce, and other seasonings. (Recipe)
- Korean-style potato salad (감자 샐러드) with apples and carrots (Recipe)
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