Korea is known as “The Land of the Morning Ca1m” and enjoys a rich cultural heritage recognized for 5000 years, and yet is generally less known to Westerners than are its neighbors, China and Japan. However, in recent years many people around the world have shown a decided interest in Korean culture and its cooking. Korean cuisine is a blend of old and modern tastes. Foods tend to be less oily than that of China, and not as bland as that of Japan; instead many are spicy and hot with red pepper. Perhaps the pungent relish KIM-CHEE, and BULKOGEE, barbecued meats, are best known to foreigners.

Ever since Korea has cultivated white, short grain rice 100-200 BC, it has been the main staple of the populace. Grains and beans were produced in the south and millet in the north. The Korean peninsula, bounded on the west by the Yellow Sea and on the east by the Sea of Japan, has a long productive coastline rich in varieties of seafood. By the 3rd and 4th cen-turies AD, efficient agriculture and fishing techniques had developed and were the most im-portant activities of everyday life. Meat was an accepted part of the diet since an earlier Mongol invasion. However with introduction of Buddhism during the 6th century, consump-tion was reduced. Between the 10th and 13th centuries, Korea was again under Mongol domination the preparation and consumption of meat widely and permanently established. Buddhism and its tenets diminished, along with the daily habit of tea drinking which has given way to today’s soft drinks and alcoholic industries. By the end of the 14th century, Confucianism has the national religion and dominated Korean society.

Social and family stability were established, and royalty, nobility and the wealthy all enjoyed an increasingly affluent society. Special dishes such as Royal Hors d’Oeuvres (KU-JEOLPAN, See P78), and Royal Hot Pot (SINSEON-LO, See P96), were created then. During the 17th and 18th centuries hot red peppers, kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), tomatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, and peanuts had been introduced to the south of the country, and potatoes to the north. The hot red peppers and sweet potatoes came from Japan, and since its introduction the hot red pepper has greatly influenced Korean cooking. Most noticeably KIMCHEE, Korea’s most traditional dish. This pungent pickled cabbage preparation is seasoned with hot pepper, and each region has modified to it’s own taste, from mild to very hot.

Food preservation techniques such as air drying and pickling were also developed during this period. A large variety of ingredients made it possible for people to create elaborate dishes when required, and to improve home-style cooking. The ethnic foods we are familiar with to-day have changed little since then. In olden days, the preparation of the daily meal was a time consuming task. Today, however, the modern kitchen with its convenient electric appliances has greatly simplified the cook’s work. In recent years, Korean cooking has become very popular in Japan, and most of us seem to enjoy the spicy flavors. We have enjoyed the dishes while eating out, but are reluctant to try making them at home. Perhaps it is because we lack the knowledge and skills necessary, or feel hindered by the limited availability of ingredients. I, as a cooking teacher and an author of cook books, (Tofu, Sushi, Japanese), realized that it was time to introduce these delicious dishes not only to the Japanese people, but to Westerners as well.

So with this idea in mind I have often met with Mr. Kyung Sik An, a proprietor of Korean restaurants, Mrs. Ji Sook Choe and Chef Wataru Ohashi. They are experts on Korean cook-ing, and I have learned more about the cuisine from them. I would like to share my ex-periences with you. To make Korean dishes enjoyable for everyone, most of the recipes con-tained in this book have been adapted to Western taste, while others retain their authenticity. Emphasis has been placed on the preparation and cooking of quick and easy daily meals and most of the necessary ingredients are available either in large supermarkets or oriental grocery stores, with no special equipment needed.

What Mr. An, Mrs. Choe, Chef Ohashi, and I, have presented here is the very book that will, we feel, enable anyone to start from the beginning 

I hope this book will help you to enjoy the food as much as I have.

Two of the amazingly good tasting and visually beautiful sushi dishes you can easily make right in your kitchen from products you can buy at your supermarket or at a Chinese grocery.
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