What tools do Koreans use for dining? What are the regulations?

The main characteristics of Korean diet are: high protein, many vegetables, preference for light food, avoidance of greasy food, and the taste is mainly cold and spicy. Koreans have regarded rice as their staple food since ancient times. Dishes are mainly stewed and grilled, and stir-frying is basically not used. Koreans like to eat noodles, beef, chicken and dog meat, but do not like to eat steamed buns, mutton and duck meat.

Koreans generally love to eat cold dishes. Cold vegetables are made by cutting the vegetables directly or blanching them in boiling water and adding seasonings. There are also dishes such as raw fish, fish and shrimp paste. Raw fish mix is ??made by cutting raw meat or fish into slices, adding seasonings and shredded radish, pears, etc., and then pouring vinegar or hot sauce on it.

Soup is also an essential part of the meal. It is usually cooked with various ingredients such as vegetables, wild vegetables, meat, miso, salt, and MSG.

Koreans love to eat chili peppers and almost all of their home-cooked dishes include chili peppers. Koreans have the eating habit of eating four meals a day, arranged in the morning, noon, evening, and night. Koreans eat with spoons and chopsticks. Everyone has their own rice bowl and soup bowl, and all other dishes are placed in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. Koreans are also very particular about the use of rice bowls, which are divided into men's, women's and children's. Koreans pay attention to frugality. Whether they eat it themselves or entertain the poor, they try to eat as much as possible.

Korean food tips

Although many people often say that they love Korean food, their knowledge of Korean food is mostly limited to the barbecue method. At most, they know a little about ginseng chicken soup or kimchi, but they know nothing about the rest of the food culture and etiquette.

Since ancient times, South Korea has attached great importance to etiquette. In terms of language, young people must use honorifics to their elders. As for food, when serving or serving food, they must first pass it to the elders. There may even be a special single table set up by the daughter or The daughter-in-law brought it to them respectfully and waited for the elderly to raise the chopsticks before other members of the family could eat. As for the pouring of wine at the banquet, the order of age is also required, from eldest to youngest. Only after the elders raise their glasses, the younger ones can drink. In addition, there is a traditional custom that men and women sit on separate seats at the age of seven. After a girl reaches the age of seven, she will not sit in the same room with any man (including her father and brothers). However, this custom has gradually disappeared in big cities, and can still be seen occasionally in the countryside. In the old Korean families, the rice vessel was placed in the center of the table, while the dishes were placed in bowls and placed around it. Each person had a long-handled round-headed flat spoon, a pair of chopsticks, and a plate of cold water. Just use a spoon to bring the rice directly to your mouth, chopsticks to pick up the vegetables, and cold water to rinse the spoon with. Modern Koreans' dining habits have changed a lot. Many of them use food trays, and each person has a portion of the meal on the plate. Some more modern families no longer use food trays, but use bowls to serve rice.

South Korea has a long history and has retained a lot of traditional culture. The Korean dining table is a small table with low legs, and guests sit cross-legged. Young people will even kneel and sit on the soles of their feet in front of their elders. They must not straighten their legs, otherwise they will be considered impolite. If the room is too small, you can place the dining table in the yard and spread it with mats. However, modern Koreans are increasingly advocating foreign trends, and both dining table and dietary etiquette are getting further and further away from tradition.

eat in korea

As a citizen of a country that is famous for its gourmet food, when returning from South Korea, it is inevitable to complain about the food there. I have met this kind of compatriots more than once. On the eve of leaving for South Korea, someone "warned" me: "Have a good meal, and don't expect to have a good meal when you go." However, my actual results were completely different from this. Although I didn’t stay there long, I was very impressed by the Korean food and the Korean way of eating.

Let’s start with tableware. Koreans use chopsticks just like us, but they mostly use metal chopsticks. You can’t see a pair of bamboo chopsticks in restaurants, let alone disposable “convenient chopsticks.” I asked them, and the answer was that metal chopsticks are crisp, hygienic, and durable. Disposable simple chopsticks are too wasteful, consuming resources and polluting the environment. This alone makes me think we should follow suit.

Koreans, like Japanese, are accustomed to sitting on the floor and eating cross-legged. Their traditional diet is relatively simple. Rice is their staple food and they love to eat kimchi. It is said that the export volume of kimchi is the first in the world. With so many varieties, I think it can win the championship because it is served grandly at every meal and can be arranged on exquisite plates. There are many varieties: cabbage, radish, pepper, and some we can’t name, which are both appetizing and delicious. There are obviously more vegetarian dishes on their table than we do. Because they are close to the sea, there are also quite a lot of seafood vegetarian dishes. Another “many” item is sauce products. The influence of our "sauce vat culture" there has probably reached the point where "green is better than blue". They have a special sauce that is specially used to mix with vegetables and ground rice. I tried it and it tasted very good. good. The above "three excesses" may constitute reasonable factors for their diet to be low in sugar, low in fat and meet nutritional requirements. We have noticed that there are not many Koreans who are obese. Generally, middle-aged and elderly people can maintain their figure and have a healthy complexion. Is this related to good eating habits?

Koreans treat guests with the same enthusiasm and thoughtfulness as we do, but they do not show their generosity by filling the table with "big fish and meat". From official to private banquets, from Korean to non-Korean ways of eating, at least we didn't enjoy the "gao daquan" that we often encounter in China. Their meat dishes, such as roast duck, are also very authentic, with thicker layers of lean meat, not fat or greasy, tender and delicious. The difference between eating it and ours is that they don't wrap the duck in bread, but wrap it in vegetable leaves. The green lettuce is served with onions, garlic, seasonings, and roasted duck pieces. The color, aroma and taste are all good. There is another vegetable leaf that we have never thought of: sesame leaves. The owner specially said that this is a current fashionable food and a new scientific research achievement. Sesame leaves contain a variety of substances needed by the human body, and also have anti-cancer and anti-cancer effects. Later, I saw "canned sesame leaves" for sale in a store, and I jumped on the trend.

Perhaps the most famous Korean food is barbecue. "Teppanyaki" is not only used for cooking, but also for frying noodles. The most interesting thing is a kind of "stone barbecue": a pile of pebbles is placed on an iron frame to heat up with electric heating. The pieces of meat are spread out first. When the heat reaches a certain level, the large pieces of meat are minced into small pieces with long scissors until they are tender. Go among the rolling stones, and soon the aroma will come out with a squeaking sound, and you can enjoy it. According to reports, cobblestones are imported. Since they can store heat and even out the temperature, they can prevent the meat from being scorched and can remove oil and smell. We tasted this simple yet modern delicacy in a restaurant called "Sea Breeze" in Incheon, and we were deeply impressed.

The frugality and science of Koreans’ dietary staples can also be evidenced by a “miniature paper cup” specially designed for use with water dispensers. It is a small piece of paper only as long as the middle finger and two fingers wide. After special processing, it turns into a very small cup when you hold it, and you can put it on the faucet to collect water. Compared with the transparent plastic cups and ordinary paper cups, it has its advantages of being small and simple. It can often be seen on the streets and fast food restaurants in Korea.

Korean food etiquette

Both Chinese and Koreans talk about food culture, which shows that food and culture are closely related. Eating etiquette is one of the ways to express food culture. It is a common sense. You don't have to follow it, but don't forget it, otherwise it will make the locals feel unhappy.

The internal structure of Korean restaurants is divided into two types: using chairs and taking off shoes to get on the Kang. When eating on the Kang, men sit cross-legged and women stand with their knees bent - this sitting method is only used when wearing Hanbok. Today’s Korean women don’t usually wear hanbok, so they just sit down with their legs together.

After you sit down and order your food after reading the menu on the wall or the menu on the table, after a while, the restaurant lady will come to you with a tray. She will take out the tableware from the tray first, and then the food. . Of course, some restaurants have cutlery ready on the table. But the more sophisticated restaurants serve them to customers in person: chopsticks dressed in paper, spoons covering their faces - a round paper bag the size of a spoon head is placed on top, with a pipe and a hat drawn on the paper - —The elephant class of Korea's former aristocratic "Yangban". At first I thought it was novel and kept it in my collection, but later I discovered that restaurants in several big cities in Korea all use this pattern, so I was no longer surprised.

Chopsticks and spoons, in addition to silver products used as wedding gifts and for fear of being murdered, are also made of brass. But these two are not common. Common people use stainless steel chopsticks with flat tips. Wooden chopsticks are disposable. According to my observation, generally Koreans only use them when eating Japanese noodles and seaweed rice rolls. I have never seen Koreans use bamboo chopsticks, ivory chopsticks, plastic chopsticks, etc. The handle of the spoon is long and the head is round and big, so when I first started using it, I was afraid that it would hurt the corners of my mouth.

Both Chinese and Japanese have the habit of eating from their rice bowls, but Koreans regard this behavior as irregular. So you must remember that you cannot touch the rice bowl on the table with your hands, and you cannot touch the rice bowl with your mouth. Then you'll notice that the rice bowl is made of stainless steel (at home or in fancy restaurants, use ceramic rice bowls), with a round bottom and a lid that "sits" on the table, with no handle for your hand to hold. Combined with the heat transferred from the rice to the bowl, it makes sense not to touch it. As for the bowl lid, you can take it off and place it casually on the table.

Since you are not holding the bowl, your left hand must be obedient and hidden under the table. You must not "show your hand" on the table. Your right hand must first pick up the spoon, take a mouthful of soup from the kimchi (when there is no water kimchi, you can use other soup instead) and drink it, then use the spoon to eat a mouthful of rice, then use the spoon to drink a mouthful of soup, and then After one bite of your meal, you can eat whatever you want. This is the order in which Koreans eat.

You may have noticed from the above: Koreans drink soup and eat with spoons. This is different from the eating habits of the Chinese and Japanese. Koreans’ use of both spoons and chopsticks is not a recent invention but originates from ancient times. In the Gongju National Museum, I saw iron spoons and chopsticks from the Baekje period placed together. In Korean, in addition to words for spoons and chopsticks respectively, two letters are also used to express spoons and chopsticks together.

The spoon is more important than chopsticks in Korean people's dietary life. It is responsible for serving soup, scooping out vegetables from the soup, and serving rice. When not in use, it must be placed on a rice bowl or other eating utensils; while chopsticks are only responsible for picking up vegetables. No matter how hard you use a spoon to scoop out the bean sprouts in your soup bowl, you can't use chopsticks either. This is first of all a matter of eating etiquette, and secondly, the soup may flow down the chopsticks onto the table. When the chopsticks are not used for picking up food, the traditional Korean way is to place the chopsticks on the table in the right-hand direction. The two chopsticks should be brought together, with 2/3 on the table and 1/3 outside the table - this is for easy picking up. Use again. Koreans don’t have the habit of using chopstick holders. Some people think that this method is unhygienic unless the table surface is wiped clean, so they instead put the chopsticks on the side dishes. Finally, when you finish eating, you still have to put your spoon and chopsticks in their original shape, from beginning to end.

Chinese people use chopsticks to eat and drink soup; Koreans use spoons to eat and drink soup, and chopsticks to pick up vegetables; and Japanese people use chopsticks to eat and drink soup. Why don’t Japanese people have spoons in their eating habits? A Japanese old man once told me: "The spoon was only spread from China to the Korean Peninsula. Because there is a sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, the spoon was not spread to Japan." Later, I wrote in "Global Travel·Korea" (1 What I saw in the 1995 edition) is this: It is said that in the past, Japan used to eat with their hands. The Koreans felt that they were very pitiful, so they taught the Japanese to use chopsticks, but they did not teach the Japanese to use spoons. South Korea is a country with a single ethnic group, so the whole country is like a big family, which is reflected in the food gatherings.

Chinese people may not use public chopsticks or spoons at home, but when eating in restaurants, they all use public tableware to put food into their own bowls and plates. In addition to sharing rice, Japanese people also do the same. However, the situation in South Korea is different. Koreans use their own tableware to eat communal soups and vegetables. Koreans are an emotional nation. When they express their emotions through food, I think people should give them full understanding.

Koreans attach great importance to etiquette in hospitality

South Korea is a single Korean nation, speaks Korean (also known as Korean), believes in Buddhism, Christianity, Catholicism, Taoism and other religions, and has unique and interesting customs and habits.

Koreans attach great importance to etiquette in hospitality. When men meet, they should bow to each other, shake hands warmly, and say "hello". People of the opposite sex generally do not shake hands and express greetings by bowing, nodding, smiling, and saying goodbye. When parting, shake hands and say "goodbye". If the guest leaves with you, say "Have a good time" to the guest. If the guest does not leave, say "Have a good time here" to the guest. When entering a door or attending a certain place, you should invite guests and elders first; when dining, invite guests and elders to the table first; when passing things to guests or elders, you should bow first and then stretch out your hands.

When going on a date with Korean friends, you should contact them in advance. Although Koreans are not strict with guests on punctuality, they themselves strictly abide by time, so guests should also be punctual to show respect for the host. When visiting a Korean home, it is best to give a bouquet of flowers or some small gifts and hand them to the host with both hands when meeting to thank the host for their warm reception. When entering a Korean friend's home, you must take off your shoes beforehand. When talking, speak softly and do not laugh loudly. Women cover their mouths with their hands when they laugh. Do not blow their noses in front of everyone. If you smoke, you must say hello to the host. Otherwise, It will be regarded as impolite and lack of etiquette.

When Koreans receive business guests, they usually hold banquets in restaurants or bars, and they often entertain them with Western food. For non-business interactions, we usually treat guests to dinner at home and entertain them with traditional meals. Koreans love spicy food, and chili pepper and garlic are often indispensable in their staple and non-staple food. The staple food is mainly rice and pasta, and the favorite traditional pasta is chili noodles and cold noodles. When Koreans make cold noodles, they use buckwheat noodles. They put a lot of chili peppers, beef slices, apple slices, etc. into the soup, and they need to be chilled. It tastes cool and refreshing, but it will heat up the whole body after a while. Famous non-staple dishes include sashimi, roast beef, roasted mandarin fish, crispy suckling pig, marinated shrimps, crispy fried chicken, refreshing beef noodle, soft fried chicken, cold platter, etc. Koreans have a dish of hot and sour dishes with every meal, especially hot and sour cabbage. At a formal banquet, the first course is served with nine different kinds of food on a nine-fold plate, among which hot pot must be included, and then other dishes are served; when entertaining guests at home, all the dishes are served at one time.

During meals, the host always invites guests to taste traditional drinks - low-alcohol sake and sake. Maison liquor is also called agricultural wine. In the past, farmers made their own wine. It is simple to make and has a long history. It is made by pounding grain and fermenting it with koji. The wine is turbid in color but has low alcohol content. It is refreshing and pleasant, stomachic and refreshing. It is available in various stores. For guests who do not drink alcohol, the host often serves persimmon juice. Persimmon juice is a traditional refreshing drink. Boil persimmons (you can also use pears, peaches, oranges, pomegranates and other fruits), cinnamon powder, pine nuts, honey, and ginger in ice. After cooling, filter out the dregs and skin. Sweet, spicy and refreshing, it is drunk by the family during festivals and usually used to entertain guests. Some families also entertain guests from afar with traditional foods such as pancakes, waffles, and honey berries.

In addition, South Korea has many Western and Japanese restaurants, and fast food such as hamburgers, fried chicken, and hot dogs are popular among people, making Koreans’ traditional dietary structure based on fish, vegetables, and rice more convenient, faster, and more diversified. There is no custom of tipping in Korea. Guests do not need to tip when dining, shopping, staying in hotels, etc.

Korean customs

The Republic of Korea is located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, covering an area of ??99,000 square kilometers and a population of more than 40 million. The entire population is of the single Korean ethnic group, and Korean is the common language. Historically, it has been greatly influenced by the culture of the Tang Dynasty. The national flag is the Tai Chi flag, with a red and blue Tai Chi pattern in the center of a white ground and four groups of Bagua symbols around it. White represents the land, and Tai Chi diagram and Bagua are inherited from our country, symbolizing the eternal movement, balance and coordination of the universe, reflecting the Eastern philosophy represented by our country's "Book of Changes". Deeply influenced by Chinese Buddhism and Confucianism, most residents believe in Buddhism, Christianity and Confucianism. The Confucian Temple in Seoul, the capital, holds ceremonies to honor Confucius every spring and autumn. South Korea's economic growth rate ranks among the highest in the world, its economic development level ranks among the highest in Asia, and its export-oriented economy is relatively developed. Korean culture is a blend of Eastern and Western cultures.

Korean food style is somewhere between Chinese and Japanese, and most people use chopsticks for meals. The food is mainly high-protein food, supplemented by vegetables. Likes to eat soup and rice (beef soup, rib soup, etc. with rice), hot pot, noodle soup, cold noodles, sashimi, raw beef, jambalaya, etc. Also like the hot and spicy flavor. At banquets, Koreans are used to pouring wine to each other and sharing glasses of wine; they should not refuse to drink when being persuaded to drink; they should leave some wine in the glass when they are too drunk; they generally hold a tolerant attitude towards drunken people. When being offered food, you should politely decline it twice, and only accept it happily after the third time. Don't refuse to sing when someone invites you to sing after a meal.

The national costumes of South Korea are: men wear coats, waistcoats, trousers, and robes, with the upper and lower colors, mostly white; women wear coats, skirts, and robes, and the skirts are long, fat, plump and smooth. Modern men and women also often wear Western-style clothing and pay attention to their clothing. It is their traditional habit to take off their shoes when entering the house. They also use kangs, which are heated with hot water pipes.

Koreans pay attention to etiquette. Greetings must be exchanged when meeting. Men bow slightly when meeting, hold each other's right hands or hands, and bow when breaking up. Men are not allowed to shake hands with women. When meeting for the first time, exchange business cards. Koreans usually treat guests with soft drinks, and guests must accept refreshments provided by the host. When Koreans chat together, they don't talk about their country's politics, economy, wives and other topics, but they like to ask about personal situations. They have a strong sense of self-esteem and do not tolerate public criticism or dissent. In social situations, men and women must be separated. In public, men have to go first, and speakers at various conferences put "gentlemen" before "ladies" in their speeches. Respect teachers, use honorifics, and do not smoke or wear glasses in front of elders. It is customary to bring small gifts when visiting someone's home, but no foreign cigarettes are given. You must use both hands when receiving gifts, and you cannot open the gifts on the spot. Do not sit with your legs crossed under any circumstances.

There are many festivals in South Korea. The festival activities from the first to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month are similar to the Chinese Spring Festival. The Lantern Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Traditional foods include fruits (chestnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, etc.), medicinal foods, grain rice, and old tea rice. April 8 of the lunar calendar is the Buddha’s birthday and the Chunxiang Festival, which celebrates women. The Dragon Boat Festival falls on May 5 of the lunar calendar. Every household eats green pole cakes and hangs calamus to celebrate the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on August 15 of the lunar calendar, and the Double Ninth Festival falls on September 9 of the lunar calendar. Tomb-sweeping is held during the Qingming Festival, and winter solstice porridge (adzuki bean porridge mixed with sorghum dough) is eaten during the Winter Solstice. In addition to the above-mentioned traditional festivals, Koreans also attach great importance to Christmas, Children's Day (May 5), Eunsan Byegoshin Festival (March 28 to April 1), etc. Popular sports activities include archery, wrestling, tug-of-war, swings, springboards, kites, go, chess, etc.

Koreans like odd numbers and dislike even numbers. Avoid using "四" (the Korean pronunciation is the same as "death"). Avoid pointing at people with one finger. Do not turn your hands behind your back when standing and talking. Women must cover their mouths when they laugh.