Wine & Dine Roundup: Korean Feast!

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Korea is a country with an amazing cuisine and history... and for this month's Wine & Dine event, my friends and I celebrated Korea and their delicious eats.

Korean cuisine has evolved through the centuries of social and political change, through it's environment and cultural trends. If you've ever dined at a Korean restaurant, one thing that you'll experience is the various banchan, or small side dishes, that are served immediately while you wait for your meal to arrive. This cuisine is also known for the popular condiment, kim chi.

In many ways, Korean cuisine is a combination of Japanese and Chinese cuisines, however unlike Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine uses less fish and seafood and has more beef and pork heavy dishes... and unlike Chinese cuisine, Korean cuisine uses less oil. Korean foods also tend to be spicier than Japanese and Chinese dishes. The heat of the food usually comes from the chili that's often used.

Just as in sake is in Japanese cuisine, soju is in Korean cuisine. For our Wine & Dine dinner, I also offered a soju tasting to pair with our Korean meal. Soju is an alcoholic drink which has a similar taste as vodka. Soju is unique in that it can be made from either rice, barley, sweet potato or a combination of these ingredients.

Here are the dishes that fellow food bloggers have submitted to my virtual Wine & Dine event! To check out what my friends and I feasted on for our dinner, feel free to check out our spread and recipes HERE. Thanks to all my fellow food bloggers for their submissions and I hope you give Korean cuisine a try soon!

Greg og Sippity Sup
from California
The Kimchi Deficit
We're starting this round up with a video by Greg! You may have remembered his previous videos for a previous Tasty Tool event featuring the food processor where he made butter. This time, he shares another video on Kim Chi! Check out his blog for the full video!

Renee of Savory Safari
from Washington DC
Korean Bulgogi
What is a Korean Feast round up without a bulgogi recipe to share?! Thankfully Renee is joining us to share this recipe for Korean bulgogi. It's a delicious dish of marinated beef that involves using an Asian pear (which is a key ingredient!). Check out Renee's blog for the recipe!

Nancy of Gaga in the Kitchen
from California
Duk Bokki - Rice Pinkies
I really think rice is a magic ingredient because from it, you can get milk, flour, noodles, and these Korean Rice Pinkies. This is a type of chewy rice cake that is quite delicious! Nancy has shared this with us for the round up and it's a great dish to try, especially when topped with a runny fried egg! Check out Nancy's blog for the recipe!

Christine of Kits Chow
from Vancouver, British Columbia
Gaji Namul - Eggplant Side Dish
I'm a big fan of eggplant (especially Japanese eggplant), possibly because I grew up eating it fresh from my mom's garden. So it's no surprise that I would be a fan of Christine's entry of Gaji Namul. This eggplant recipe is made by steaming, which not only delicious but healthy too!

Suzanne of My Adventures in Food
from Florida Seafood & Scallion Pajeon
Suzanne was determined to get the perfect pajeon by testing out a few recipes and she finally got the recipe for the perfect texture she was looking for! To check out what recipe worked for her and also the announcement of some exciting news, please check her blog!

Ning of Heart and Hearth
from Philippines
Kim Chi Fried Rice
Ning joins us from Philippines to submit this delicious Kim Chi Fried Rice. I'd love to know her secret for the perfect fried egg that so delicious topped her fried rice! I'm always looking for ways to jazz up my fried rice (as I'm tend to use leftovers on hand) and kim chi sounds like a wonderful way to spice up rice with a Korean twist! Check out Ning's blog for the recipe!

Christine of Kits Chow
from Vancouver, British Columbia
Oyster & Scallion Pancake
Christine is definitely the life of this Korean party! She's shared with us this recipe for oyster & scalion pancake. It's a great dish for an appetizer as well as enough for a hearty meal. Be sure to check out Christine's blog for this recipe along with the following delicious Korean dishes as well!