People in Korea love spicy food and use a spicy condiment called gochujang in many of their dishes. Flavouring in Korean cuisine cannot be overemphasised, and spices such as kimchi and gochujang are common in Korean dishes.
There are several reasons why spicy food is so prevalent in Korea:
Cultural and Historical Factors
- Spices Have Been Used for Centuries: Chili peppers were brought to Korea from Japan and China several centuries ago. Subsequently, the Koreans adopted the use of chili peppers and other spices that have pungent smells into their cooking pot. The practice of using spices was adopted to become part of Korean food culture.
- Kimchi is a National Dish: Kimchi, the spicy fermented cabbage, is consistently featured in almost every Korean meal. Spices used in preparing kimchi have qualities that inhibit bacterial growth, allowing kimchi to undergo fermentation. It has also been brought to the attention of the people that kimchi is eaten by Koreans with almost all foods.
- Traditional Medicine Values Spicy Food: According to KIOM’s concept of hot and spicy foods, hot spices are suitable for the health of Korean people. Some people who use it claim that it helps them digest food better, enhances the flow of blood, and helps detoxify the body. These traditional beliefs make Koreans more inclined to enjoy spicy food and spicy cuisine.
Food preference, Food choice, and Food psychology
- Spices Enhance Flavor: For Koreans, who are used to eating hot meals having chili seasoning, the spicy taste merely adds to the taste of the food. Possible, but the mix of spices and other components is hot and combined together to form flavors that are desired by Koreans.
- Spicy Food Triggers Endorphins: A person who takes spicy food is told to be happy since the food acts as a stimulus for the secretion of endorphins which are mood elevators. This simply means that the intestate of eating spicy food is associated with a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.
- Radish Kimchi and Other Cooling Foods Balance Out Heat: Korean cuisine also has a concept of using cooling foods for example the radish kimchi, this usually comes after one has taken spicy foods. This yin-yang complementation enables the Korean to relish the taste of spicy foods without much irritation.
Health Benefits of Capsaicin
- Boosts Metabolism: Chili peppers contain a chemical known as capsaicin, which stimulates the metabolic processes in the body. This can help boost the rate of fat loss over time.
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Studies have ascertained that capsaicin possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. Inflammation is known to be alleviated by capsaicin. Thus, it is beneficial for those suffering from chronic inflammation or arthritis.
- Suppresses Appetite: Korean people use spices in small quantities in compliance with their meals that mainly include rice and vegetables. The spices may also inhibit overeating as the appetite is reduced, and there is a sense of feeling full more quickly. This goes a long way in ensuring that one does not gain a lot of weight.
Spicy food: The Korean Experience
It would be wrong to say that Korean food is scorching, but Korean spices are quite different from the spices used in other Asian countries.
- Varying Degrees of Spiciness: Food in Korea can be mild or very spicy depending on the particular dish one wants to have. It is also possible to change the recipe of the individual dish in accordance with the preferences of a specific consumer. For instance, the gochujang used in making bibimbap can be blended with more or less hot pepper flakes.
- Balance of Five Flavors: Apart from heat, Korean seasoning controls sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness. For example, sweetness of the brown sugar garlic sauce can reduce the spiciness for the bulgogi or kalbi meals.
- Not Just About Burn: Korean spice is not only about setting the mouth on fire, literally. Chili peppers, garlic, ginger and peppercorns gives the base recipe a deep and robust kick. It raises the overall impression of the flavours without much increase in the temperature.
Hence, although Koreans may be seen as rubbing spices on hot coals to their foreign counterparts, they understand and value the distinct taste and medical advantages of their beloved spicy meals. To the Koreans, spicing up food is more exciting, healthy, and harmonious to their diet. As the Korean cuisine gains recognition around the globe, more and more individuals are developing the preference for spicy foods in the Korean manner.
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