Banchan

Banchan(/ˈbɑːntʃɑːn/BAHN-chahn;Korean:반찬;Hanja:飯饌;IPA:[pantɕʰan]) are smallside dishesserved along with cooked rice inKorean cuisine.Banchanare often set in the middle of the table to be shared. At the center of the table is the secondary main course, such asgalbiorbulgogi, and a shared pot ofjjigae. Bowls of cooked rice andguk(soup) are set individually.Banchanare served in small portions, meant to be finished at each meal and replenished during the meal if not enough. Usually, the more formal the meals are, the morebanchanthere will be.Jeollaprovince is particularly famous for serving many different varieties ofbanchanin a single meal.
The basic table setting for a meal calledbansangusually consists ofbap(밥, cooked rice),gukortang(soup),gochujangorganjang,jjigae, andkimchi. According to the number ofbanchanadded, the table setting is called3 cheop(삼첩),5 cheop(오첩),7 cheop(칠첩),9 cheop(구첩),12 cheop(십이첩)bansang, with the12 cheopused inKorean royal cuisine.Note thatkimchiis not included in thecheopcount. People would have different amounts of banchan depending on their class; a king would have 12, with others usually having less.
Banchanis thought to be a result ofBuddhistinfluence at around the mid-Three Kingdomsperiod and the subsequentproscription against eating meatby the monarchies of these kingdoms.Thus, with the ban on meat-containing dishes, vegetable-based dishes rose in prominence and became the focal point of Korean cuisine;court kitchens developed various methods for cooking, preparing and presenting these dishes, while less-affluent commoners produced smaller, simpler arrays of these vegetable-based dishes.
Although theMongol invasions of Koreaended the ban on meat-containing dishes, as well as meat offerings for rituals such asjesa, approximately six centuries of vegetable-based cuisine in the form ofbanchanhad imprinted itself into Korean cuisine.
During theJoseonDynasty,Buddhismwas shunned whileConfucianismremained the dominant ideology that was followed. Tea was no longer served in the palace and slowly began to dwindle, however, the ceremony of tea and rice cakes as snacks endured. Through food, the Joseon kings were able to see the living conditions of their people."Accordingly, royal cuisine in the final period of the Joseon Dynasty was borne out of a culture of restraint based on Confucian ideology, but experienced changes after the 18th century as taste and personal preference became more dominant values" (Chung et al., 2017). Whilst personal preference became more dominant there was still a weight placed on the significance of formalities, which is an exceptionally Confucian mindset. The Kobaeumsik, a religious food served layer upon layer, said to symbolize the power of the King, is a prime example of the Confucian esthetic elements prevalent inKorean cuisine. Royal cuisine placed an enormous weight on the philosophy of Yaksikdongwon or the health purpose of food. The goal was to create nutritionally balanced food that also achieved synergy and a sense of balance between Yin and Yang (Chung et al., 2017). "TheKorean Empirewas also influenced by foreign cuisine, and western-style banquets were held in Deoksugung (德壽宮) Palace. King Kojong is known to have been a fan of coffee. AsEmperor Sunjongtook the throne, royal cuisine was introduced to the common people through royal chefs and cooks" (Chung et al., 2017).
In the olden days, it is believed that the 12 banchan setting was for people with a higher ranking such as the king or emperor while the rest of the noble family members will have a maximum of 9 banchan served. The different banchan setting was used to distinguish the power and hierarchy between the royals.
Fermenting was traditionally preferred forpreserving foodbecause cooking oil was in short supply in Korea, in contrast to China where frying and pickling were preferred.The prominence of fermented and preserved foods in bansang is due to the need to apply a preservation method that could survive harsh winters and summers filled with extreme temperatures (Kim et al., 2016b). Due to their focus on agriculture, the main ingredients in their fermented foods were grains and vegetables.The fermentation process is necessary, as most parts of the Korean peninsula are isolated by mountains from all sides. The fermentation of grains, beans, fish and vegetables allowed for the preservation of nutrients as well as the food itself. The act of fermentation as well as the other varied cooking methods have created unforeseen health benefits that are being studied by food scientists in the modern age (Kim et al., 2016a). Additionally, this process of fermentation can be used to enrich the flavor profile of food with the use of gochujang.Kimchi is a perfect example of this enriched food utilizing the flavor and fermentation process together. Therefore, banchan is mainly seasoned with fermented soy products, medicinal herbs, and sesame orperilla oils.
Gochujang was added to enhance each meal. Potentially, this could refer to another chojang (vinegar sauce) that was used as a dipping sauce. The production of Gochujang was so vital to Korean cuisine that it was stated in the Hurbaekjeongjip a 15th-century book written by Gwidal Hong that "the quality of gochujang decided the farming success of that year". Gochujang is a chief seasoning and fermentation agent of many banchan. This has been the case for centuries. There are other jang used not only for their fermentation and nutrition merits, but also their flavor as a dipping sauce. There are many types of jang that are referenced in Korean historical texts (Kim, Chung, et al., 2016). Another excellent example of jang is chojang (vinegar sauce) that was used as a dipping sauceMustard was an additional important seasoning used to enrich the flavor of the foods. Chojang was made by mixing gochujang with honey, vinegar, and ground pine nuts.It was made by adding mustard powder or whole mustard to water and grinding it out, then adding vinegar, salt and sugar and leaving the mixture upside down in a warm place.
For the fermentation of vegetables jangkwa (pickled vegetables and fruit) were served. These dishes were created by pickling the different seasonal vegetables with kanjang, gochujang, and doenjang.However, in the palace, jangkwa also referred to a dish made by pickling cucumber, radish, young radish, parsley, or cabbage heart with salt, then drying it in the sun, removing all moisture; the vegetables were then stir-fried with beef, shredded red pepper, sesame oil, and sesame and salt.
Kimchi is a popular banchan which requires vegetables to undergo a fermentation process with different Korean spices. Kimchi is high in dietary fiber and low in calories, but is also high in many different nutrients that can be beneficial for the body. Through the fermentation process, Kimchi produces vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B complex.
Kimchi is fermented vegetables, usuallybaechu(Napa cabbage), seasoned withchili peppersandsalt. This is the essentialbanchanof a standard Korean meal. Some Koreans do not consider a meal complete without kimchi. Kimchi can be made with other vegetables as well, includingscallions,gat(갓), andradish(무;mu).
Namul (나물) refers to steamed, marinated, or stir-fried vegetables usually seasoned with sesame oil, salt, vinegar, minced garlic, chopped green onions, dried chili peppers, and soy sauce.
Bokkeum(볶음) is a dish stir-fried with sauce.
Jorimis a dish simmered in a seasoned broth.
Jjimis a steamed dish.
Jeondenotes a variety of pan-fried,pancake-like dishes.Buchimgaeis a nearsynonym.