Korean Chinese cuisine
Encyclopedia
Korean Chinese cuisine is derived from traditional Chinese cuisine
but has been influenced by local ingredients in Korea
. Due to geographical proximity, most Korean-Chinese dishes are derived from Northern styles of Chinese cuisine such as Beijing
and Shandong cuisine
. However, some have regarded Korean Chinese cuisine as being more Korean than Chinese. The cuisine developed in the port city of Incheon
, where the majority of Korea's ethnic Chinese population historically lived. However, Chinese restaurants in Korea are unusual in that they are owned and run by Koreans, rather than ethnic Chinese. The latter development came in part due to the assimilation of the ethnic Chinese in Korea into the Korean culture as well as due to their outward migration due to legal discrimination they were subject to, especially under the Park Chung-hee
administration. Consequently, the most authentic Korean Chinese cuisine can be found in centers of overseas Korean communities such as Queens
and Manhattan
in New York City
; Palisades Park, New Jersey
; as well as Los Angeles
, all in the United States
.
In South Korea there is an aspect of this cuisine which is unusual, in that home delivery is the main means through which it is put in front of diners. As such Korean Chinese cuisine is analogous to pizza delivery in the US or Indian take-away in the UK, and every S Korean urban household is served by no fewer than two such establishments. The cuisine also occupies the same economic position to the two a-fore mentioned analogues, in terms of relative pricing vis-a-vis other dining options. Expensive gourmet Chinese cuisine at upscale establishments dedicated to such is also popular in South Korea, but the cuisine served is mainland
Chinese styles.
In addition, several other dishes are often served in Korean Chinese restaurants:
Dumplings
are also served at Korean-Chinese restaurants, in most instances a pan-fried version that is a cross between a Japanese gyoza and a Peking ravioli in terms of style.
Koreans traditionally eat Chinese food with a side serving of danmuji
(yellow pickled daikon
), and raw onion dipped in black bean paste. Kimchi
, a staple Korean food, is also eaten with Chinese food. Dried red chili flakes are provided to season food alone or mixed with soy sauce
.
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
but has been influenced by local ingredients in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. Due to geographical proximity, most Korean-Chinese dishes are derived from Northern styles of Chinese cuisine such as Beijing
Beijing cuisine
Beijing cuisine is a cooking style in Beijing, China. It is also known as Mandarin cuisine.-Background:Since Beijing has been the Chinese capital city for centuries, its cuisine has been influenced by culinary traditions from all over China, but the cuisine that has exerted the greatest influence...
and Shandong cuisine
Shandong cuisine
Shandong cuisine , in Chinese more commonly known as Lu cuisine , is one the Eight Culinary Traditions of China and is also ranked among the four most influential among these . It is derived from the native cooking styles of Shandong, an eastern coastal province of China...
. However, some have regarded Korean Chinese cuisine as being more Korean than Chinese. The cuisine developed in the port city of Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, where the majority of Korea's ethnic Chinese population historically lived. However, Chinese restaurants in Korea are unusual in that they are owned and run by Koreans, rather than ethnic Chinese. The latter development came in part due to the assimilation of the ethnic Chinese in Korea into the Korean culture as well as due to their outward migration due to legal discrimination they were subject to, especially under the Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
administration. Consequently, the most authentic Korean Chinese cuisine can be found in centers of overseas Korean communities such as Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
and Manhattan
Koreatown, Manhattan
Koreatown, or K-town as it is colloquially known, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, that is generally bordered by 31st and 36th Streets and Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenues...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; Palisades Park, New Jersey
Koreatown, Palisades Park
Koreatown, Palisades Park, or Palisades Park Koreatown, in the borough of Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA, in the New York City Metropolitan Area, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea....
; as well as Los Angeles
Koreatown, Los Angeles, California
Koreatown is a neighborhood in the Mid-Wilshire district of the city of Los Angeles, California known for its concentration of Korean American people and institutions...
, all in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In South Korea there is an aspect of this cuisine which is unusual, in that home delivery is the main means through which it is put in front of diners. As such Korean Chinese cuisine is analogous to pizza delivery in the US or Indian take-away in the UK, and every S Korean urban household is served by no fewer than two such establishments. The cuisine also occupies the same economic position to the two a-fore mentioned analogues, in terms of relative pricing vis-a-vis other dining options. Expensive gourmet Chinese cuisine at upscale establishments dedicated to such is also popular in South Korea, but the cuisine served is mainland
Chinese styles.
Korean-Chinese dishes
There are two primary Chinese menu items served in the majority of Korean Chinese restaurants in South Korea and elsewhere:- JajangmyeonJajangmyeonJajangmyeon is a popular Korean dish, derived from the Chinese dish zha jiang mian. It consists of wheat noodles topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang , diced meat and vegetables, and sometimes also seafood...
(Korean: 자장면, Chinese: ), steamed noodles served in a lightly flavoured black bean paste, distinctly different from the various types of zhajiang mianZhajiang mianZha jiang mian is a northern Chinese dish consisting of thick wheat noodles topped with a mixture of ground pork stir-fried with Zha jiang , which is salty fermented soybean paste....
served in mainland ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. - Jjamppong (Korean: 짬뽕, Chinese name: 炒碼麵), a spicy noodle soup flavoured with onions and chili oilChili oilChili oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with dried chili peppers and sometimes also additional ingredients. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, East and Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Particularly popular in Sichuan cuisine, it is used as an ingredient in cooked...
. A form of jjamppong is also the local Chinese speciality in the Japanese port city of Nagasaki (see Chanpon). The noodles are made from wheat flour.
In addition, several other dishes are often served in Korean Chinese restaurants:
- Tangsuyuk (Korean: 탕수육, Chinese: ), the Koreanized version of sweet and sour porkSweet and sour porkSweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish that is particularly popular in Cantonese cuisine and may be found all over the world. A traditional Jiangsu dish called Pork in a sugar and vinegar sauce is considered its ancestor....
or orange chickenOrange chickenOrange chicken is a Chinese-American dish of Hunan origin. The variety of orange chicken most commonly found at American fast food restaurants consists of chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce, which thickens or caramelizes to a glaze...
. Unlike the Americanized ChineseAmerican Chinese cuisineAmerican Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to Western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.-History:...
dish of the same name, tangsuyuk can be made with either pork or beef. If the meat is replaced with shrimp, the dish is called tangsu saeu. - Kkanpunggi (Korean: 깐풍기, Chinese: 宫爆鸡), a type of fried chicken glazed in sweet and spicy sauce. It can be served with the bone or boneless.
- Kkanpung saeu (Korean: 깐풍새우), deep-fried breaded sweet and sour shrimp with a bit of hot and spicy flavor unlike tangsuyuk and tangsu saeu. It is different from Kung Pao shrimpKung Pao chickenGong Bao chicken , a late Qing Dynasty official. Born in Guizhou, Ding served as head of Shandong province and later as governor of Sichuan province. His title was Gōng Bǎo , or palatial guardian. The name "Kung Pao" chicken is derived from this title....
served in typical Chinese restaurants because kkanpung saeu is breaded and deep fried, as opposed to stir-fried. It is served with a sweet sauce, peas, carrots, green onions, and red chili peppers.
- Kkanpung saeu (Korean: 깐풍새우), deep-fried breaded sweet and sour shrimp with a bit of hot and spicy flavor unlike tangsuyuk and tangsu saeu. It is different from Kung Pao shrimp
- UlmyeonUlmyeonUlmyeon is a Korean Chinese dish consisting of noodles, vegetables , egg, and seafood in a chowder-like broth that is thickened with cornstarch...
(Korean: 울면), similar to Udon, is a dish consisting of wheat flour noodles, chopped vegetables, and seafood in a chowderChowderIn North America Chowder is a generic name for a wide variety of seafood or vegetable stews and thickened soups, often with milk or cream. Some varieties are traditionally thickened with crushed ship biscuit instead of flour, which is more usual...
-like broth that is thickened with cornstarchCornstarchCorn starch, cornstarch, cornflour or maize starch is the starch of the corn grain obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel.-History:...
. It is derived from a Chinese dish called wēnlŭmiàn . http://www.hanintown.com/affiliate/store_menu.phtml?store_id=953442690 - Jajangbap (Korean: 자장밥), similar to jajangmyeonJajangmyeonJajangmyeon is a popular Korean dish, derived from the Chinese dish zha jiang mian. It consists of wheat noodles topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang , diced meat and vegetables, and sometimes also seafood...
but served on steamed rice. It may also be served with a fried egg and some vegetables. - Junghwa naengmyeon (Korean: 중화냉면, Chinese: 中華冷麵), literally "Chinese cold noodles." It is favored in Chinese restaurants in South Korea during the summer. Junghwa naengmyeon is made with junghwamyeon (lit. "Chinese noodles"), shredded five-spiceFive-spice powderFive-spice powder is a mixture of five spices endemic to Chinese cuisine, but also used in other Asian cookery as well.-Formulae:The formulae are based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food. There are many variants. The most common is bajiao , cloves, cinnamon, huajiao ...
marinated beef or pork (五香醬肉), cucumber, crab stickCrab stickCrab sticks are a form of kamaboko, a processed seafood made of finely pulverized white fish flesh , shaped and cured to resemble crab leg meat....
, jellyfishJellyfishJellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
, and a fried egg in a cold chicken broth seasoned with soy sauce and various spices. A sauce mixed with mustard and peanut sauce is topped over the dish to impart a nutty and spicy flavor.
Dumplings
Mandu (dumpling)
Mandu are dumplings in Korean cuisine. They are similar to pelmeni and pierogi in some Slavic cultures. The name is a cognate to the names of similar types of meat-filled dumplings in Central Asia, such as Turkish manti, Kazakh manty, and Uzbek manti.In Korean cuisine, mandu generally denotes a...
are also served at Korean-Chinese restaurants, in most instances a pan-fried version that is a cross between a Japanese gyoza and a Peking ravioli in terms of style.
Koreans traditionally eat Chinese food with a side serving of danmuji
Takuan
, also known as takuwan or takuan-zuke, is a popular traditional Japanese pickle. It is made from daikon radish. In addition to being served alongside other types of tsukemono in traditional Japanese cuisine, takuan is also enjoyed at the end of meals as it is thought to aid digestion.Takuan is...
(yellow pickled daikon
Daikon
Daikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
), and raw onion dipped in black bean paste. Kimchi
Kimchi
Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
, a staple Korean food, is also eaten with Chinese food. Dried red chili flakes are provided to season food alone or mixed with soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
.
See also
- Japanese Chinese cuisineJapanese Chinese cuisineJapanese Chinese cuisine is a unique style of Chinese cuisine served by Chinese restaurants in Japan. Many of these restaurants are Japanese-owned, though there are some which are operated by overseas Chinese...
- Chinatown, FlushingChinatown, FlushingChinatown, Flushing, or Flushing Chinatown , in the Flushing area of the borough of Queens in New York City, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Chinese enclaves outside of Asia, as well as within New York City itself...
- Koreatown, Palisades ParkKoreatown, Palisades ParkKoreatown, Palisades Park, or Palisades Park Koreatown, in the borough of Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA, in the New York City Metropolitan Area, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea....