• Embracing Healthy Eating through Korean Vegetable Dishes

        • 01/25/2024

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  • Embracing Healthy Eating
    through Korean Vegetable Dishes

    Korean Cuisine: A Fusion of Flavor and Health

    A temple diet consisting of various vegetables

    According to a 2021 Survey of Overseas Korean Food Consumers conducted by the Korean Food Promotion Institute, foreigners perceive Korean cuisine as Flavorful(40.4%), Healthy(38.7%), and Vegetable-oriented(38.4%). In essence, the image of Korean food abroad is interpreted as “healthy and delicious food made primarily with vegetables.” Korean vegetable dishes offer diverse tastes by employing various cooking methods using the same ingredients. Thanks to this, one can savor new flavors daily, even without including meat.

    Temple Food, Purifying Body and Mind
    Side dishes made with various wild vegetables
    Enjoying Temple Food in a Hanok
    A temple diet consisting of various vegetables
    Korea's Temple Food Gaining Attention Abroad
    Mushroom salad lifted with chopsticks
    Deep-fried Golden Oak Mushrooms with Sweet and Sour Sauce
    Tofu steak lifted with chopsticks
    Light and Clean Flavor of Bean Curd Steak

    Korea's temple food has garnered attention overseas. In 2015, an article titled “Jeong Kwan, the Philosopher Chef” in The New York Times praised the temple cuisine of Korean Monk Jeong Kwan, introducing Korean temple food to the world. Renowned chefs and production teams from abroad visited Korea to cover Jeong Kwan's temple cuisine. Recently, many domestic and foreign travelers have been experiencing temple food through temple stay programs and specialty restaurants offering these unique dishes.

    Korean temple food is characterized by its simplicity, excluding animal-based ingredients, with the exception of milk, and avoiding “Oshinchae” the five zesty-flavored vegetables of garlic, green onions, chives, wild chives, and Chinese squill. Its essence lies in preserving the natural flavors and characteristics of vegetables, grains, and mushrooms, emphasizing both taste and exceptional nutritional and health benefits.

    • Maji
    • 19 Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
    • +82-507-1418-5228
    • 11:30-20:00 (Closes at 15:00 on Sundays-Mondays) / Break time 15:00-17:30 / Closed Tuesdays
    • Lunch or Dinner Course KRW 23,000
      Today's Set Menu KRW 11,000
      Premium Set Menu (1 Serving) KRW 65,000
    • Doosoogobang
    • 3F, Around Life, Alleyway Gwanggyo, 80 Gwanggyohosugongwon-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
    • +82-31-548-1912
    • 10:00-22:00 / Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
    • One Table Live Dining KRW 100,000-130,000
    • Geolgujaengine
    • 707 Gangmun-ro, Gangcheon-myeon, Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do
    • +82-31-885-9875
    • 10:00-20:00 / Last order at 19:00 / Open all year round
    • Temple Set Menu (1 Serving) KRW 15,000
      Salad Rice Set Menu KRW 18,000
    Buckwheat Dishes, Daily Comfort Food
    Two kinds of buckwheat noodles lifted with chopsticks
    Vegetable Dishes Using Buckwheat, Buckwheat Noodles and Buckwheat Pancake
    An enlarged picture of buckwheat noodles with vegetable garnish
    Warm Buckwheat Noodles Topped with Colorful Garnishes
    An enlarged photograph of a cold buckwheat noodles
    Buckwheat Noodles with a Fresh Taste from Vegetable Broth
    Buckwheat pancakes lifted with chopsticks
    Savory Buckwheat Pancake with Great Texture Enhanced by Carrots and Chives

    To enjoy some of the most popular and typical vegetable dishes in Korea, consider exploring dishes featuring buckwheat. Buckwheat, a familiar ingredient in Korea, is globally recognized as a superfood due to its health benefits. It contains more protein than bean curd, aids in preventing various adult diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and is safe for those with gluten allergies. Though lacking gluten, the dough may have minimal stickiness after kneading, but its characteristic aroma and texture contribute to its popularity.

    Gangwon State is renowned for its ideal conditions for cultivating buckwheat, which has earned it a reputation for producing high-quality buckwheat. Consequently, the region has developed local specialties utilizing this crop, including Buckwheat Noodles, Buckwheat Jelly, Buckwheat Pancake, and Buckwheat Crepe. For those seeking to experience the flavor of buckwheat along with the health benefits of vegetables, consider trying a combination of Buckwheat Noodles in Radish Water Kimchi broth instead, along with a Buckwheat Pancake filled with chives, carrots, and cabbage leaves.

    • Kkumkkuneun Memil
    • 7F, The Center, I'Park Mall, Yongsan Station, 55 Hangang-daero 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-2012-0735
    • 11:00-21:00 / Last order at 20:45 / Open all year round
    • Buckwheat Noodles with Buckwheat Sprouts KRW 11,000
      Spicy Buckwheat Noodles with Buckwheat Sprouts KRW 11,500
      Buckwheat Pancake KRW 10,000
    • Yeonggwangjeong Memilguksu
    • 446 Jinmi-ro, Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon State
    • +82-33-673-5254
    • 10:00-19:00 /
      Closed Tuesdays and on the day of Seollal(Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok(Korean Thanksgiving Day)
    • Buckwheat Noodles KRW 10,000
      Buckwheat Crepe KRW 8,000
      Potato Pancake KRW 12,000
    • Hallasanaraecheonmaeul Yeongnongjohapbeobin
    • 675 Sallongnam-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Island
    • +82-64-792-8245
    • 10:30-18:00 / Break time 15:00-16:00 / Closed Mondays
    • Jeju Seasonal Buckwheat Mixed Noodles KRW 12,000
      Jeju Cold Buckwheat Noodles KRW 12,000
      Jeju Spicy Buckwheat Noodles KRW 12,000
    Soft Bean Curd, The Subtle Elegance of Mild Bean Flavor
    A bowl of tofu and marinade
    Delight in the Gentle Taste of Soft Bean Curd, Unaffected by Strong Seasoning
    Tofu dish served with soy sauce seasoning
    A Spoonful of Savory Seasoning atop Soft Bean Curd
    Tofu dish served with soy sauce seasoning
    A Spoonful of Savory Seasoning atop Soft Bean Curd
    Tofu dish with soy sauce seasoning
    A Spoonful of Savory Seasoning atop Soft Bean Curd
    Temple-style tofu set meal menu composition
    A Table with Various Side Dishes Accompanying a Traditional-style Soft Bean Curd Meal

    Bean Curd, a staple in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisines, has enjoyed enduring popularity. The soy protein derived from bean curd has garnered attention amid the rising trend towards vegetarianism, providing an alternative to meat protein consumption.

    For vegetarian-friendly Korean bean curd dishes, traditional Soft Bean Curd dishes come highly recommended. While the widely embraced Korean bean curd dish abroad is the Soft Bean Curd Jjigae, blending spicy seasoning with soft bean curd, the most suitable bean curd dish for a vegetarian theme remains the traditional Soft Bean Curd, which emphasizes the subtle flavor of bean curd itself. This classic dish involves preparing Soft Bean Curd in a salty broth using traditional methods. It is paired with a soy sauce-based seasoning atop the gentle texture of the soft bean curd, delivering a simple yet pleasantly mild and savory taste.

    • Baengnyeonok
    • 2407 Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-523-2860
    • 10:00-21:00 / Open all year round
    • Soft Bean Curd KRW 13,000
      Soft Bean Curd Stew Hot Pot KRW 13,000
      Red Bean Porridge KRW 13,000
    • Changnim-dong Dubu-maeul
    • 358-5 Jangnyu-ro, Sunchang-eup, Sunchang-gun, Jeonbuk State
    • +82-507-1400-8773
    • 12:00-18:00 / Closed Mondays
    • Soft Bean Curd KRW 8,000
      Pureed Soybean Bibimbap KRW 8,000
      Bean Curd KRW 6,000
    • Chodang Halmeoni Sundubu
    • 77 Chodangsundubu-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon State
    • +82-33-652-2058
    • 08:00-19:00 (Closes at 15:00 on Tuesdays) / Closed Wednesdays
    • Soft Bean Curd Set Menu KRW 11,000
      Spicy Venus Clam Soft Bean Curd Jjigae KRW 12,000
      Bean Curd KRW 15,000
    Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu, A Fragrant Herb Feast
    A variety of side dishes of vegetables on a plate
    A Variety of Salad and Vegetables in the Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu
    Pot rice and temple side dishes cooked with beans
    Healthy Mixed Pot Rice with Beans and Black Rice Accompanying Various Side Dishes
    Vegetable side dish lifted with chopsticks
    The Robust and Savory Flavor of Wild Vegetables
    Acorn jelly lifted with a spoon
    A Spoonful of Spicy Acorn Jelly Salad
    Potato pancakes lifted with chopsticks
    Potato Pancakes Topped with Chives and Red Chili Pepper as Garnish

    With over 70% of its land being mountainous, Korea has a tradition of foraging wild vegetables from the mountains for side dishes. This dietary habit has significantly contributed to the perception of Korean cuisine as healthy, balancing protein, fiber, and diverse nutrients within a single meal.

    The Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu is a table full of dishes prepared with various vegetables harvested from the mountains, including bracken, aster leaf, mushroom, Deodeok, and acorn. Most of these dishes are not heavily seasoned, emphasizing the natural taste and aroma of these fresh mountain vegetables. The unique, slightly bitter taste of mountain vegetables stimulates the palate and is often recommended as a nourishing meal, especially when one feels fatigued. To fully appreciate the flavors of the Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu , it's best served as Bibimbap. Mixing preferred mountain vegetables with sesame oil and Red Chili Paste creates a delicious vegetable medley.

    • Odaesan Sanchae Jeonmunjeom
    • 1F, 2640-11 Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
    • +82-2-571-4565
    • 11:30-22:00 / Break time 16:00-17:00
    • Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu (Regular) KRW 23,000
      Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu (Whole) KRW 26,000
      Golden Oak Mushroom Rice KRW 14,000
    • Heundeulbawi
    • 1 Taegi-ro, Bongpyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon State
    • +82-507-1407-6788
    • 10:30-20:00 / Break time 15:10-16:30 /
      Last order at 18:50 / Closed Wednesdays except national holidays
    • Heundeulbawi Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu KRW 23,000
      Gangwon State Potato Rice Cake KRW 5,000
    • Narichon Sikdang
    • 31-115 Nari 1-gil, Buk-myeon, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
    • +82-54-791-6082
    • 08:00-17:00 (Inquiries by phone before visiting)
    • Wild Vegetable Dish Set Menu KRW 25,000
      Wild Vegetable Bibimbap KRW 15,000
      Deodeok Salad KRW 25,000

    Food is not only about taste; considering health is equally important. Korean vegetable dishes are recommended for those seeking to satisfy their appetite for delicious food while also prioritizing their health.

    * The column was written in November 2023, hence some of the details may have changed. Please check with the restaurants before visiting.

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