Korean Side Dishes (Banchan)

Knowing Korean food:
Every Korean meal includes anywhere from 2 to 12 side dishes or banchan in Korean. The most important and well-known is kimchi, of which there are 100+ varieties, but there are also hundreds of other types of side dishes from stewed crab to egg custard.

I often visit Korean restaurants here in Baguio and tasted different side dishes that they served. Amazingly, I am already full just because of this side dishes before eating the main dish! So, a tip for you if you plan to go and eat in any Korean restaurants have a friend/s with you and don't eat too much side dishes because you cannot finish your main dish once it was served!

Here are some of the side dishes that I have tasted:

1. Korean Pickled Cucumber: A sweet & salty flavor makes it perfect side dish. With just four ingredients (Korean or Kirby cucumbers, sugar, salt, & vinegar), you can make this really snappy, crunchy cucumber that is good in Korean salad & sandwiches!

2. Korean Spicy Pickled Cabbage (Baechu Kimchi): It is the most popular and recognizable form of kimchi. Baechu kimchi is not only good as a side dish to almost Korean meal, but it is also the foundation for many soups, stews, stir fries, & rice dishes.

3. Korean Seasoned Spinach (Sigumchi Namul): This seasoned spinach "salad" is a light Korean side dish that can be used in other Korean main dishes like chapchae (stir fried noodles), kimbap (rice and seaweed rolls), & bibimbap (rice with mixed vegetables).

4. Glazed potatoes (Gamja Jorim): You'll recognize them for it's remarkable taste

sweet-savory-sometimes spicy potatoes that are delivered to your table.

5. Gosari Namul: Lightly stir fried fern sprouts.

So far that's our first five...I need to remember the other side dishes that I already tasted and check on my photos if I had one. :)