June 14 2021
~content~Rice is well known as a staple ingredient, a staple food to many different groups of people around the world. Seen in our favorite dishes such as fried rice, sushi, rice and beans, and biryani, rice is a food that we see so often that sometimes, we forget how important it is. To some, rice is more than just a staple food. To many groups, especially Koreans, rice represents home, rice represents hospitality.
The hallmark of Korean cuisine is that rice is always at the center of it. We create most recipes to be eaten along with rice; whether that be soups, stews, stir-frys and sauces. Rice plays such a big role in Korean culture that there’s even a saying that goes: “한국인은 밥심으로 산다.” This directly translates to: “Koreans depend on rice to live.” And while this may sound like an exaggeration, this is somewhat very true. The essence of well-being in Korean society is eating well— and by that, it’s usually a whole table-full of banchan, the main dish and of course, freshly cooked rice. Koreans live off of eating well and to most, a nice, steaming bowl of freshly cooked rice reminds them of being home.
Rice as a Symbol of Home
As mentioned, a nice steaming bowl of rice is akin to being home and enjoying the warmth of being surrounded by family. The universal feeling of missing mom’s home-cooked meals is symbolized by a bowl of warm rice, for mothers always have to feed their loved ones good, quality rice. In Korea, the average working culture is very intense and fast-paced that many people don’t have the time, nor do they want to put in the effort to make rice. This has increased the need for more instant options, such as 3-minute microwavable rice and rice that has been sitting in the cooker for days— which, of course, do not even come close to the taste and feeling of freshly cooked rice. Saying words like “I miss my mom’s cooking/I miss home” and eating instant rice go hand-in-hand, almost too often. With the right rice, the quality of life can (and almost all the time, will) improve drastically— and the other dishes will just follow right behind.
Keywords: South Korea, Korean food, Korean rice, rice, premium rice, food blog