Ever wondered where all the little side dishes come from when you’re out eating at a Korean restaurant? No? Maybe? Well I was, so I embarked on a mini research mission.
It turns out that banchan, the side dishes we’re talking about, originated from the individual tables that were served up many, many eons ago in both the Royal court and upper class homes. At large banquets and feasts, various little tables were featured, one for each guest. Imagine going to a birthday feast where instead of sitting at tables of 8, 10, or 12, you sat alone, with your own small table. It’s because of this now obselete culinary practice that various small dishes emerged and banchan was born.
So Koreans love their ban chan — subbing out full courses in favor of smaller side dishes. The more there, is the merrier they get. Each meal, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, always includes some form of ban chan.
In honor of the long-held tradition, I prepared four individual banchan side dishes and Korean pancakes made with Chinese chives. The latter is a form of pajeon, or savory pancake in Korean. The five dishes literally take less than an hour to make. And did I mention they make for great leftovers?
4 Classic Banchan: Korean Side Dishes & a Small Plate
Braised Korean Peppers with Fish Cakes
Ingredients
2 cups Korean peppers
1 cup water + 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup Korean fishcake sliced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Directions
In a saucepot, add water, soy sauce and peppers. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce to a very low simmer. Cover and cook for about 20-25 minutes until they soften up. Turn off the heat and leave covered for about half an hour. The peppers will continue to steam inside the pot with the burner off.
Heat sesame oil and soy sauce in a saucepan and add fish cake. Saute for about 2-3 minutes in medium heat until the cakes are browned. Remove and serve with sliced braised peppers.
Korean Mustard Greens with Soy Vinaigrette and Daikon Radish
Ingredients
2 cups Korean Mustard Greens uncooked with stems cut off
1 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 garlic clove minced
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons green onions, finely sliced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 cup Daikon radish, shredded
Directions
Blanche mustard leaves in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze excess water with your hands.
Place greens inside and mix thoroughly to season each piece.
Stir in shredded Daikon radish.
Crown Daisy with Soy Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 bunch of crown daisy
1 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 garlic clove minced
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons green onions, finely sliced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Directions
Blanche crown daisy in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze excess water with your hands.
Mix soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, salt, sesame seeds and green onions in a mixing bowl. Place greens inside and mix thoroughly to season each piece.
Toasted Anchovies
Ingredients
1 cup dried anchovies
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon water
Directions
In a frying pan, heat sesame oil and soy sauce and add anchovies.
Cook for about a minute on high heat and add sugar and continue cooking for another minute. Deglaze with a few drops of water. Remove from heat.
Korean Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
pinch sugar
1 cup cold water
1 cup Chinese chives, sliced into 2″ strips
Vegetable oil for pan frying
Directions
Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add water and whisk well until the batter is smooth. Sir in the Chinese chives.
In a saucepan, heat about two tablespoons of vegetable oil and ladle pancake mix.
Cook for about 2 minutes on each side on medium heat. Cut into squares and enjoy with soy sauce on the side.