Latest news with #KFPI
Korea Herald
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Cheong:' The hidden secret behind Korean food
From home remedy to sugar replacement, this traditional fermented fruit syrup is the secret ingredient behind many Korean dishes Syrup is a common pantry staple in many countries, typically drizzled over foods like pancakes, waffles, crepes and other baked goods, or even on top of ice cream. The sweet liquid is also used in other culinary applications, such as glazes and desserts. But in Korean cuisine, syrup plays an essential role. Though often used as a replacement for sugar, adding a sweet and fruity flavour, it can also add acidity or umami to dishes depending on the ingredients used. 'Cheong:' Next big thing in culinary scene? In recent years, Korean food such as ramyeon, dumplings and fried chicken to name a few, has been winning over taste buds and featuring on dinner tables across continents. Korea's "jang making" tradition of creating fermented sauces using soybeans was even recognized as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in December last year. Now, the spotlight is turning to Korean syrup, or "cheong," which may just be the next big thing in the culinary scene. Clips of social media figures making cheong can easily be found on YouTube. Among the highlights is a video uploaded by American star chef Nick DiGiovanni in November 2023, in which he makes cheong with strawberries. With over 25.8 million subscribers on the video-sharing platform, his video brought significant attention to the traditional recipe. He later uploaded a video of making cheong with dragonfruit in June last year, garnering 24 million views. This syrup, often considered a staple in Korean cooking, is made by combining equal parts of the desired fruit or vegetable and sugar, then gently layering them into an airtight jar and leaving it for up to three months as the fruit slowly releases its juices, as explained by the Korean Food Promotion Institute. You can either consume the syrup right away or leave it for up to a year or more for a richer flavor. Later, the syrup can be enjoyed as a hot tea during winter or mixed with cold water for a refreshing summertime beverage. Fruits such as plums, strawberries, green tangerine and yuja — a citrus fruit native to Korea that sits somewhere between lime, lemon and orange — are often used to make the syrup. Maesil, or Korean green plum, is also a popular seasonal ingredient available in May and June. According to the KFPI, the best time to make maesil cheong is between June 6 and 20. Once made, it can be used to create other fermented foods such as plum vinegar, plum wine and plum gochujang. The syrup is also widely used as a natural sweetener. Adding the syrup to dishes like fish or chicken helps enhance the flavors and adds a pleasant, fruity aroma, often combined with other common Korean ingredients such as salt, soy sauce and "doenjang," fermented soybean paste. As cheong is made without heat, it preserves the ingredients' natural flavors, nutrients and health benefits. Deeply rooted in centuries of Korean food culture, cheong adds depth and balance to everyday meals and special dishes alike. At times, it can also work as a traditional home remedy to aid digestion and help upset stomachs. If kept away from contamination, the syrup can be consumed for up to five years, although the sweetness and aroma may fade after about two years of aging. The Korean syrup can also be used when brewing your own alcohol. All you need is 1 kilogram of green plums, 300 grams of sugar and 3.6 liters of soju for those looking to make their own batch of maesil-ju, or Korean plum wine known for its refreshing tang and subtle sweetness, as recommended by the KFPI. Start by removing the stems from the plums. Rinse them under running water, then dry them completely because any leftover moisture can lead to spoilage. Mix the plums with sugar in a jar, seal it and leave it for four weeks. Then add the soju to the mixture. One tip is to place the jar in a cool, dark area to let it continue fermenting. The wine will develop a richer, more complex flavor as it ages.
Korea Herald
14-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
KFPI to add new eateries to list of excellent Korean restaurants overseas
Korean restaurants in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Singapore can apply until May 19 In an effort to recognize high-quality Korean eateries outside of South Korea, the Korean Food Promotion Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs hope to add new names to their Excellent Overseas Korean Restaurants list this year. Korean restaurants in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Singapore can apply via email until May 19. More information is available on the KFPI's official website. To apply, restaurants must have been operating for the past three years in the respective country, have no record of violating local hygiene regulations in the past two years, and their menus must be at least 60 percent Korean dishes. Those that pass the first round of evaluation will be evaluated on-site by a group of Korean cuisine experts, with results to be announced later this year. Restaurants selected for the list will receive help purchasing ingredients from Korea, promotional support from the institute, and an official certificate and designation plaque. Excellent overseas Korean restaurants have been selected since 2022, recognizing their contribution to promoting Korean cuisine on a global scale. Currently, a total of 16 restaurants are on the list including Yunke, a Michelin-starred Korean restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza; Hasuo, a traditional Korean restaurant in Tokyo's Shibuya; and Soon Grill Marais, a contemporary Korean restaurant in Paris.
Korea Herald
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
KFPI to hold hansik contest in 13 countries
Competition to focus on creating dish using Korean jang As part of South Korea's initiative to expand the reach of "hansik," or Korean cuisine, the Korean Food Promotion Institute said Tuesday it would jointly host hansik cooking contests abroad with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and in collaboration with 13 overseas diplomatic missions. For this year's edition, the competition will focus on creating a dish using Korean jang, or fermented soy-based sauces, to celebrate its inclusion on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in December last year. In Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the competition will take place at the Korean Cultural Centers in Nigeria and Hong Kong, as well as the Korean Embassies in Indonesia, Thailand and Turkey. The same contest will take place at the Korean Embassies in Costa Rica, Peru and Chile, and at the Consulate General in Seattle for those in North and South America. In Europe, it will be hosted by the Korean Embassies in Ireland, the UK and Romania, and at the Consulate General in Barcelona. Detailed schedules for the competition will be announced at a later time by each diplomatic mission. More information is available on each overseas diplomatic mission's official website. The KFPI said the event would be a great opportunity to allow people in other countries to come up with their own takes on hansik by putting a local twist on them or sticking to traditional recipes. "(We) hope that the contest will help spread the unique flavors of traditional jang and Korean cuisine to a global audience. The KFPI will continue teaming up with overseas diplomatic missions to promote hansik and encourage cultural exchanges," Lee Gyu-min, president of the KFPI, said via press release. The KFPI has been organizing cooking contests every year since 2011 in countries such as the US to promote Korean cuisine. For example, the Consulate General in Seattle and the KFPI jointly held the "Culinary Class Wars in Seattle" contest in November last year.
