Grandma Kim's Family Diner

Nothing is more relaxing than seeing Bulgogi cooked in front of you on a grill. It is then wrapped in lettuce leaves and topped with spicy red bean paste for that unique taste.

Although dessert beyond fresh fruit isn't usually a part of traditional Korean meals, sweets are often served on special occasions and holidays. Sticky, sweet rice cakes are a staple of New Year's Day celebrations, while hangwa, traditional confections, are often given as gifts.

What are the 5 main types of Korean table settings which determine how many side dishes are served with the meal? The 3-chop, the 5-chop, the 7-chop, the 9-chop and the 12-chop. The larger 9 and 12-chop settings are usually reserved for special occasions and celebrations.

If you think that the only side dish to Korean food is kimchi, you're wrong. Korean food often includes mushrooms, leaves, cabbage, and potatoes, which you can freely add to your meal depending on your tastes.

Yakgwa is a traditional Korean dessert that is more recently enjoyed as a confectionary. The biscuit is made from honey, sesame oil, and wheat flower, though other ingredients are often added to taste.

The traditional Korean table setting consists of a spoon, used for eating rice, soup, and other liquids, and a set of chopsticks, used for eating side dishes and bigger pieces. Side dishes are generally served in larger bowls and intended to be shared by the table, while rice and soup are served in individual bowls.

If you want to fully experience Korean cuisine, you might want to try Korean beers, soju, or sake. These traditional drinks taste great and will make a nice addition to your dinner or lunch.

Korean food includes many ingredients found in other cuisines, like noodles, beef and pork, eggs, and rice. What gives Korean food its unique flavor is the rich array of condiments and sauces, many based on chili peppers, sesame oil, soybean paste, garlic, and red bean paste.

The most common grains in early Korea were barley and millet. Even when rice was imported later, these and other grains were used to fill out rice dishes to reduce costs. Boribap is rice with barley, while kongbap is rice with beans.

Many Asian countries have signature noodle dishes, and Korea is no exception. Naengmyoen is a cold dish, commonly eaten in the summer, of buckwheat noodles topped with egg, meat, and vegetables. Chapchae, or Korean stir-fried noodles, has a base of noodles, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Vegetables and/or meat are added to the chef's liking.

A popular Korean dessert cake is Tteok which is made with a rice base. Tteok is sweetened with savory mung bean paste, raisins, sesame seeds, sweet pumpkin, dates and honey. Sometimes, as a snack or light meal, Tteok is served with thin beef slices.

Korean food contains a lower amount of preservatives, which helps you to have better skin, as well as a stronger liver and kidneys. Might be time to add Korean to your eating out rotation!