Korean cuisine spreads to Singapore
Korean cuisine was introduced at a cultural event held in Singapore, Wednesday through Friday. The Singaporean government hosted the event, “Essence of Korean Cuisine Culture,” as a way of exploring the traditions of Korean cuisine and its future in the Singaporean market.
The event was a collaborative effort by South Jeolla Province and Daesang Chungjungwon, Korea’s 60-year-old food brand that has been expanding in the overseas market. Madam Ki Soon-do, famous for her Korean-style soy sauce, and Vivian Hahn, owner of modern Korean restaurant Congdu, were major contributors at the event.
South Jeolla Province, widely recognized for having Korea’s best cuisine, introduced its organic dishes, made with ingredients straight from the region’s soil, sea and mountains. Its regional products include tea from Haenam, bamboo liquor from Damyang and sun-dried bay salt.
The region is home to Madam Ki Soon-do, known as the best producer of “jang” in Korea. “Jang” means fermented food, a term used to describe Korean-style sauces like soy sauce and spicy sauces that are fermented for a richer taste. Ki presented how her family business has maintained its quality over the past 360 years. At the event, four types of fermented sauces - including Madam Ki’s soy sauce — were presented.
The most popular program at the event was Madam Ki’s class, which taught participants how to make three types of jang and their varieties. Congdu owner Vivian Hahn also gave a lecture on the basics of Korean cuisine and shared recipes for modern style Korean food.
This event was hosted by e2i under Singapore’s National Trades Union Congress, supervised by the East Asia Cultural Project, sponsored by South Jeolla Province and funded by Daesang Chungjungwon.