GROUP MEMBERS: Nursakinah Najwah binti Suhaimi Nurul Faesya binti Fauzi Noorhadyrah binti Abd.

Jalani Muhammad Afiq Bin Khairun Naim Jailun

Question 3 Compare and contrast the way people serve and eat food in the country of your choice (Korea) with your country (Malaysia).

The love of food is something that all we humans share in common despite of all the other differences between us. The worlds diversity of food is so vast that it can almost be compared to the diversity of insects around the globe. In Asia particularly, the food has many differences as well as similarities between them. If we compare the food in Korea and Malaysia, there are not merely apparent distinctions between them but also some resemblances in many aspects. The first evident aspect that we can compare between the dishes in Korea and Malaysia is their distinguishing feature ingredients that make them unique. The basis of Korean cooking usually consists of fermented ingredients such as red pepper paste and soy bean paste that are dissolved in water or stock to cook-up a stew. Whereas in Malaysia, the dishes are more to the use of the Malaysian Trinity consisting of onions, garlic and ginger that are firstly fried together in oil in a technique Malaysians call menumis. In terms of protein or the meat eaten, Malaysians use a lot of different types of meats and fishes in their dishes but in Korea, eating meat is a rarity as they are very health conscious. They mostly eat large portions of vegetables with a small bowl of rice accompanied with a small quantity of protein. In addition to that, in the preparation of Malaysian and Korean cooking, different techniques are used. Malaysian dishes mostly involve the act of frying and fusion cooking, that is, combining ingredients, techniques and seasonings from different cuisines around the world. The fish head curry is an example of Malaysias adaptation of curry recipes from India. Meanwhile, Koreans for the most part boil their food, which is

a more healthy way of cooking. Since different methods of cooking are used, the cooking utensils also vary. For example, woks are widely used in Malaysia but in Korea, assorted types of clay and metal pots are used. Due to cultural purposes, the way of dining and the serving of food practised in both countries also differ. In Malaysia, food is served in one big portion on a plate and is usually eaten by using the hands or by the means of a fork and spoon. On the contrary, Koreans serve their food in small portions in individual bowls and is consumed using chopsticks and a spoon. Furthermore, Malaysians practice dining at the dinner table and pre-dining etiquettes such as washing of the hands and the recitation of prayers. Koreans however usually dine at low, short-legged tables with the other members of their family or friends. Even though there are many distinctions between the styles of cooking in Malaysia and Korea, both of these countries also share some similarities. One of them is that both countries have the common liking towards spicy food. The Koreans add a lot of hot pepper paste or powder to their dishes, giving their dishes a visually appealing reddish colour and a hot tang. Malaysian people however usually add the Birds Eye Chilli to tickle your taste buds with the hot flavour, enhancing the taste of the dish and increasing your appetite. Moreover, the food in both countries is also regional, meaning that there are variations in the same type of food at different locations. This is because preferences vary according to where someone lives. People living near coastal areas might probably prefer to add seafood to their dishes whereas people living in the central area might like meat better. A famous mixed rice dish called Bibimbap in Korea and the Soto in Malaysia is a perfect example. The recipe for Bibimbap is always diversified at different locations and is almost never the same. As for Soto, in Peninsular Malaysia, the Soto is enjoyed with rice cubes but in Eastern Malaysia, the Soto is mostly eaten with rice noodles. Besides that, the two countries have fermented side dishes as their specialty. For instance, the Kimchi in Korea and the Belacan in Malaysia. Kimchi is fermented cabbage that is preserved with various ingredients such as red pepper powder, radish, scallions and many more. Traditionally, it is kept in clay pots that are buried in the ground to keep it cool and make it last longer. It is eaten as an accompaniment to almost every

dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner, making it the trademark dish of Korea. Belacan on the other hand is pounded shrimp or fish that is moulded into various shapes and fermented dry under the sun. To be eaten, it is mixed with pounded Birds Eye Chillies, sugar and lime juice or vinegar to create a sambal that is eaten as a dip or as a side dish to savoury dishes. As a conclusion, there many differences and similarities between food in Korea and Malaysia in terms of ingredients used, cooking techniques, ways of dining and preferences. The variation of food globally is so immensely huge that even the sky is not the limit. Nevertheless, the love towards food is still something that everyone shares disregarding all of the dissimilarities between us.