When you think of the healthiest food cultures in the world you’re probably going to immediately think of the much vaunted Mediterranean diet, writes Nick Mosley.
Rich in fresh produce – whether sweet sun-ripened vegetables, seafood that almost jumps off the plate or the elixir of live, cold-pressed olive oil – those living along the coastal regions of Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and the Balkans tend to have longer and healthier lives than many of us the UK where ultra-processed foods have long been the norm rather than the exception.
Without doubt the food culture of cooking from scratch with local and seasonal produce has a lot to do with longevity but I dare say the somewhat more relaxed way of life has a big impact too.
There are however other contenders for the world’s healthiest cuisines – all of which share similarities in terms of using unadulterated ingredients and home-style cooking with our neighbours in the Med – including Japan and the Nordics but my personal favourite is Korean.
Now you might not know much about Korean food – I certainly didn’t ten years or so back – but its popularity is without doubt on the ascendance. A cursory scan of Google maps reveals at least 15 Korean restaurants in Brighton ranging from traditional – but rather basic – cafés to much more slick operations that wouldn’t be out of place in the heart of any major cosmopolitan city.
I’ve had the privilege of visiting South Korea a few times – from the mind-blowing, non-stop metropolis of capital city Seoul to the blissful sub-tropical paradise island of Jeju – and on each visit my eyes have been opened to how varied the Korean cuisine is.
Sure, it shares similarities with the kitchen of neighbouring countries – rice, vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oil – but there are distinct differences, the most obvious of which is the prevalence of kimchi in pretty much every meal.
For the uninitiated, kimchi is fermented cabbage and radish that is seasoned with salt, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and – usually – fish sauce. The result is a deeply tangy, sour flavour that I find utterly irresistible and is apparently very good for not only the heart but also the gut biome, and trust me I’m in need of all the help I can get on both counts.
Traditionally every family would have their own ‘onggi’, a large clay pot that would be buried in the garden whilst the fermentation took place but clearly that’s impractical with urban living so now its done in kilner jars or similar for a couple of days, or for the lazier bought in packs from the supermarket just as you’ll find in the international food aisles of any major chain in the UK nowadays.
Kimchi is often served as a side dish but also makes a great ingredient in a main – it makes a really tasty midweek quick supper in a stir-fry.
Which leads me on to say that Koreans aren’t afraid of a little heat in the form of chilli. One of my favourite dishes is ‘Tteokbokki’ – rice noodles with fish cakes in a chilli sauce that sometimes has a smothering of cheese curd – and when I say hot, I mean hot.
I met with a drinks industry friend in Brighton a couple of weeks ago and suggested we meet at Soju Korean Kitchen and Bar on Western Road, literally next door to Waitrose. I’d had my tummy’s eye on the place for a while so booked a table for nibbles and a natter, which is a good job as by the time we left the place was packed which is pretty good going for a Wednesday lunchtime at the moment in Brighton.
I suggested to my friend to try the Tteokbokki and safe to say she is now a convert. I opted for Samgyeopsal – thick slices of grilled pork belly that you hand wrap in lettuce leaves and dip in a chilli and fermented soya bean paste – and along with a side of the obligatory kimchi – made for a perfect lunch. I know pork belly isn’t everyone’s go-to however this was crisp yet moist and surprisingly light on the stomach.
While we were shooting-the-breeze about all things in the spirits industry – and sharing a bottle of Soju rice wine – we enviously eyed the plates being served to neighbouring tables. Steaming crispy fried chicken – a Korean classic – and finely sliced meats and vegetables that were cooked by diners themselves on sizzling grills built into the tables. You don’t get much more interactive in a restaurant than that, and it was certainly keeping all ages engaged and sated.
Main-sized plates are £12-14 so eminently affordable but I think next time – and there will be a next time sooner rather than later – I’ll be diving into the table BBQ of beef ribeye, king prawn and pork belly which would be around £25 per head based on two sharing. There are vegan and gluten free items marked on the menu but speak to your server when ordering to ensure they meet your dietary requirements.
Soju Korean Kitchen and Bar is probably somewhere that many readers have wandered past wondering ‘what’s that’. It’s superb authentic Korean lunching and dining so I say get your kimchi on.
Soju Korean Kitchen and Bar, 135 Western Road, Brighton BN1 2LA
01273 983 482 • www.sojubrighton.com
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