As Cottonwood Heights gains a new relationship with Incheon, South Korea, leadership from both cities have invited residents to immerse themselves in and learn from South Korean culture. That includes traditional Korean food. 

Attendees of the delegation dinner on July 5 (where the official friendship agreement for Cottonwood Heights to become sister cities with Incheon was signed), started off this immersive journey by learning about a Korean dish dating back centuries. 

Bibimbap 

Simply, bibimbap is a rice bowl topped with assorted vegetables (sometimes sauteed), meat (often beef) and sauce (like gochujang). Fried egg will often be included on top. 

If we were to add some spice to that definition of bibimbap, however, the understanding of cultural significance might bring tears to some eyeballs. 

“Bibimbap reflects the Korean identity,” said Kay Choi from the Korean Federation of Utah (and Cottonwood Heights resident for over 20 years). “One dish with flavors of unified diversity.”

The history of bibimbap traces back to the Joseon Dynasty in the 19th century (1392-1910). So far, the oldest written recipe found is in royal cookbook from the 1800s. 

Councilmember Matthew Holton invited the delegation from South Korea to honor the Korean War Veterans living within Cottonwood Heights. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)

“Bibimbap is more than just a food,” Choi said. 

“It’s the spirit of Korean traditions,” said Councilmember Matthew Holton. 

Green emphasized the narrative of corroborating contrasting flavors, and even ingredients, throughout the preparation of the traditional dish. Bibimbap includes boiling edible elements to bring out the natural sweetness, soaking ingredients with florals, and mixing bonchon beef with veggies. 

“This dish symbolizes good harvest with a mix of the practical shape of tradition,” Choi said. 

She described the bibimbap tradition as smooth and light; sweet and simple. Of course, recipes for bibimbap have regional differences. Some, like the one served during the delegation dinner, include chili paste. Others use sesame oil. Some include more vegetables like shoots and soybeans, while others prefer different types of protein like seafood. 

“This dish is a way to celebrate and aide with digestion,” Choi said. “We liberate through food.” 

During the Cottonwood Heights delegation dinner, great care was taken to provide attendees with a traditional bibimbap dish that told the story of the Korean people. 

In addition, attendees were served Sikhye (식혜) to accompany their bibimbap dinner. Sikhye is a sweet beverage made from fermented rice and can be served as dessert. A different option included a red bean pastry that had been handmade and stamped with the Korean symbol for unity. 

Local baker Sunhee Khang handmade red bean pastries for the delegation dinner. She took time and care to stamp each pastry by hand with the chinese character shou which means longevity or long life. 

“They are often gifted during birthdays or celebratory occasions to wish health and prosperity,” Hohlton said. “Though it’s not a Korean character, there is still deep meaning in some Korean characters in their community.”

Holton emphasized how important it was to him to provide a food tradition experience to the Cottonwood Heights resident as authentically as possible. While in the planning stages of the delegation dinner, none of the options for tableware and place settings felt quite right to him. Ultimately, Holton, along with help from James Park for the University of Utah Asia Campus, decided to fly all of the tableware in directly from South Korea. 

“Max (Hansen) traveled to bring all the tableware here safely and on time,” Holton said. “There is heart in every detail.”

To learn more about the Cottonwood Heights and Incheon Sister City agreement, visit our website at www.cottonwoodheightsjournal.com and search for “Korea.”