Dosirak



Dosirak refers to a packed meal, often for lunch. It usually consists of bap (밥, cooked rice) and several banchan (side dishes). The lunch boxes, also called dosirak or dosirak-tong (dosirak case), are typically plastic or thermo-steel containers with or without compartments or tiers. Dosirak is often home-made, but is also sold in train stations and convenience stores.

Dosirak is derived from the Early Modern Korean word 도슭. Records dating to the 18th century attest to this as well as other variations such as 밥고리, and 밥동고리. The practice of packing food as done with dosirak isn't a unique practice to Korean Cuisine, and the modern dosirak can be seen as the Korean form of lunch boxes.

Varieties
Home-made dosirak is often packed in tiered lunch boxes that can separate bap (cooked rice) and banchan (side dishes). The guk (soup) tier, if included, is usually kept warm by insulation. Plastic or thermo-steel containers are most common, but combinations of wood and lacquer, ceramics and bamboo, as well as other materials, are also used.

Yennal-dosirak (옛날 도시락; "old-time dosirak") consists of bap (rice), stir-fried kimchi, egg-washed and pan-fried sausages, fried eggs, and shredded gim (seaweed), typically packed in a rectangular lunchbox made of tinplate or German silver. It is shaken with the lid on, thereby mixing the ingredients prior to eating. Gimbap-dosirak (김밥 도시락; "packed gimbap"), made with sliced gimbap (seaweed rolls), is often packed for picnics.