North Korean cuisine

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Various North Korean dishes and foods Various North Korean foods.jpg
Various North Korean dishes and foods

North Korean cuisine is the traditional culinary practices and dishes of North Korea. Its foundations are laid by the agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula. Some dishes are shared by the two Koreas; however, availability and quality of Northern cuisine is much more significantly affected by sociopolitical class divides.

Contents

Historically, Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating in ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula, it has gone through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends. [1] Rice dishes and kimchi are staple Korean foods. In a traditional meal, they accompany both side dishes ( panch'an ) and main courses like chuk (porridge), pulgogi (grilled meat) or myŏn (noodles). Soju liquor is the best-known traditional Korean spirit. [2]

North Korean cuisine

P'yongyang-raengmyon (pyeongyangraengmyeon/pyeongyangnaengmyeon
) is a cold noodle dish. Cold Noodles at Famous Okryu Restaurant (10108835864).jpg
P'yŏngyang-raengmyŏn (평양랭면/평양냉면) is a cold noodle dish.

Some North Korean dishes and foods are also prepared in South Korea, and many dishes that originated in North Korea were brought to South Korea by migrating families after the Korean War. [3] Many of these imported dishes became staples in the South Korean diet. [3]

The most popular dish that originates in North Korea is called naengmeyon (냉면) in South Korea and raengmyŏn (랭면) in North Korea.[ citation needed ] The most popular type of naengmyeon is called P'yŏngyang-raengmyŏn (평양냉면).[ citation needed ] It is usually served in a big and deep bowl with beef, pheasant, or tongchi'mi broth. It is usually served with cold hand-pulled buckwheat noodles in the cold broth, topped with pickled radish, eggs etc.[ citation needed ] It is usually sided with vinegar and a diluted mustard seed condiment/oil. A different yet popular version of raengmyŏn originates from Hamhung, the hoe raengmyŏn(회 랭면). Hoe raengmyŏn is pibim raengmyŏn with additional marinated raw fish (hoe), usually skate. It is eaten with koch'ujang and other ingredients mixed. Vinegar, sugar, and sometimes sesame oil is added according to taste. The noodles of Hamhŭng raengmyŏn are typically made from potato or sweet potato starch, causing them to be chewier.[ citation needed ]

The flavors of some North Korean dishes differ from South Korean versions, with some being less spicy and more varied in composition than South Korean preparations. [4] [5] North Korean dishes have been described as having a specific tanginess that is derived from using ingredients with flavors of sweet, sour, pungent and spicy, in combinations that create this effect. [6]

Some restaurants, particularly in Pyongyang, have expensive pricing relative to average worker wages in North Korea. [7] [8] North Korean citizens typically cannot afford restaurants. [7] [8] Per their pricing, upscale restaurants are typically available only to well-paid leaders of the North Korean government, tourists visiting the country, and the emerging affluent middle class of tonju (돈주) in the country. [9] [10] Tonju means "masters of money", and the tonju typically hold positions in the government, positions operating state-owned businesses outside of the country, and positions involving bringing investments and the importation of products into the country. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Some street foods exist in North Korea, such as in Pyongyang, where vendors operate food stalls. [15] [16] [17] The first pizzeria in North Korea opened in 2009. [18] Alcoholic beverages are produced and consumed in North Korea, and the country's legal drinking age is 18. [19]

North Korean dishes and foods

An example of kajami shik'ae, a fermented and salted food prepared in North Korea using flounder Gajamisikhae (fermented righteye flounders).jpg
An example of kajami shik'ae, a fermented and salted food prepared in North Korea using flounder
An example of kimbap Gimbap 3.jpg
An example of kimbap
An example of chokbal Korean cuisine-Jokbal-02.jpg
An example of chokbal
Raengmyon served at Okryu-gwan restaurant in Pyongyang, North Korea Okryugwan rengmyun1.jpg
Raengmyŏn served at Okryu-gwan restaurant in Pyongyang, North Korea
P'ajon: pictured is haemulp'ajon, a seafood scallion pancake Haemulpajeon.jpg
P'ajŏn: pictured is haemulp'ajŏn, a seafood scallion pancake
An example of kangjong KOCIS rice puff yeotgangjeong (4646381787).jpg
An example of kangjǒng

Condiments

Koch'ujang is a red chili pepper paste Gochujang (chilli paste).jpg
Koch'ujang is a red chili pepper paste

Some condiments used in North Korea to add flavor to foods are listed below.

Beverages

Taech'u-ch'a tea Korean.tea-Daechucha-01.jpg
Taech'u-ch'a tea

Alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic beverages are consumed in North Korea, and drinking is a part of the culture of North Korea. [46] North Korea's legal drinking age is 18, but minors are sometimes allowed to consume alcoholic beverages, and some shop keepers readily sell them alcoholic drinks. [19] Some North Koreans brew and distill alcoholic beverages at home, despite such home alcohol production being forbidden in North Korea, and some sell these beverages to markets, although this is also illegal. [19] Home brewed liquor is made using ingredients such as potatoes and corn. [19] Some North Korean consumers purchase alcoholic beverages directly from alcohol-producing factories in the country, using cash. [19] In recent times, imported Chinese liquor has been allowed to be sold in markets, and a well-known Chinese liquor purveyed in North Korea is Kaoliang Liquor, which has a 46–50% alcohol content. [19]

North Korea has some bars and other drinking establishments, and in recent times, beer halls have become popular in Pyongyang. [47] [48] [19]

A glass of Taedonggang pilsner beer A glass of Taedonggang pilsner beer.jpg
A glass of Taedonggang pilsner beer
  • Beer is produced in North Korea, and craft beer production has increased in recent times. [49] The major breweries in the country are Taedonggang Brewing Company, Paradise Microbrewery and the Yanggakdo Hotel Microbrewery. [50] In August 2016, the Taedonggang Brewing Company held the country's first beer festival, which included several Taedonggang varieties and other local beers. [51] [52] Local beers at the festival included rice beer and dark beers. [51]
    • Beer brands produced in North Korea
      • Pohak
      • Ponghak
      • Pyongyang
      • Rakwon ("Paradise")
      • Ryongsong
      • Samgak ("Delta")
      • Taedonggang – brewed by the state-owned Taedonggang Brewing Company based in Pyongyang [22] In 2017, Taedonggang was the most popular beer in North Korea. [27]
  • Makkŏlli – a specialty rice wine with a milky appearance, it is common in the countryside of North Korea [22] [27] Makgeolli is produced using the same process used for the production of soju, and typically has a lower alcohol content compared to soju. [27] It is considered by some to be inferior compared to soju. [27]
  • Rice liquor – rice-based liquor is consumed by more North Koreans compared to beer. [53]
  • Rice wineglutinous rice wine is a specialty alcoholic beverage in North Korea [21]
  • Soju – referred to as nongtaegi in North Korea, soju is a clear specialty spirit prepared from sweet potato or barley in North Korea. [19] [25] [22] It is similar to sake. [22] In North Korea, soju's alcohol content ranges from 18 to 25 percent. [27]
  • Whisky – in 2019 North Korea created its first batch of homemade whisky. Samilpo Whisky has been designed to resemble Johnnie Walker to aid brand recognition for North Koreans [54]

See also

Notes

  1. "In North Korea it is only the high-ranking government officials and military officers who can afford to give and receive boxes of Shin Ramyun as a present," – stated to Radio Free Asia by a Seoul-based North Korean defector. [33]

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Further reading