North Korean cuisine


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.
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. Rice dishes and kimchi are staple Korean foods. In a traditional meal, they accompany both side dishes and main courses like chuk, pulgogi or myŏn. Soju liquor is the best-known traditional Korean spirit.

North Korean cuisine

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. Many of these imported dishes became staples in the South Korean diet.
The most popular dish that originates in North Korea is called naengmyeon ' in South Korea and raengmyŏn in North Korea. The most popular type of naengmyeon is called P'yŏngyang-raengmyŏn ' . It is usually served in a big and deep bowl with beef, pheasant, or tongch'imi broth. It is usually served with cold hand-pulled buckwheat noodles in the cold broth, topped with pickled radish, eggs etc. 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 ''''. Hoe raengmyŏn is pibim raengmyŏn with additional marinated raw fish, 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.
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. North Korean dishes have been described as having a specific tanginess that is created from the interplay of spicy, sour and sweet flavors.
Some restaurants, particularly in Pyongyang, have expensive pricing relative to average worker wages in North Korea. North Korean citizens typically cannot afford such restaurants. Due to 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 in the country. 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.
Some street foods exist in North Korea, such as in Pyongyang, where vendors operate food stalls. The first pizzeria in North Korea opened in 2009. Alcoholic beverages are produced and consumed in North Korea, and the country's legal drinking age is 18.

North Korean dishes and foods

Condiments

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

Beverages

  • Bottled water is imported from China, and is typically consumed by the donju, "the new affluent middle class" in North Korea. "Shindŏk' Saemmul" is a spring water produced in North Korea, but it is exported to countries in Southeast Asia, and is typically not available in the North Korean market.
  • Coffee
  • * Instant coffee – some instant coffee in North Korea is produced within the country
  • Ginseng tea – a common beverage in North Korea
  • Soft drinks – soft drink bottlers exist in North Korea, such as the Wonbong Trading Co. in Pyongyang. Soft drink products produced within North Korea are sometimes labeled as "carbonated sweet water". Sometime in 2017, Air Koryo, North Korea's flagship airline, began offering its own brand of soft drinks on flights to and from Beijing, China. Air Koryo soft drinks are also sold at some North Korean grocery stores. Coca-Cola bottled in China is available in upscale grocery stores in Pyongyang, and Pepsi bottled in China is also available, although it is rare compared to Coca-Cola's availability.
  • Ryongjin Cocoa – a North Korean own brand cola made and canned in the country
  • Taech'u-ch'a – a traditional Korean tea prepared with jujube and a pine nut garnish

Alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic beverages are consumed in North Korea, and drinking is a part of the culture of North Korea. 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. 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. Home brewed liquor is made using ingredients such as potatoes and corn. Some North Korean consumers purchase alcoholic beverages directly from alcohol-producing factories in the country, using cash. 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.
North Korea has some bars and other drinking establishments, and in recent times, beer halls have become popular in Pyongyang.
  • Beer is produced in North Korea, and craft beer production has increased in recent times. The major breweries in the country are Taedonggang Brewing Company, Paradise Microbrewery and the Yanggakdo Hotel Microbrewery. In August 2016, the Taedonggang Brewing Company held the country's first beer festival, which included several Taedonggang varieties and other local beers. Local beers at the festival included rice beer and dark beers.
  • *Beer brands produced in North Korea
  • ** Pohak
  • ** Ponghak
  • ** Pyongyang
  • ** Rakwon
  • ** Ryongsong
  • ** Samgak
  • ** Taedonggang – brewed by the state-owned Taedonggang Brewing Company based in Pyongyang In 2017, Taedonggang was the most popular beer in North Korea.
  • Makkŏlli – a specialty rice wine with a milky appearance, it is common in the countryside of North Korea Makgeolli is produced using the same process used for the production of soju, and typically has a lower alcohol content compared to soju. It is considered by some to be inferior compared to soju.
  • Rice liquor – rice-based liquor is consumed by more North Koreans compared to beer.
  • Rice wine – glutinous rice wine is a specialty alcoholic beverage in North Korea
  • Soju – referred to as nongtaegi in North Korea, soju is a clear specialty spirit prepared from sweet potato or barley in North Korea. It is similar to sake. In North Korea, soju's alcohol content ranges from 18 to 25 percent.
  • 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