North Korean cuisine

North Korean cuisineis the traditional culinary practices and dishes of North Korea. Its foundations are laid by the agricultural and nomadic traditions insouthern Manchuriaand theKorean 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 cuisinehas evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating in ancientagricultural and nomadic traditionsin southernManchuriaand the Korean Peninsula, it has gone through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.Rice dishesandkimchiarestapleKorean foods. In a traditional meal, they accompany both side dishes (panch'an) and main courses likechuk(porridge),pulgogi(grilled meat) ormyŏn(noodles).Sojuliquor is the best-known traditional Korean spirit.
SomeNorth Koreandishes and foods are also prepared inSouth Korea, and many dishes that originated in North Korea were brought to South Korea by migrating families after theKorean War.Many of these imported dishes became staples in the South Korean diet.
The most popular dish that originates in North Korea is callednaengmeyon(냉면)in South Korea andraengmyŏn (랭면)inNorth Korea.The most popular type of naengmyeon is calledP'yŏngyang-raengmyŏn(평양냉면).It is usually served in a big and deep bowl with beef, pheasant, ortongchi'mibroth. It is usually served with cold hand-pulledbuckwheat noodlesin the cold broth, topped withpickled radish, eggs etc.It is usually sided with vinegar and a dilutedmustard seedcondiment/oil. A different yet popular version ofraengmyŏnoriginates fromHamhung, thehoe raengmyŏn(회 랭면).Hoe raengmyŏnispibim raengmyŏnwith additional marinated raw fish (hoe), usuallyskate. It is eaten withkoch'ujangand other ingredients mixed. Vinegar, sugar, and sometimessesame oilis added according to taste. The noodles ofHamhŭng raengmyŏnare 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 derived from using ingredients with flavors of sweet, sour, pungent and spicy, in combinations that create this effect.
Somerestaurants, particularly inPyongyang, have expensive pricing relative to average worker wages in North Korea.North Korean citizens typically cannot afford restaurants.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 oftonju (돈주)in the country.Tonjumeans "masters of money", and thetonjutypically 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.
Somestreet foodsexist in North Korea, such as in Pyongyang, where vendors operatefood stalls.The firstpizzeria in North Koreaopened in 2009.Alcoholic beveragesare produced and consumed in North Korea, and the country's legal drinking age is 18.
Somecondimentsused in North Korea to add flavor to foods are listed below.
Alcoholic beverages are consumed in North Korea, and drinking is a part of theculture of North Korea.North Korea'slegal drinking ageis 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 hallshave become popular in Pyongyang.