What Koreans eat during Chuseok, ｜ japchae, yukjeon, songpyeon, dong geulangttaeng

*Picture source: Recipes of 10,000, KOREA BAPSANG

Chuseok, also call ed Hangawi, is an event held on the 15th day of the lunar calendar, and it is Korea's major and national holiday, along with Lunar New Year. This year, 2024 will have a five-day holiday period, including the weekend from Monday, Sept. 16 to Wednesday, Sept. 18. 

 It is similar to Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The two expressed their gratitude for allowing them to harvest food safely throughout the year based on farming, but their food, play, and culture are different.

  Then, what do Koreans eat during Chuseok? It varies from region to region, but songpyeon is usually the iconic Chuseok food. To top it off, there are donggrang dang, assorted jeon, braised short ribs, herbs, radish soup, and japchae. Let me explain each dish right away. ????????

1. Songpyeon

Songpyeon is a traditional Korean rice cake that is absolutely eaten during Chuseok. Songpyeon is made by adding beans, sesame seeds, or red beans to sticky rice dough, forming a half-moon shape and steaming it on pine needles. It is very delicious because the rice cake is chewy and has a sweet or savory inside. Celebrating Chuseok with your family while eating songpyeon is one of the important traditions in Korea.

2. Japchae

 Japchae is Korea's representative noodle dish made with glass noodles. The glass noodles are chewy with sweet potato starch, and we stir-fry various vegetables and meat together. It is seasoned with soy sauce and has a sweet and salty taste, making it a favorite food. It is a popular dish that does not leave out japchae during Chuseok.

3. Galbijjim

 Braised short ribs is a dish made by gently boiling beef ribs or pork ribs. Because the meat has been cooked with various ingredients such as soy sauce, garlic, and jujube for a long time, the texture that melts in your mouth is superb. With its sweet and salty combination, it is one of the must-eat foods during the Chuseok holiday.

4. Modeumjeon (+dong geulangttaeng)

 A assorted pancake is a type of pancake that is coated with various ingredients in egg water and steamed in oil. One of the best examples is a meat and vegetables. It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. In Korea, when you eat jeon, it is common to dip it in soy sauce, so it is delicious with its flavor.

5. Muguk

 Radish soup is a clear and light soup, and its main ingredients are radishes and meat. Radish is soft and sweet, so the soup is cool and light. After eating a lot of greasy food during the Chuseok holiday, it's perfect for a light soup to cleanse your mouth. It's a simple and warm soothing dish.

6. Yukjeon

Meat pancake is a dish made by coating thinly sliced beef with egg water. The meat is soft and the savory taste of the egg melts gently in the mouth. Meat pancake is more delicious when dipped in sauce or eaten with other foods, and is one of the dishes you don't miss during the Chuseok holiday.

7. Namul

Vegetables are a traditional Korean side dish made by boiling or roasting various vegetables. Each vegetable is seasoned with sesame oil and salt to give it a soft and savory taste. On Chuseok, it is a meaning to eat various vegetables together and pray for good health. It is a simple yet nutritious side dish, so I would like to recommend it to foreigners as well.

 What kind of Chuseok food do you want to try?

It's Chuseok holiday in Korea soon, so I hope you have a great holiday if you have Thanksgiving ????????