5 'royal' dishes you must try when you come to Korea

We have always thought that the secrets of Korean royal cuisine completely disappeared when feudal dynasties collapsed, however, they are being vividly recreated by the country's leading artisans.Royal Korean cuisine seems to have reached its peak under the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), when eating became a highly respected custom. The maids learned strict etiquette from an early age and passed down secret recipes to serve the ruling class.The preparation of meals for the royal family often lasted for many months and was meticulously documented. During major events, the maids will place rice cakes (tteok), sweets (hangwa) and fruit about 60 cm high on the table to signify the health and prosperity of the king.Normally, the court ladies served the king five meals a day. The main meal (surasang) consists of a banquet of more than a dozen dishes accompanied by stew, hot pot, kimchi and sauce. Governors from the provinces were tasked with providing ingredients for the royal chefs. Most of the cuisine of that time often prioritized the originality of the ingredients instead of the usual spicy like today.Today, when coming to Korea, visitors can visit the cultural center and restaurant Korea House, Philkyungjae or Jihwaja in Seoul to enjoy special royal dishes that seem to have been lost.Here is a list of 5 royal dishes that visitors should not miss when coming to Korea1. Chimchae (three types of kimchi): Chimchae is a general term used to refer to different types of kimchi, served before a meal as a side dish (banchan) or eaten with the main course. The most recognizable type of kimchi today consists of chopped vegetables with salt and fish sauce, red peppers and spices. There are three types of kimchi commonly served to Korean royalty in the past: diced radish kimchi (songsongi), standard cabbage kimchi, and radish water kimchi (dongchimi).2. Jochi: Stew dishes always appear in Korean royal cuisine, including soybean soup (tojangjochi) and salted seafood stew (jeotgukjochi), which are popular among the Joseon royal family. Koreans now often eat rice cream stew soup to start the main meal next to hot grilled meat. 3. Pyeonyuk: Pyeonyuk is the term used to refer to boiled beef or pork served with noodles or stew. In the past, pyeonyuk was often cooked in huge pots of broth to serve at parties. Most diners now eat it with cold noodles (naengmyeon) or beef bone soup (seolleongtang). The Hyehwa university neighborhood in Seoul has many cold noodle shops that serve pyeonyuk as a side dish.4. Deoongui: Korean royals often enjoy this hot barbecue with rice. Master chefs grill beef directly over the fire and make a dipping sauce from a mixture of salted shrimp, soy sauce or fermented soybeans. Nowadays, people prefer to grill their own meat with portable grills at home or while camping. Visitors can also grill their own meat at restaurants in Seoul's bustling Jonggak neighborhood.5. Jeongol: Korean-style hot pot usually served with vegetables and meat dipped in a pot of boiling hot water. According to documents found from the Joseon period, this dish originated in ancient times, when soldiers used to cook food inside their helmets. When offering jeongol to the king, the chef arranges seasonal vegetables and meats inside a hot pot bowl with some broth.

According to Wanderlust