Korean temple cuisine

Infobox Korean name

---

caption=Korean temple cuisine at Sanchon, a restaurant located in Insadong, Seoul.
hangul=사찰
hanja=linktext|寺|刹|飮|食
rr=sachal eumsik
mr=sach'al ŭmsik

Korean temple cuisine refers to a type of cuisine that originated in Buddhist temples of Korea. Since Buddhism was introduced into Korea, Buddhist traditions have strongly influenced Korean cuisine as well. During the Silla period (57 BC – 935 AD), "chalbap" (찰밥, a bowl of cooked glutinous rice) "yakgwa" (약과, a fried dessert) and "yumilgwa" (a fried and puffed rice snack) were served for Buddhist altars and have been developed into types of "hangwa", Korean traditional confectionary. During the Goryeo Dynasty, "sangchu ssam" (wraps made with lettuce), "yaksik", and "yakgwa" were developed, so spread to China and other countries. Since the Joseon Dynasty, Buddhist cuisine has been established in Korea according to regions and temples.cite web|url=http://encyber.com/search_w/ctdetail.php?&masterno=761879&contentno=761879 |title=Sachal eumsik (사찰음식 寺刹飮食) |publisher=Doosan Encyclopedia |language=Korean |accessdate=2008-08-08] cite web|url=http://www.segye.com/Articles/News/Culture/Article.asp?aid=20080508002244&subctg1=11&subctg2=00 |title=심신이 맑아지는 사찰음식…마음까지 정갈|publisher=Seyeo Ilbo |author=Song, Min-seop (송민섭) |language=Korean |date=2008-05-08|accessdate=2008-08-08]

On the other hand, royal court cuisine is closely related to Korean temple cuisine. In the past, when the royal court maids called "sanggung" (상궁), who were assigned to "Suragan" (hangul: 수라간; hanja: ; the name of the royal kitchen), where they prepared the king's meals, became old, they had to leave the royal palace. Therefore, many of them entered Buddhist temples to become nuns. As the result, culinary techniques and recipes of the royal cuisine were integrated into Buddhist cuisine. [cite news|url=http://myfriday.joins.com/myfriday/article/m_article_view.asp?aid=274800&servcode=3600101 |title=사찰 음식, 정신을 수양하며 건강을 먹는다 |publisher=JoongAng Ilbo language=Korean |accessdate=2008-08-09]

Dishes by region

"Baek kimchi" (white kimchi) to which pine nuts have been added, "bossam kimchi" (보쌈김치)," and gosu kimchi" (고수김치, coriander kimchi) are famous in Buddhist temples of Gyeonggi and Chungcheong Province. In Jeolla Province, "godeulppagi kimchi" (고들빼기김치, kimchi made with "Youngia sonchifolia"), "gat kimchi" (갓김치, kimchi made with "Brassica juncea" var. integrifolia), and "juksun kimchi" (죽순김치, bamboo shoot kimchi), all of which include "deulkkaejuk" (perilla congee) as an ingredient, are famous. None of these varieties of kimchi contain garlic, scallions, or "jeotgal" (salted fermented seafood), as foods in the genus "Allium" are generally avoided by Korean Buddhist monks and nuns.

Dishes by temple

Tongdosa located in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province is known for its "dureup muchim" (두릅무침, sauteed shoots of "Aralia elata"), "pyeogobap" (표고밥, shiitake rice), "nokdu chalpyeon" (녹두찰편, steamed "tteok", a rice cake made with mung beans) are well-known dishes as well as kimchi, "saengchae" (생채, cold salad), "twigak" (튀각, a fried dish with without coating), and "jeon" (pancake) made with young shoots of "Toona sinensis". The species is called "chamjuk", literally meaning "true bamboo" in Korean because its shoots can be eaten like bamboo shoots. However, the dishes are prefixed with either "chanmjuk" or "gajuk" (가죽, literally "false bamboo") according to region.

Haeinsa, located in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, is not only famous for the Tripitaka Koreana but also specialty of the temple cuisine such as "sangchu bulttuk kimchi" (상추불뚝김치, lettuce kimchi), "gaji jijim" (가지지짐, pan-fried sliced eggplant), "gosu muchim" (고수무침, sauteed coriander leaves), "sandongbaekip bugak" (산동백잎부각, fried leaves of "Lindera obtusiloba"), [cite web|url=http://www.encyber.com/plant/detail/782528/|title=www.encyber.com/plant/detail/782528/ ] "meouitang" (머위탕 "Petasites japonicus" soup), "songibap" (송이밥, rice dish made with matsutake), "solipcha" (솔잎차, tea made with leaves of "Pinus densiflora").

ee also

*Buddhist cuisine
*Korean cuisine
*Korean vegetarian cuisine
*Buddhism in Korea

Notes

Bibliography

*cite web|title=Significance of Temple Food |url=http://eng.koreatemple.net/culture/default.asp?cat_id=26&page=1 |publisher=Korea Temple |language=English |accessdate=2008-08-08
*cite web|title=History of Temple Food |url=http://eng.koreatemple.net/culture/default.asp?cat_id=26&page=2 |publisher=Korea Temple |language=English |accessdate=2008-08-08
*cite book|title=한국사찰음식 |author=Kim Yeon-sik (김연식) |publisher=Uri Publishing (우리출판사) |language=Korean |isbn=8975610861 |date=1999
*cite book|title=선재 스님의 사찰음식 |author=Seonjae |editor=Kim Su-kyeong (김수경) |publisher=Design House |language=Korean |isbn=8970419179 |date=2005-05-25
*cite book|title=선오 스님의 백련으로 만드는 사찰음식 |author=Seono |publisher=Unjusa (운주사) |language=Korean |isbn=9788957462089 |date=2008-04-21
*cite book|title=전통 사찰음식 |author=Jeokmun (적문) |publisher=Uri Publishing (우리출판사) |language=Korean |isbn=8975611280 |date=2000-06-01

External links

*ko [http://www.templefood.co.kr Cultural Research Center for Korea Traditional Temple Cuisine]
*ko [http://www.buddhaclub.co.kr/templefood/templefood.html Buddhist temple cuisine] at buddhaclub.co.kr
*ko [http://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=20080730010325300230021 깊고 맑고 순한 맛 ‘사찰음식’] at Munhwa Ilbo