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(The Korea Herald) |
Historically, Seollal mornings start with paying reverence to ancestors by way of charye, a conventional ceremony. A wide range of home-cooked dishes ready days forward are set out, incense burning, and every member of the family takes time to pay their respects.
Though charye may be very structured with a selected method of putting the plates, the meals served on the desk differs by area. The geographical and cultural traits of every area are mirrored on the charye desk.
Gyeonggi Province
Distant from the ocean, seafood was arduous to come back by in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, so dried fish delicacies have been served. Dried pollack, which symbolizes abundance, and Mung Bean Pancake are one of many favorites.
Gangwon Province
Most of Gangwon Province is made up of mountains, so a small quantity of seafood is served, except for Gangneung, which is situated close to the East Sea.
Well-known for its potatoes, most of the charye dishes in Gangwon Province embody regionally grown buckwheat and potatoes.
Chungcheong Province
Sitting on the heart of South Korea, delicacies from Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Jeolla Provinces have combined into the charye dishes ready in Chungcheong Province. Relying on which province is nearer, meals is ready in another way. Households nearer to Gyeongsang Province serve stockfish like dried codfish, dried shark, and devilfish, and people nearer to Jeolla Province have butterfish and octopus. Inland areas, nevertheless, have vegetable pancakes with cabbage and mushrooms as an alternative of fish.
Jeolla Province
Blessed with each ocean and the plains, the charye desk in Jeolla Province is particularly festive with ample meals. A wide range of seafood delicacies are served, together with braised skate, butterfish, octopus, and cockle. These days, butterfish is favored over braised skates due to its pungent odor.
Gyeongsang Province
Near the ocean, seafood delicacies are to not be missed on the charye desk in Gyeongsang Province.
Dombaegi, a salted shark meat delicacy particular to Gyeongsang Province, and a boiled, full-size octopus are two of Gyeongsang’s specialties. Dombaegi is an onomatopoeia named after the chopping sound of the fish — “dombak, dombak.” Topping off with a full-sized octopus is a convention began by the seonbi, Confucian students, of Andong, and nonetheless deemed important to point out full respect. Soju and sikhye, a candy rice drink, brewed in Andong can also be served on the aspect.
Jeju Island
Surrounded by water, this southernmost island affords extra particular dishes on the charye desk. As an island, Jeju is geographically unfit for rice cultivation however bountiful with different regionally grown meals. So as an alternative of rice cake, households of Jeju typically make bread with barley. Jeju specialties, like abalone, tangerine and tilefish are additionally explicit to Jeju households.
By Park Soong-joo (soongjoopark@heraldcorp.com)
