Do you know what people in North Korea eat daily? Or what their traditional meals are? What about food enjoyed on special holidays?
Food is a deliberate product of culture. It reflects the geographical characteristics of a region and freezes anecdotes behind it in a delicious bite. Although food tends to be specific to a culture or region, it has the power to connect diverse cultures. No one can resist the savory smell of food, even if it is a menu, they haven’t tried before. Thus, food is one of the most potent yet intuitive ways to get to know diverse cultures.
We, Voice Us, wanted to create an opportunity for a broader audience to learn about North Korean culture. Although North Koreans have a rich culture within their nation, it has been largely neglected by the media. One of the first steps to advocating for the people there is to familiarize ourselves with their culture. Therefore, we wrote a North Korean cuisine cookbook.
This cookbook contains 50 recipes for special North Korean food, categorized by the regions from which the dishes originated. It includes an informative section about the areas’ geographical characteristics, climate, and unique culture. We have also included hand-drawn illustrations of each menu with the help of our illustrator Sojeong Kim. The recipes include the ingredients needed to make the dish, step-by-step instructions, and an anecdote passed on with each dish.
We want you first to read this cookbook as if it is a story. Please take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the anecdotes passed on each dish, imagine yourself in North Korea, and get to explore the culture. Then, if time allows, we strongly encourage you to try making at least a few dishes yourselves— most ingredients are readily available, and some should be at your home. Share the food you made with your family and create a comfortable space to discuss North Korean culture with others. I am sure you will develop a surprising connection with North Korea, although you have not been there before. It’s the power of a delicious bite of food.
This book is both in digital copy (pdf) and hardcopy. You can purchase using the links below: felt that understanding North Korean cuisine is a first step to understand their daily lives.
This book is published in both digital and paper format and is available for purchase at the links below:
ISBN 979-11-372-9502-5
The 100% of proceeds from the book sales will go to our fund.
Show us your support and many thanks to the contributors!
Lead Author Seojin Ahn