Korean Traditional Local Cuisines

Produced in Korea at the direction of the National Academy of Agricultural Science, this book presents 100 of the country’s regional foods in nine chapters, one for each of its provinces.

Although the book is not vegetarian, it emphasizes local crops from “the mountainous northeastern region, the coastal areas and islets of the western and eastern shores, the southwestern region that has vast plans.”

The chapters are:

• Seoul and surround Gyeonggi, which tends to concentrate foods from all over the country, and is known for restrained flavorings
• Gangwon, which is composed of two contrasting smaller regions: Yeongdong with its seashore and rich fisheries, and Yeongseo where the terrain favors starches other than rice, such as potatoes, corn, buckwheat, and barley
• Chungbuk–landlocked but with abundant rivers offering many types of freshwater fish
• Chungnam, a rich grain-producing area with an ocean coastline, also know for its mild seasonings
• Jeonbuk, Korea’s rice-producing heartland, with many types of signature rice dishes
• Jeonnam, known for the diversity of its flavors and ingredients, where foraging is still a common practice
• Gyeongbuk, considered the home of the most traditional cooking in Korea, with strong religious influences
• Gyeongnam, a southern region favoring seafood, usually simply prepared

Individual recipes do not have headnotes, though they are supported by step-by-step photo sequences and occasional footnotes explaining distinctive ingredients. 

Because this is a translation of a work written for a Korean audience, it does sometimes assume that a cook is familiar with fundamental techniques of the Korean kitchen. Still, any motivated cook with reasonable kitchen skills will be able to address dishes such as fresh buckwheat noodles with vegetables, chilled white bean soup, and pan-fried tofu with pork.

You will want good access to Korean ingredients and fresh vegetables.

Paperback. Color photographs throughout. Measurements are largely in metric.