Tempting temple food to satisfy your stomach
JoongAng Daily
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| Temple cuisine from Gurye County, South Jeolla is nutritious and completely vegetarian. Provided by the Korea Tourism Organization |
With the increase in the number of vegetarians and health-conscious people these days, temple food is gaining widespread attention around the world. It is good for the body, good for the environment and is more filling than one might expect.
Traditionally enjoyed by Buddhist monks, temple cuisine is different in each country. For example, in Japan, although vegetarianism is prevalent, there’s always a piece of meat in each bowl, whereas in South Korea, meat is forbidden.
Temple cuisine in South Korea is strictly vegetarian and devoid of strongly flavored herbs and vegetables including garlic, onions and leeks. The major components of the cuisine are vegetables, roots and grains. Seasonings are used sparingly and only to enhance the natural flavors of each ingredient.
The temple cuisine from Gurye County in South Jeolla might be the best representative of South Korean temple cuisine.
The Gurye area is home to some of the country’s oldest temples, including Hwaeomsa Temple. The temple, which was established 1,500 years ago, is the largest, and one of the best-known, temples in the country.
As the residents of Gurye County have lived in close proximity to Buddhist temples for centuries, they have accepted many temple customs into their daily lives, including the preparation of temple cuisine.
Gurye County residents also benefit from the natural resources provided by nearby Mout Jiri, which is considered one of the three most important mountains in South Korea, with Mount Halla and Mount Seorak being the other two. Gurye County is located near the foot of Mount Jiri, and has long provided Buddhist monks with plenty of the fresh mountain herbs and wild vegetables that have become the main ingredients in temple cuisine. Well over 20 different wild vegetables are used in temple cooking. They are added to soups and other main dishes or are used to make the side dishes that are an integral part of any Korean meal.
As with any Korean meal, bowls of rice are served with temple food, but in temple cuisine the rice is usually supplemented with other ingredients. At least five different ingredients are added to white rice, increasing the nutritional value of the rice and enhancing its flavor. These include black rice, glutinous rice, millet seeds, chestnuts and Chinese dates.
As a finishing touch, lotus leaf powder is sprinkled on top of the rice and topped with a lotus flower petal. In Buddhism, the lotus is believed to purify body and soul.
Temple cuisine is prepared with the utmost care and respect for its ingredients. It can be quite hearty even without the meat, meaning that even the biggest carnivores out there are not likely to go hungry.
By Yim Seung-hye Contributing writer [estyle@joongang.co.kr]