Do not miss these food when travelling to North Korea

North Korea has a rich culinary heritage shared with the South Korea. Dishes originating during ancient Korea remain heavily influential to modern cuisine in both preparation and presentation. You can count on a diet heavy on rice, vegetables and meats, it is not just kimchi! Here are seven popular and delicious foods in North Korea!

Naengmyeon

Naengmyeon, or simply known as “Pyongyang Cold Noodle Soup”, is a must-try dish made all throughout Korea but most famously (and in this writer’s humble opinion) best made in Pyongyang. Do not forget to add the essential ingredients of vinegar, soy sauce and hot mustard to make the mild broth exactly to your tastes. The more hot-mustard-induced nostril burnage the better.

Maize Porridge

North Koreans often eat maize porridge, also known as juk, for breakfast and snacks according to The Daily Meal. Do not think oatmeal when you are picturing it, though, because typically the North Korean porridge is savory, not full of brown sugar and raisins. Porridge is easy to make, you just boil rice or another grain and add basically whatever else strikes your fancy, like veggies or seafood. It is also easy to digest, and provides a satisfying hot meal with which to start the day.

Dolsot Bibimbap

Dolsot in Korean means ‘stone pot’ and bibimbap literally translates to ‘mixed rice’. It is a simple yet classic example of Korean cuisine where white rice is topped by assorted vegetables, meats, and fried egg, which are then seasoned. The dish arrives at the table still cooking, sizzling away and ready to garnish with red bean paste and soy. Soup is then added to the stone pot and it is stirred thoroughly before eating. Dolsot bibimbap is easily altered into a vegetarian option. Be sure to also ask your Korean guides to share the fable of how bibimbap originated!

Boiled Rice

North Koreans eat a lot of rice, according to the Los Angeles Times, much like South Koreans. When they can get it, that is. Because of the cold temperatures in North Korea, it is difficult to grow rice, so many opt for millet and potatoes, which are more plentiful, as a daily staple.

Korean BBQ

Do not have a penchant for clams with an aftertaste of gasoline? Never fear! Korean BBQ over a smoky charcoal grill is still very much available. Most commonly found are BBQ joints serving up lamb, duck and seafood.

Hotpot

Perfect for those cold winter nights in North Korea, especially Pyongyang, let your hot-pot broth marinate in the flavours of pork, tofu and an assortment of vegetables. When eating at the famous ‘Hot Pot Restaurant’ in Pyongyang, you can add salt, pepper, chili and piles of straight-up powdered MSG (looks like salt but more crystal-y) to your own tastes.

Sinseollo

Sinseollo is another dish that North Koreans generally order when they are out to dinner, according to The Daily Meal. They might pay anywhere from $7 to $40 for a hot pot filled with vegetables, dumplings, and possibly meat in a rich broth. Diners cook the dish themselves, over a pan of water on top of a coal fire, or in a vessel that looks like a Bundt pan with hot embers in the middle to keep the meal hot.

See more: Things to know before traveling to North Korea

Source Internet