North Korean cuisine is the traditional culinary practices and dishes of North Korea. Its foundations are laid by the agricultural and nomadic traditions insouthern Manchuria and theKorean Peninsula. Some dishes are shared by the two Koreas; however, availability and quality of Northern cuisine is much more significantly affected by sociopolitical class divides.

Historically,Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating in ancientagricultural and nomadic traditions in southernManchuria and the Korean Peninsula, it has gone through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.^[1]Rice dishes andkimchi arestaple Korean foods. In a traditional meal, they accompany both side dishes (panch'an) and main courses likechuk (porridge),pulgogi (grilled meat) ormyŏn (noodles).Soju liquor is the best-known traditional Korean spirit.^[2]

Some North Korean dishes and foods are also prepared in South Korea, and many dishes that originated in North Korea were brought to South Korea by migrating families after theKorean War.^[3] Many of these imported dishes became staples in the South Korean diet.^[3]

The most popular dish that originates in North Korea is callednaengmeyon(냉면) in South Korea andraengmyŏn (랭면) in North Korea.^{[citation needed]} The most popular type of naengmyeon is calledP'yŏngyang-raengmyŏn(평양냉면).^{[citation needed]} It is usually served in a big and deep bowl with beef, pheasant, ortongch'imi broth. It is usually served with cold hand-pulledbuckwheat noodles in the cold broth, topped withpickled radish, eggs etc.^{[citation needed]} It is usually sided with vinegar and a dilutedmustard seed condiment/oil. A different yet popular version ofraengmyŏn originates fromHamhung, thehoe raengmyŏn(회 랭면).Hoe raengmyŏn ispibim raengmyŏn with additional marinated raw fish (hoe), usuallyskate. It is eaten withkoch'ujang and other ingredients mixed. Vinegar, sugar, and sometimessesame oil is added according to taste. The noodles ofHamhŭng raengmyŏn are typically made from potato or sweet potato starch, causing them to be chewier.^{[citation needed]}

The flavors of some North Korean dishes differ from South Korean versions, with some being less spicy and more varied in composition than South Korean preparations.^[4][5] North Korean dishes have been described as having a specific tanginess that is derived from using ingredients with flavors of sweet, sour, pungent and spicy, in combinations that create this effect.^[6]

Somerestaurants, particularly inPyongyang, have expensive pricing relative to average worker wages in North Korea.^[7][8] North Korean citizens typically cannot afford restaurants.^[7][8] Per their pricing, upscale restaurants are typically available only to well-paid leaders of the North Korean government, tourists visiting the country, and the emerging affluent middle class oftonju (돈주) in the country.^[9][10]Tonju means "masters of money", and thetonju typically hold positions in the government, positions operating state-owned businesses outside of the country, and positions involving bringing investments and the importation of products into the country.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Somestreet foods exist in North Korea, such as in Pyongyang, where vendors operatefood stalls.^[15][16][17] The firstpizzeria in North Korea opened in 2009.^[18]Alcoholic beverages are produced and consumed in North Korea, and the country's legal drinking age is 18.^[19]

• Barley^[6]
• Beef rib soup, a food normally eaten by high-ranking people; due to cows being crucial to farming by commoners.^[20]
• Bellflower^[21]
• Ch'amgŏnggeal – also known as sea urchin oruni (Japanese:ウニ).
• Chapch'ae^[22]
• Chicken^[23]
• Chinesecabbage stew^[24]
• Chokbal – consists ofpig's trotters cooked withsoy sauce and various spices.^[3] Additional ingredients can include onion, leeks, garlic, cinnamon and black pepper.^[3]
• Cookies^[17]
• Corn – it is not uncommon for North Koreans to grind corn, often including the corn cobs and husks to extend the mixture^[6]
• Edible mushrooms – such as wild pine mushrooms^[6]

• Herbs andgreens – used as an ingredient and in salads^[6]
• Hot pot^[21]

• Kajami shik'ae – a fermented and salted food prepared in North Korea usingflounder and additional ingredients such as quinoa, garlic, ginger and chili flakes.^[3]
• Kimbap^[22]
• Kimchi – very common in North Korea, it is consumed as both a condiment and as a side dish, and often accompanies every meal.^{[5][25][22][26][27][6]} Kimchi is relied upon by North Koreans during the winter months when fresh vegetables are unavailable.^[6]
  • Kkaktuki – diced radish kimchi
• Kogi bap – a rice dish withartificial meat, it is a popular North Koreanstreet food^[16]
  • Injo kogi – sausages prepared using soybeans and other ingredients.^[16]
  • Injo kogi bap – cooked rice wrapped in a skin of leftover soybean paste.
• Korean chestnut^[21]
• Mandu – variousdumplings, mandu styles vary in different regions of North Korea^[3]
  • P'yŏnsu – square-shaped mandu popular inKaesong
• Meats – Pork is the most commonly consumed meat, along with rabbit, goat, beef, and occasionally dog^[6]
• Millet^[28]
• Miyŏk-kuk – a nutritious vegetable soup prepared with seaweed^[22]
• Namp'o hwibaryu chogaegui (petrol clam barbecue) – a type of North Korean street food popular in the city ofNampo. Clams are doused withpetrol and set on fire for about five to ten minutes.^[29]

• Noodles and noodle dishes^[30] – in North Korean culture, long noodles represent a long life or a long marriage, and long noodles are served to people at weddings.^[27]
  • Beef noodle soup^[25]
  • Corn noodles^[31][32]
  • Raengmyŏn – referred to as "naengmyeon" in South Korea, it is a traditional Korean cold noodle dish that is prepared usingbuckwheat noodles in North Korea.
  • Ramyŏn – referred to as "curly noodles" orkkoburang-kuksu (꼬부랑국수) in North Korea.^[31]Shin Ramyun is a brand ofinstant noodles produced in South Korea that is nicknamed "money ramen" in North Korea, due to its relatively expensive pricing in North Korea at around 800won per unit.^[31] In 2009, boxes of Shin Ramyun that contain twenty packages of ramen per box cost around 30,000 North Korean won, which in North Korea is expensive, and therefore not available to most North Korean citizens at this price.^[a]
  • Rice noodles^[24]

• P'ajŏn^[25]
• Panch'an –side dishes that accompany full meals, panch'an dishes are typically spicy, salty or tangy, and many arefermented, which adds flavor.^[5] Restaurants in North Korea typically charge for these accompaniments.^[25]
  • Pansangi – an arrangement of different foods and side dishes such asrice,broth,fermented vegetables and sometimesmeat. It is a popular method of food preparation in Kaesong.
• Pheasant^[24][34]
• Pibimpap – white rice with vegetables and other ingredients^[25][22][28]
  • Tolsot pibimpap^[25] – hot stone pot pibimpap
• Pickled cucumber^[21]
• Pindae-ttŏk – a fried green bean pancake prepared usingmung beans, green onion and kimchi.^[20][22][3] Pindae-ttŏk first appears under the namebinjatteok in theUmsik timipang, a cooking encyclopedia written in the 1670s byChang Kye-hyang, the wife of a public officer.
• Porridge – astaple food in North Korea^[5]
• Potatoes and potato dishes.^[28][6] See also:potato production in North Korea.
• Pulgogi – marinated and grilled beef^[22][28]
• Quail eggs and quail egg jelly^[24]
• Rice^[20][28] – short-grain rice is a staple food in North Korea.^[5]
• Rice cakes^[6]
• Seafood – seafood dishes andraw seafood are a part of the cuisine, and seafood is a staple food in North Korea^[5][25]
  • Alaska pollock^[35]
  • Clams^[5][6]
  • Cod^[5]
  • Kimbap sushi^[22]
  • Gray mullet fish soup^[20]
  • Octopus^[24]
  • Salmon and raw salmon^[25]
• Seaweed^[6]
• Shinsŏllo^[20]

• Snack foods – examples of snack foods produced within North Korea includekangjŏng, cookies, puffy snacks and cotton candy pieces.^[17]
• Sundae – traditional Korean sausages that are a popular street food^[16]
• Sungŏ-kuk
• Tangogikuk – traditional soup with dog meat as a primary ingredient^{[22][36][37][27][38][24]}
• Tofu – a staple food in North Korea^[5][21][30]
  • Tofu bap – a tofu and rice dish that is a common street food in North Korea.^[16]
• Tot'ori-muk – acorn jelly^[6]
• Ttŏk – sticky rice cakes, sometimes with fillings^[22]
• Turkey^[21]
• Yakpap – a traditional sweet dish prepared using steamed glutinous rice, chestnuts, dates, honey and other ingredients^[26]

• North Korean dishes and foods
• 
  Tangogikuk
• 
  Tolsot pibimpap
• 
  Unseasonedtot'orimuk
• 
  Mapo tofu originated in China, and is consumed in North Korea
• 
  Ttŏk inPyongyang, North Korea
• 
  Yakpap
• 
  Some typical foods in North Korea
• 
  Street food vendors in Pyongyang, North Korea
• 
  Driedpollock at the Rakwon Paradise Microbrewery. Dried pollock is a typical bar snack in some areas of North Korea.
• 
  Lunch at a restaurant in Pyongyang
• 
  Lunch at a restaurant inKaesong
• 
  North Korean foods
• 
  Foods at a restaurant in Pyongyang
• 
  Covered dishes at Tongil restaurant in Kaesong
• 
  Dishes at Tongil restaurant in Kaesong
• 
  ANorth Korean propaganda poster stating, "Breed more rabbits and let our soldiers enjoy plentiful food!"

Somecondiments used in North Korea to add flavor to foods are listed below.

• Bean paste^[5]
• Garlic^[5]
• Ginger^[5]
• Koch'ujang – prepared as a sauce and as ared pepper paste^[5][25][21]
• Pepper flakes^[5]
• Sesame oil^[5]
• Soy sauce^[39]

• Bottled water is imported from China, and is typically consumed by thedonju, "the new affluent middle class" in North Korea.^[9] "Shindŏk' Saemmul" is aspring water produced in North Korea, but it is exported to countries in Southeast Asia, and is typically not available in the North Korean market.^[9]
• Coffee^[40]
  • Instant coffee – some instant coffee in North Korea is produced within the country^[41]
• Ginseng tea – a common beverage in North Korea^[42]
• Soft drinks – soft drink bottlers exist in North Korea, such as the Wonbong Trading Co. in Pyongyang.^[43] Soft drink products produced within North Korea are sometimes labeled as "carbonated sweet water".^[17] Sometime in 2017,Air Koryo, North Korea's flagship airline, began offering its own brand of soft drinks on flights to and from Beijing, China.^[43][44] Air Koryo soft drinks are also sold at some North Korean grocery stores.^[41] Coca-Cola bottled in China is available in upscale grocery stores in Pyongyang, and Pepsi bottled in China is also available, although it is rare compared to Coca-Cola's availability.^[43]
• Ryongjin Cocoa – a North Korean own brand cola made and canned in the country
• Taech'u-ch'a – a traditional Korean tea prepared withjujube and apine nut garnish^[22][45]

• 
  Coffee beans and an espresso machine at a coffee shop located next to the Pyongyang Hotel inPyongyang, North Korea
• 
  A coffee drink at Helmut Sachers Kaffee in Pyongyang, North Korea

Alcoholic beverages are consumed in North Korea, and drinking is a part of theculture of North Korea.^[46] North Korea'slegal drinking age is 18, but minors are sometimes allowed to consume alcoholic beverages, and some shop keepers readily sell them alcoholic drinks.^[19] Some North Koreans brew and distill alcoholic beverages at home, despite such home alcohol production being forbidden in North Korea, and some sell these beverages to markets, although this is also illegal.^[19] Home brewed liquor is made using ingredients such as potatoes and corn.^[19] Some North Korean consumers purchase alcoholic beverages directly from alcohol-producing factories in the country, using cash.^[19] In recent times, imported Chinese liquor has been allowed to be sold in markets, and a well-known Chinese liquor purveyed in North Korea is Kaoliang Liquor, which has a 46–50% alcohol content.^[19]

North Korea has some bars and other drinking establishments, and in recent times,beer halls have become popular in Pyongyang.^[47][48][19]

• Beer is produced in North Korea, andcraft beer production has increased in recent times.^[49] The major breweries in the country areTaedonggang Brewing Company, Paradise Microbrewery and the Yanggakdo Hotel Microbrewery.^[50] In August 2016, the Taedonggang Brewing Company held the country's firstbeer festival, which included several Taedonggang varieties and other local beers.^[51][52] Local beers at the festival included rice beer and dark beers.^[51]
  • Beer brands produced in North Korea
    • Pohak
    • Ponghak
    • Pyongyang
    • Rakwon ("Paradise")
    • Ryongsong
    • Samgak ("Delta")
    • Taedonggang – brewed by the state-owned Taedonggang Brewing Company based inPyongyang^[22] In 2017, Taedonggang was the most popular beer in North Korea.^[27]
• Makkŏlli – a specialtyrice wine with a milky appearance, it is common in the countryside of North Korea^[22][27] Makgeolli is produced using the same process used for the production of soju, and typically has a lower alcohol content compared to soju.^[27] It is considered by some to be inferior compared to soju.^[27]
• Rice liquor – rice-based liquor is consumed by more North Koreans compared to beer.^[53]
• Rice wine –glutinous rice wine is a specialty alcoholic beverage in North Korea^[21]
• Soju – referred to asnongtaegi in North Korea, soju is a clear specialty spirit prepared from sweet potato or barley in North Korea.^[19][25][22] It is similar tosake.^[22] In North Korea, soju's alcohol content ranges from 18 to 25 percent.^[27]
• Whisky – in 2019 North Korea created its first batch of homemade whisky. Samilpo Whisky has been designed to resembleJohnnie Walker to aid brand recognition for North Koreans^[54]

• North Korean alcoholic beverages
• 
  Thekaraoke room bar in the Masikryong Hotel, located at theMasikryong Ski Resort in North Korea
• 
  Street food vendors sellingdraft beer at the 10th Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair
• 
  Craft beer at the Taedonggang Microbrewery No. 3 inPyongyang, North Korea
• 
  An example ofmakkŏlli

• Korean cuisine
  • Korean regional cuisine
    • Pyongyang § Cuisine
• List of Korean dishes
• List of Korean desserts
• List of Korean drinks
• North Korean famine

• Winn, Patrick (May 6, 2016)."What's behind the restaurants North Korea runs around the world? Kitsch — and perhaps recordings".Public Radio International. RetrievedMay 20, 2017.

• "Table the Politics and Bite Into North Korean Cuisine at 'Pyongyang Okryu'". Khaosod English. December 11, 2015.
• Media related toCuisine of North Korea at Wikimedia Commons
• Media related toMeals in North Korea at Wikimedia Commons
• Media related toBeverages in North Korea at Wikimedia Commons
• Media related toBeers of North Korea at Wikimedia Commons
• Media related toRestaurants in North Korea at Wikimedia Commons

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• Korean cuisine-related lists

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