The season when shoulders are shriveled by the grumpiness of the powerful General Dong. What comes to mind in the harsh cold of midwinter is “Jjim,” which embraces us warmly.
Warm food steamed in one pot that instantly melts your hungry heart and frozen body! Here, a special new year to be celebrated with a loved one that I ‘favored’ and at a famous place that I ‘favored’.
In the new year of 2025, a warm ‘steamed’ travel story filled with steam!
This week’s (January 6 – January 10) EBS 1TV current affairs and culture program is ”Did you like it~?” Five episodes will be broadcast.
Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the home of scholars and the city of noblemen! However, it turns out that it is a mecca for ‘steamed food’?! You can taste more diverse steamed dishes than anywhere else. We went on a steaming trip to Andong with reporter Seo Myung-soo, who fell in love with Andong after visiting it by chance and has been living in Andong for 10 years!
How did Andong’s ‘Jjim’ cuisine develop? The answer lies in the beginning of nobleman culture. Lee Hye-yeong, the 15th ancestor of Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong’s head home, Chunghyodang. It is said that due to frequent ancestral rites, people enjoyed making use of leftover food and steaming it. Dried cod has been reborn as a one-of-a-kind, sumptuous steamed dish thanks to the father-in-law’s taste and ideas! What does it taste like?
Andong, located at the top of the Nakdong River, has long been known for its clear water. It is said that various freshwater fish species such as silverfish, mandarin fish, carp, and catfish abound. Meanwhile, ‘steamed’ cooking developed naturally.
Following her mother, Kim Jeong-soon has been making steamed dishes with freshwater fish for the second generation. What she is most confident in is ‘steamed carp’. Anyone who has tried the savory taste of steamed carp mixed with spicy seasoning and crunchy bean sprouts will never forget it.
As steamed dishes developed, Andong even created a steamed alley! ‘Jjimdak’ is now a representative food that comes to mind when thinking about Andong. It is said that the current form of jjimdak was created in the 1980s by giving students with tight pockets plenty of vegetables and glass noodles. Is that why? The sweet taste boiled in soy sauce brings back memories of the old days and youth.
Let’s go on a delicious gastronomic trip to Andong, the mecca of steamed dishes that will make you forget the cold.
Economy Queen Reporter Park Yu-mi Photo provided by EBS Korea Travel
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