Yakgwa, a traditional Korean confectionery, and its historical significance

The article shows Yakgwa, a traditional Korean confectionery, and its historical significance. 

 

목차

 

 

What is it?

 

It explains the traditional preparation method involving sesame oil, flour, honey, and alcohol.

In pre-modern times, honey was considered medicinal, leading to the prefix 'Yak' in foods like Yakgwa.

 

The confectionery is mentioned in old cookbooks, and variations like Mandugwa and Moyakgwa exist.

Kaesong Yakgwa from North Korea has a distinct texture, resembling a pastry.

 

The taste is likened to Old Fashioned donuts, waffles, or churros. Despite its appearance, foreigners find Yakgwa palatable.

 

It is noted its popularity, packaging as snacks, and pairing with beverages. However, it cautions about its high calorie content.

 

In 2023, Yakgwa becomes a trendy snack, inspiring reinterpretations like cookies and Financier topped with Yakgwa.

 

The trend is attributed to a nostalgia for "grandma's taste, " and traditional culture gains significance.

 

 

 

History of Yakgwa

 

It delves into the historical significance of Yakgwa during different Korean dynasties.

 

During the Goryeo Dynasty, influenced by Buddhism, the consumption of meat, especially fish during ancestral rites, was prohibited.

 

This led to the development of snack culture, with Yakgwa becoming popular during the Goryeo culture.

 

In the Joseon Dynasty, Yakgwa faced bans due to the high cost of ingredients, leading to severe punishments like 80 lashes for its production during certain periods.

 

Despite legal restrictions, Yakgwa continued to be a favorite on ancestral rite tables during King Seongjong's reign.

 

The saying "Who will eat the yakgwa first?" emerged, emphasizing the uncertainty of life.

 

The Andong Kim family era saw Yakgwa being offered as bribes, contributing to the idiom "This is a good amount." In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a variant called "Old Yakgwa" with red bean paste gained popularity among soldiers.

 

However, it ceased production in the late 2010s. The article notes the current affordability of Yakgwa ingredients, making it a popular and easily accessible traditional snack in modern times.

 

 

 

Making Yakgwa

 

Professor Hwang Hye-seong, a cultural asset and royal cuisine inheritor, mentioned the difficulty in maintaining the right dough consistency and oil temperature.

 

The Eumsikdimibang recipe includes flour, honey, oil, alcohol, and water for the dough, with variations like using soju or Cheongju.

 

The dough ingredients involve flour, oil (typically sesame or perilla oil), salt, pepper, and optional additions like alcohol, honey, and ginger juice.

 

The cooking process includes sifting the flour, kneading it with a mixture of ginger juice, honey, and alcohol, pressing it onto an oiled baking sheet, and creating holes with a skewer.

 

The article details the preparation of the medicine and paste, involving the simmering of basic ingredients like rice syrup and water, along with additional ingredients that are mixed and cooled.

 

The final steps include frying the medicine and dough in oil at varying temperatures, soaking the fried dough in grain syrup through a process called jeucheong, and shaping the moyakgwa by repeatedly dividing, overlapping, and pressing the dough.

 

The frying process utilizes different oil temperatures to achieve a specific appearance and color. The article emphasizes the importance of thorough soaking after frying.