Temple Cuisine
Eco-friendly, perfectly plant-based
Eco-friendly, perfectly vegetarian temple cuisine made only from natural ingredients — free of the five pungent vegetables and all animal products except dairy.
For travelers who find unfamiliar ingredients or spicy seasonings intimidating, temple food is a good starting point. It is worth seeking out when you want to avoid a meal with a strong meat smell or soothe your stomach after a long journey. It uses familiar plant-based ingredients such as rice, beans, and root vegetables, and the flavors are drawn out slowly rather than pushed forcefully.
Radish Rice has the sweetness and moisture of radish absorbed into a bowl of rice, making it comfortable even without many side dishes. Soybean Paste Soup contains tofu and vegetables, and the salty depth of fermented paste makes it go well with rice. Potato Pancake is crisp on the outside and soft inside, good as a simple snack or a plate to share. Foods like these let you notice the texture, earthiness, and clean finish of the ingredients more than any greasy richness.
Radish Rice
무밥 · mu-bap
A single dish made by putting rice and radish together, allowing the sweet and refreshing flavor of the radish to infuse the rice.
Yakbap
약밥 · yakbap
A traditional snack made by steaming glutinous rice mixed with dates, chestnuts, and pine nuts, seasoned with soy sauce and honey.
Potato Pancake
감자전 · gamja-jeon
A pancake made by grating potatoes and mixing them with flour, then pan-frying. The outside is crispy and golden brown while the inside is moist. Dipping it in vinegared soy sauce enhances the savory taste of the potatoes.
Soybean Paste Soup
된장국 · doenjang-guk
A soup boiled with soybean paste to be clear and light, typically made with vegetables and tofu. It is a common soup dish eaten with rice, and salt is sometimes added at the table to adjust the flavor.
Pan-fried Battered Zucchini
호박전 · hobak-jeon
A pancake made by thinly slicing pumpkin, coating it in flour and egg, and pan-frying until golden brown. It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, characterized by a savory flavor.
Doenjang Jjigae
된장찌개 · doenjang-jjigae
A traditional Korean stew made by simmering fermented soybean paste with tofu and vegetables.
Pan-fried Tofu
두부부침 · dubu-buchim
A dish made by slicing tofu thinly, coating it with flour and egg batter, and frying until golden brown.
Tofu Jorim
두부조림 · dubu-jorim
A traditional Korean side dish made by simmering tofu in a soy sauce seasoning to infuse flavor.
