May Every Day Be as Joyful as Chuseok!

Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, Jungchujeol, or Gabaeil, falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. It is a major holiday that celebrates the harvest season. After the bountiful harvest of grains and fruits, people prepare rice cakes with new crops and offer fresh fruits on a table set for ancestral rites. On this day, families come together to enjoy Chuseok foods and share stories.

To celebrate, we’re sharing a feature titled "Exploring Chuseok Foods," which includes simple recipes and the origins of popular Chuseok dishes like Songpyeon and Taro Soup, based on resources from the Korea Rural Development Administration.

The Origin of Chuseok

Chuseok is also called Jungchujeol or Hangawi. The name "Jungchujeol" comes from dividing autumn into three parts: early autumn, mid-autumn, and late autumn, with the 8th lunar month in the middle. According to historical records in the Samguk Sagi, during the reign of Silla's third king, Yuri Isageum, the kingdom was split into two groups. Each group, led by one of the king’s daughters, gathered women from their respective sides to weave from July 16. On August 15, the group that wove more was rewarded, while the losing side provided food and drinks. This event, known as "Gawi," involved dancing, singing, and games, which are believed to be the origins of Chuseok.

What Foods Are Prepared for Chuseok?

When talking about Chuseok, preparing the table for ancestral rites is a must. While the exact setup can vary by region or family, Chuseok tables differ from New Year's by featuring rice made from new grains, brewed liquor, and freshly made Songpyeon rice cakes, showing deep respect for ancestors. The food items also reflect this tradition.

With Chuseok coming up on September 17, we’re sharing six simple Chuseok recipes you can easily prepare at home. We hope you enjoy a richer and more joyful holiday!

Songpyeon (Half-Moon Rice Cakes)

Songpyeon, made with freshly harvested rice, is the most representative food of Chuseok. Mixing rice with grains like sorghum or millet adds balanced nutrition to the dough. Adding brown sorghum or yellow millet powder can create colorful Songpyeon. Sorghum is rich in antioxidants, which help with anti-aging, fatigue, and detoxification. Millet contains three times more vitamin B1 and B2 than white rice and helps improve digestion. Songpyeon fillings usually include beans and sesame seeds. Beans are rich in isoflavones, which can ease menopause symptoms, while black beans are high in anthocyanins, known for their antioxidant properties. Sesame seeds contain calcium, iron, and vitamins that are good for health.

Here’s how to make healthy and beautiful Songpyeon with mixed grains:

Ingredients:

500g rice flour
Salt
Filling (mung beans, peeled red beans, beans, sesame seeds, sugar)

Instructions:

Add 5g of salt to 500g of rice flour. Pour in about 200cc of hot water and knead the dough. Let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
For the filling, roast the sesame seeds and beans, then grind them. Mix 50g of sugar, 30g of honey, and 1 tablespoon of water with 100g of the mixture and let it sit in the fridge for a day. For a more textured bean filling, soak the beans overnight, boil them for 15 minutes, and mix with a bit of sugar and salt.
Shape the dough into chestnut-sized balls, add the filling, and form the cakes. Steam the Songpyeon on a bed of pine needles for 20–25 minutes, rinse in cold water, and brush with sesame oil before serving.

Jeon (Korean Pancakes)

Although the types of Jeon (Korean pancakes) vary by region, popular types served during Chuseok include skewered pancakes with ingredients like green onions, mushrooms, and meat, as well as fish pancakes. Jeon is loved by both adults and children, making it perfect for festive side dishes or snacks to pair with drinks. Let's make mung bean pancakes (Nokdujeon)!

Ingredients:

Peeled mung beans: 80g
Glutinous rice flour: 15g
Pork: 60g
Bean sprouts: 60g
Napa cabbage kimchi: 60g
Green onion: 5g
Green chili: 1
Red chili: 1
Cooking oil: 4 tbsp
Salt: a pinch
Meat seasoning: Soy sauce (1/2 tsp), sesame oil (1/4 tsp), minced garlic (1/2 tsp), ginger juice (1/3 tsp), pepper (a pinch)
Bean sprouts seasoning: Sesame oil (1/4 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp)
Kimchi seasoning: Minced garlic (1/3 tsp), ground sesame seeds (1/4 tsp), sesame oil (1/4 tsp)

Instructions:

Soak the peeled mung beans in water overnight (about 8 hours), then grind them in a food processor and place them in a bowl. Cut the green onion into 0.5 cm pieces, and slice the green and red chilies diagonally into 0.3 cm slices.
Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water with 1/4 tsp of salt until they soften slightly, rinse in cold water, drain, and cut into 3 cm lengths. Mix with the bean sprout seasoning.
Prepare the pork as minced meat, season with the meat seasoning, and set aside. Squeeze the liquid out of the kimchi, chop into 1 cm pieces, and mix with the kimchi seasoning.
Add the glutinous rice flour, seasoned bean sprouts, pork, kimchi, and green onion to the ground mung beans and mix well.
Heat a pan with cooking oil. Once hot, spread the mixture into a round shape. Top with the red and green chilies, and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides.

Taro Soup (Toranguk)

Taro soup (Toranguk) is a testament to the wisdom of our ancestors. With its clear broth and mild, savory flavor, it's an essential Chuseok dish. Taro's main components are 63-85% water and 13-19g of starch per piece. Often consumed around Chuseok, taro is in season from September to October and can be used in soups, skewers, stews, roasts, pickles, and syrups. It pairs especially well with kelp. Now, let's learn how to make taro soup!

Ingredients:

Taro: 200g
Beef brisket: 400g
Radish: 180g
Soup soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Water: 1,600 ml
Salt: to taste
Egg: 1
Minced garlic: 1 tbsp
Green onion: 15g (1/3 stalk)
Boiled taro stems: 50g
Potato: 75g
Kelp: 5g

Instructions:

When handling taro, wear gloves and rinse under running water, then gently peel the skin with a knife. Slice the potato thinly, and cut the taro stems into bite-sized pieces.
Soak the peeled taro in rice water for 10 minutes, then briefly boil in salted water.
Soak the beef in cold water for 30 minutes to remove the blood.
In a pot, bring 1,600 ml of water to a boil, add the beef, kelp, and sliced radish, and cook on high heat. When the broth boils, remove the radish and kelp and simmer a bit longer.
Once the beef is tender, take it out, let it cool, shred it into bite-sized pieces, and strain the broth through a cloth, then bring it back to a boil in the pot.
When the broth boils again, add the radish, beef, taro, potato, and taro stems, and cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of soup soy sauce, and adjust the remaining seasoning with salt to avoid a murky broth.
Lower the heat to medium-low, add the minced garlic and thinly sliced green onion, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and your delicious taro soup is ready to serve!

Japchae

Japchae is a staple dish for festive occasions and celebrations. This dish, made with glass noodles, carrots, onions, spinach, wood ear mushrooms, beef, and other ingredients, offers a delightful savory and sweet flavor. It can be enjoyed on its own or made into japchae rice. However, due to its high calorie content (191 kcal per 100g), it's best enjoyed in moderation.
Let's learn how to make japchae!

Ingredients:
Glass noodles 200g, 2 medium onions, 1-2 red bell peppers, 100g beef, 1 bunch spinach, 4 wood ear mushrooms, 70g carrots, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, vegetable oil, salt, spinach seasoning (1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp minced garlic, salt, toasted sesame seeds), beef seasoning (1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil, pepper), noodle seasoning (2 tbsp vegetable oil, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar)

Instructions:

Soak the glass noodles in cold water for about an hour. Marinate the sliced beef with the beef seasoning for about 30 minutes.
Blanch the spinach in boiling water with a pinch of salt, rinse in cold water, squeeze out excess water, and mix with 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp minced garlic, salt, and sesame seeds.
Julienne the carrots, onions, bell peppers, and wood ear mushrooms (5 x 0.2 x 0.2 cm). Stir-fry the prepared vegetables in a heated pan with a little salt and spread them out on a plate to cool. Stir-fry the marinated beef in a heated pan.
In a frying pan, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, and the glass noodles, then stir-fry until the seasoning is absorbed.
Add the carrots, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, beef, and spinach to the pan and stir-fry together. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds, mix well, and your delicious japchae is ready!

Three-Color Namul (Vegetable Side Dishes)

Three-color namul is an essential part of holiday dishes like Chuseok and Lunar New Year. Although it varies by region, it usually consists of balloon flower root, spinach, and bracken fern. If you have leftover namul after the holiday, you can use it in bibimbap or chop it finely to make jeon (savory pancakes). Let's learn how to make three-color namul!

Ingredients:
Balloon flower namul: 236g balloon flower root, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced green onion, 100 ml water, 1 tsp salt
Spinach namul: 280g spinach, 1 tbsp sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced green onion, salt
Bracken fern namul: 200g bracken fern, 2 tsp perilla oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, water, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced green onion

Instructions:

Balloon Flower Namul: Rub the balloon flower root with salt to remove the bitterness, rinse it under running water several times, and blanch it briefly in boiling salted water. Stir-fry the balloon flower root in a pan with sesame oil, season with salt, and add minced green onion, garlic, and water. Cover with a lid and simmer over medium heat.
Spinach Namul: Wash the spinach, blanch it briefly in boiling salted water, and rinse in cold water. Squeeze out the excess water and mix with sesame oil, minced green onion, and minced garlic.
Bracken Fern Namul: Soak dried bracken fern in water to reduce cooking time, then boil and rinse well. Stir-fry the bracken in a heated pan with perilla oil, add soy sauce, and pour in water or green tea. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat. When the liquid is almost gone, mix in minced garlic and green onion and turn off the heat.
Finally, arrange the namul neatly on a plate, sprinkle it with sesame seeds, and your delicious three-color namul is ready to enjoy!

Sujeonggwa and sikhye

Sujeonggwa and sikhye are excellent digestive aids to enjoy after a meal. Sujeonggwa, made with cinnamon, and sweet, ice-cold sikhye are perfect for after-meal refreshment. They pair wonderfully with songpyeon (half-moon rice cakes) and are also popular Chuseok treats, especially when eaten alongside fried foods or jeon (savory pancakes). Let's learn how to make them!

Ingredients:
400g malt barley, 3,000ml water, 400ml sugar, 2 cups glutinous rice, 20g ginger (sliced), 2 cups soaked rice

Instructions:

Soak the malt barley in 1,000ml of water for about 3 hours, then rub it with your hands for about 5 minutes. Rubbing well helps the barley release its white color.
Place a strainer over a bowl, pour the barley into a cotton cloth bag, and squeeze tightly. Repeat this process 3-4 times. This amount is enough to make sikhye twice using a 10-serving pressure cooker.
Pour the malt barley water into a wide bowl and let it sit for 2-3 hours to allow the sediment to settle. While the sediment settles, cook the soaked rice (2 cups) to make fluffy rice. Use only the clear upper layer of the barley water.
Pour the clear barley water from step 3 into a rice cooker and stir in the rice grains once. Set the rice cooker to the keep-warm mode for 5-7 hours.
Pour the sikhye from step 4 into a pot, add ginger slices, and bring to a boil. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste, considering the desired sweetness. When 1-2 rice grains float to the top, scoop them out with a strainer, rinse them in cold water, and set them aside.
When the liquid in step 5 comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool.
Once the liquid has cooled, serve it in individual bowls, adding the rinsed rice grains, and enjoy.

Precautions When Eating Holiday Foods

Songpyeon, a popular Chuseok food, can have varying nutritional value depending on its filling. Regardless of the healthy fillings used, there are some things to keep in mind:

One songpyeon contains about 50 kcal. Eating 5-6 songpyeon equates to consuming 272 kcal, similar to a 200g bowl of rice. Therefore, be careful not to overeat. Additionally, when comparing the carbohydrate content of a single serving (100g) of songpyeon and rice, songpyeon contains 41.7g of carbohydrates, whereas rice contains 33.2g. This means songpyeon has a higher carbohydrate content. Diabetics who eat songpyeon without adjusting their usual meal portions may struggle to manage their blood sugar levels, so it's advisable to reduce the amount of rice when consuming songpyeon before or after meals.

People with kidney disease should also be cautious when consuming songpyeon. Since their kidney function is compromised, they cannot excrete certain electrolytes, particularly potassium, efficiently. The red beans and soybeans commonly used as fillings in songpyeon contain high levels of potassium, which can cause abnormal potassium levels in the blood. Generally, sesame seed-filled songpyeon contains less potassium than those filled with beans or red beans, making sesame seed filling a better option for individuals with kidney disease.

A prosperous Chuseok is all about enjoying the diverse flavors of traditional foods, but it's essential to avoid overindulgence that could harm your health. If you don't need to prepare a full Chuseok ritual table, try making one of the dishes introduced above. Even if you don't celebrate Chuseok in the U.S., a single traditional dish can bring the festive atmosphere of Korea right to your table—you'll feel like a Korean cuisine Michelin star chef!

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