Seon and jjim are traditional Korean cuisines involving steaming stuffed vegetables and meat/seafood dishes respectively. The distinction between the two is not always clear, and both can be boiled instead of steamed. Bokkeum refers to deep-fried dishes, while mandu are stuffed dumplings.
Seon is a type of Korean cuisine that involves steaming stuffed vegetables. Instead of referring to a single recipe, it’s actually the name of an entire steam cooking class. Jjim is similar to Seon, but instead denotes steamed meat or seafood dishes. Both are traditional Korean cuisine and come in many varieties.
The distinction between seon and jjim is not always clearly defined. While jjim is almost always made of meat, seon – vegetable-based cuisine – is sometimes filled with meat and therefore does not strictly refer to vegetable dishes. Sometimes the steaming process can be replaced with boiling after the food has been marinated. The boiling liquid remaining in the pan is reduced and made into a sauce once the dish is complete.
There are many varieties of seon. Some of the more traditional ones are winter squash, cucumber, and a white radish called daikon. Preparation can vary, but most vegetables are cut into 1.5 to 2 inch (4 to 5 centimeters) long chunks, hollowed out, centered, or flattened, and then stuffed. The stuffed vegetables are then marinated and boiled or steamed. Seon is often served as a side dish but could also be a main dish.
The filling for vegetables can be eggs or other vegetables. Depending on the dish being created, the filling can also be a mixture of chicken or pork, onions and spices. The complete dish can be garnished with chili or layered with egg.
The exact meaning of “seon” has changed or been recorded differently throughout history. It originally referred to steamed vegetables in a type of broth. Later, it was used to refer to a zucchini dish made with a vinegary broth. There are descriptions in early 20th century Chinese cookbooks describing it as a stuffed fish dish.
Seon and jjim are just two terms that refer to entire classes of foods in Korea. Dishes that are deep-fried in a sauce until dry again are known as bokkeum. They are divided into two styles, dry and wet. The wet version of the kitchen doesn’t fry the ingredients until dry, but simply reduces the sauce to a thick syrup.
There is also mandu, which refers to a type of stuffed dumpling. The way of cooking mandu can change the name of the dish. The dumplings are no different from those served in other Asian countries. They are also served with a similar dipping liquid that contains vinegar and soy sauce.
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