Dishes for Lunar February 1
In the old times Korean people regarded February by the lunar calendar as the beginning of the year’s farming.
So they celebrated grandly the first day of the lunar February, calling it Ilgunnal, day of farm workers.
They prepared and ate songphyon (half-moon-shaped rice cake) on the day, and those in the Phyongan provincial areas (at present North and South Phyongan, and Jagang provinces) favoured solgittok (steamed rice cake).
So they celebrated grandly the first day of the lunar February, calling it Ilgunnal, day of farm workers.
They prepared and ate songphyon (half-moon-shaped rice cake) on the day, and those in the Phyongan provincial areas (at present North and South Phyongan, and Jagang provinces) favoured solgittok (steamed rice cake).
Songphyon (Half-moon-shaped rice cake)
Songphyon is named so because it is a rice cake steamed on a bed of pine needles.
The size of the rice cake and making methods varied a little according to regions.
In Kangwon Province the potato flour was used in making songphyon, which was stuffed with mashed kidney bean. It was regarded as a special dish of the province not inferior to songphyon made of polished rice in other provinces.
