Memiljeon

Memiljeon
Memiljeon
Korean name
Hangul	메밀전
Hanja	메밀煎
Revised Romanization	memiljeon
McCune–Reischauer	memilchon

Memiljeon is a variety of jeon or Korean style pancake, which is made from buckwheat and a couple of vegetables or kimchi. It is a traditional local specialty of Gangwon Province, where buckwheat is extensively cultivated due to the mountainous conditions and cold temperature. Especially memiljeon of Pyeongchang and Jeongseon County are famous along with memilmuk (buckwheat jelly) and memil guksu (buckwheat noodles), both of which are also made from the grain. The locals of the region prepare the dish for special occasions such as jesa, a Korean ancestor veneration ritual. Whenever the farmers' market called "Pyeongchang Market" is held in Pyeongchang every five days, merchants specializing in making memiljeon are numerous, as memiljeon has been gaining a popularity in South Korea these days.^[1][2]

Preparation

Memiljeon

The batter is prepared by mixing buckwheat flour and water to a thin consistency and sometimes a small amount of wheat flour or starch can be added to it because buckwheat itself has less glutinous elements. In a traditional way, buckwheat mixed with water is ground by millstone and the batter is strained through a sieve.^[3] The filtered batter is cooked on a sodang (소당) which is the lid of a sot (솥, a traditional big pot) and used for pan-frying. Several pieces of vertically ripped salted napa cabbage and scallions are put on the heated sodang, and the batter is poured over them from their margin.^[1] Sour kimchi can be replaced with the cabbage. When making the memiljeon, the batter should be poured thinly because thick memiljeon is considered less delicious.^[4] Perilla oil is used to cook the dish.^[1]

Foods made with memiljeon

Bingtteok, Jeju specialty.

Memiljeon can be an ingredient to make other dishes such as memil chongtteok (메밀총떡) or also called memil jeonbyeong (메밀전병). The dish is formed like a dumpling or wrap stuffed with any available ingredient according to recipe, taste, or region. In the Jeju region, the dish is called bingtteok (빙떡) or Jejudo bindaetteok^[5] and stuffed with boiled shredded daikon. The fillings commonly used in Gangwon Province are japchae (noodle salad), or shredded sour kimchi, daikon, scallions, garlic, and pork or squid which are seasoned and stir-fried alogether.^[6] In the Pyeongchang region, half transparent noodles called cheonsachae (천사채), which are made from kombu, are especially used.^[1][7] The dish is considered a good anju because the combination of the savory and a bit blend taste from memiljeon' and pungent taste from the inner makes a good companion for drinking alcoholic beverages.^[1]

See also

• Gamjajeon
• Pajeon
• Kimchijeon
• Memilmuk
• Crêpe
• Blintz

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Lee Cheol-won (이철원) (2006-10-06). "메밀부치기 빠지면 차례상 아이래요" (in Korean). Ohmynews. http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000364675. 
2. ^ Han Chi-ho (한지호). "홍천 '메밀마을'" (in Korean). Nate. http://travelok.nate.com/Info/inland/mycar_detail.jsp?page=5&searchclass1=all&searchclass2=all&searchstring=&idxno=2226. 
3. ^ "평창시장(평창5일장)" (in Korean). Korea Tourism Organization. http://www.knto.or.kr/kor/ti/lodgig_food_shopping_traffic/area_shopping/list_1183.jsp?category=&areaCode=32%2C15&gotoPage=&cid=132253&keyword=&stype=&ListType=. 
4. ^ "메밀전" (in Korean). 디지털강릉문화대전. http://gangneung.grandculture.net/gc/contents/contents.jsp?tid=30001441. 
5. ^ Copeland Marks (1999). "Cheju-do Bindaedoek". The Korean Kitchen: Classic Recipes from the Land of the Morning Calm. Chronicle Books. pp. 90p.. ISBN 0811822338. http://books.google.com/books?id=3rJxfpLX6wkC&pg=PA90&lpg=PA90&dq=buckwheat+pancake+Korea&source=web&ots=SNMiaVuIBI&sig=YtF08VgjF6Bb3aOx5F8dG9urkp0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result. 
6. ^ "메밀전병" (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia. http://map.encyber.com/search_w/ctdetail.php?masterno=798363&contentno=798363. 
7. ^ "천사채" (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia. http://www.encyber.com/search_w/ctdetail.php?masterno=798768&contentno=798768. 

External links

• (Korean) Memil durumarijeon
• (Korean) Memiljeon recipe