By Ochiaka Ugwu
Korean Cultural Centre, Nigeria (KCCN) has started the celebration of Chuseok festival with cooking class for Korean foods.
Addressing the media during the cooking class at the Reddish Culinary School in Abuja Tuesday, Officer in charge of Korean Cultural Centre Cooking Classes and events, Habiba Sharon Yakubu informed that cooking class was meant to usher in Chuseok festival celebration.
Yakubu said that Chuseok was a Korean festival celebrated for three days often around this time of the year, second week of September.
According to her, “So in those days, Chuseok was considered like the celebration of new harvests, just like we have similar Yam harvest festival. Chuseok was a time when people would like to have their new harvests, and then they will also celebrate or honor their ancestors for giving them plenty, helping them to have a good harvest”.
“At present, is also a time to celebrate New Beginnings, family, because families need to get together and do many things. It’s like somewhat similar to Christmas, like how end of the year gathering can be. People travel to their villages and celebrate with the elderly. Certain dishes are made, and one of it is what we’re doing here.
“Actually, we are making snacks, like the kind of snacks you eat during the celebration. We’re making pancake, which is made with marrow and some other things, but we’re focusing just on the marrow, which is the round ones over there” she said.
Also speaking, one of the cooks, Deborah Olabelure who prepared Hobakjeon said it was not really complicated, just that a lot of courting was involved which makes them cut in certain ways to get desired output.
“So, it’s actually exciting if you’re a Korean fan. And I really think that you guys should try it out. Their foods are actually nice. What we are preparing, today, it’s like Korean side dish, but in form of like pancake dish compared to Nigerian pancake”.
Gift John, who also participated in the cooking class said it had been exciting, noting that as a lover of everything Korean, cooking their food and eating the meal itself, was mind blowing and excited.
“The thing is that they’ve made a name for themselves through the K wave sort of thing, not just about the movies. I think the first attraction is their movies. And then from the movies, you see their food, their music, and every other thing.
“So, you just get to fall in love with everything Korea, just based on your movies and that. I think that’s the same thing for me, from their movies to their food to their music and dance. And that’s just it” she said.
