Chuseok Preparation: Korean Harvest Festival at Home

Understanding Chuseok

Chuseok, often called Korean Thanksgiving, falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, typically in September or early October. It is a three-day national holiday in South Korea when millions travel to their hometowns to be with family. The holiday centres on giving thanks for the autumn harvest, honouring ancestors, and sharing special foods.

One Week Before: Planning and Shopping

Ingredients for Songpyeon

Songpyeon, crescent-shaped rice cakes filled with sesame seeds, sweet red beans, or chestnuts, are the signature food of Chuseok. Families traditionally make them together on the eve of the holiday. Source the following ingredients: - Short-grain rice flour (mepssal-garu) - Mugwort powder or other natural food colouring (for green and pink cakes) - Sesame seeds, sugar, and honey for filling - Pine needles for steaming (available at Korean grocery stores)

Additional Chuseok Foods

Plan a menu that includes traditional dishes for both the family meal and the charye (ancestral rite) table: - Japchae (glass noodles with vegetables) - Jeon (savoury pancakes with zucchini, seafood, or kimchi) - Galbi-jjim (braised short ribs) - Seasonal fruits: Asian pears, persimmons, apples, jujubes - Various namul (seasoned vegetable side dishes)

The Charye Table

Charye is the ancestral memorial rite performed on Chuseok morning. The table is set with specific foods arranged according to tradition. While practices vary by family, general guidelines include:

Table Arrangement

- **Front row (south):** Fruits and sweets, with dates on the east and chestnuts on the west - **Second row:** Jeon (pancakes) and dried fish - **Third row:** Soups and main dishes - **Back row (north):** Rice, soup, and ancestral tablets or photographs The traditional rule "hong dong baek seo" means red fruits go on the east side and white fruits go on the west side. Another principle, "eo dong yuk seo," places fish on the east and meat on the west.

Performing the Rite

Family members bow twice to the ancestors, offer rice and soup, pour rice wine three times, and close with a final bow. The eldest family member typically leads the ceremony, though modern families often simplify the process while maintaining its spirit of gratitude and remembrance.

Making Songpyeon Together

The Dough

Mix rice flour with hot water gradually until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Divide the dough and knead mugwort powder into one portion for green cakes. Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.

Shaping and Filling

Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough, flatten it into a disc, place a spoonful of filling in the centre, and fold the dough into a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges to seal. The shape should resemble a half moon, which in Korean tradition represents growth and the promise of abundance.

Steaming on Pine Needles

Line a steamer basket with a layer of fresh pine needles, arrange the songpyeon in a single layer, add another layer of pine needles on top, and steam for 20 to 25 minutes. The pine needles impart a subtle, fragrant aroma and prevent sticking.

Celebrating Chuseok Abroad

Korean communities worldwide organise Chuseok events at cultural centres, churches, and community halls. If you are far from Korea, these gatherings offer a taste of home. For a private celebration, video-call family in Korea during charye so distant relatives can participate virtually.

Traditional Activities

- **Ganggangsullae:** A circle dance traditionally performed by women under the full moon - **Ssireum:** Korean wrestling, often watched on television during the holiday - **Stargazing:** The full harvest moon is central to Chuseok, so step outside to admire it Chuseok is a time to slow down, express gratitude for the year's harvest, and strengthen the bonds of family. With songpyeon steaming in the kitchen and loved ones gathered close, the spirit of the holiday shines anywhere in the world.