Kāichrén Cuisine

Kāichrén Cuisine, as a term, covers the international, regional, and traditional food emerging from both the Nán Yánshēn and areas abroad where members of Kāichrén communities have emerged. Kāichrén cuisine has emerged and developed as a result of centuries of political and economic changes amongst the general populace, and as such has a long history of ingredient and recipe shifts caused by access to certain resources. Traditional Cuisine (Jien: Kāichéng Shípǐn, Hiakemirian Constructed Language: Kodbemono) is based primarily on blackened noodles made of barley (known as Kuronamen) served cold or heated with a citrus-based sauce known as Kurozosu, with fish and seasonal vegetables or fruits making up the other primary courses of a meal. Dairy such as cheese or milk-based products is largely absent from the traditional diet, although abroad and in the modern period it has seen large popularity as an additive to certain styles of cooking or utilizations of meat.

Historically, Kāichrén Cuisine was notably influenced by Jien Cuisine, especially during the period of Daiichikyōwakoku cooperation with the First Jungg'o Republic. It is not as popular globally as the former, but has made notable inroads in Kāichrén diaspora populations, where it has also hybridized with regional or state-based cooking of the nations those diasporas have come to inhabit. Meat was, for a period, not common due to religious influences by Kāichrén Folk Religionists, although it has now become popular in the modern era, and especially has been popular in the meals created by diaspora populations.

Historically, differences in societal and political stature have encouraged utilization of varying spices and ingredients, especially in regards to the split in cuisine choices between Kāichrén populations in Jungg'o and those in the Nán Yánshēn itself, although Kaihima and the Chamorro Islands have also played a major role in the development of certain aspects of cuisine. Additional influences on cuisine include the Kigenist Faith and other regional religious or philosophical movements which encouraged changes in the fashion food was consumed. Especially notable in regards to philosophical movements was the Kuàzòhuó Movement, which encouraged the rapid consumption of small amounts of food throughout the day, encouraging a vibrant street food culture which continues into the modern day.

History

Historically, Barley would first be introduced in Southern Jungg'o, where it would spread naturally to the Nán Yánshēn due to nomadic populations, becoming more popular in the area than in was in its original point of introduction (where it had, to some degree, been replaced with grains such as Millet), becoming a major food phenomena that was used and grown commonly throughout the early history of the region. Hotta Tanekazu, one of the major sources for later development of the Kāichrén Folk Religion would declare an uncleanliness in the consumption of meat at some point in 1600BCE-1550BCE, which would be adopted by both the early colonizer-governments emerging from Jungg'o and by independent monarchist states, who encouraged no consumption of meat. Fish would be excluded from this, which would lead to some of its popularity in this time frame.

Garlic would be grown as a notable spice, alongside Cinnamon, Peppers (both Millet Peppers, notable for their spice, and in the form of black pepper) and Ginger - all of which would be crucial to the flavoring and developing of meals, with ginger-boiled fish being incredibly popular amongst the lower classes of states in the region throughout a period from 1450BCE-260CE owing to the cheapness of acquiring such. Oil derived from soybeans was also commonly used to add flavor when cooking. Fermentation of fish would become a notable hobby and means of ensuring it was safe to eat, with cold preserved fish becoming a common meal choice.

The rise of Kaesong as a state, alongside independence as a concept, would bring about something of a seismic shift in the culinary world, owing to the lack of cultural restrictions which had been placed upon it by Marquesan and the new access to food owing to trade with Anagonia. Preserved and packaged food would become common as a means to create laborer-friendly meals for swift lunches or dinners, and plastic would come to the fore as a means of packaging said meals and the drinks which went with them. This culture of consumption would last until the Kāichrén Civil War, which destroyed the ease of use consumables and encouraged a shift towards communal dining which was encouraged by the state.

Culture

Both in traditional settings, and as a result of communalization efforts within Neo-Korea, meals are consumed alongside others at groupings of tables (usually totaled at 10 tables for 80 individuals) covering the majority of a room. A majority of consumable items are placed equidistantly from all members of the table at the center of such, to allow for said items to be easily grasped. Consumable items not intended for sharing are placed at either the left of the major plate or to the back of such, with the remainder of space surrounding the plate being dedicated to drink space or for bowls containing garnishes. Meals are usually consumed with a fork or spoon, with knives being rare unless meat is additionally being consumed in the meal.

It is generally considered uncouth to claim a singular spot at a point of the table as one's own, as it is perceived as being overly stagnant if one does not allow for some fluidity within seating arrangements. In the event of a meal occurring between only two - to - three individuals, it is considered polite to allow the youngest of the group to claim the first seat, with the elder members of the party sitting after them. In the event of a formal dinner, the guest to such or person of honor for the event is to be seated first, at the furthest point away from the center of the table - so that meals can be passed along to them in sequence of guest importance (the least important eating the top-positioned items, a category which is usually interchangeable with the least luxurious cuts, with the last gaining the choice pieces of the meal). If an alcove exists in the room, the guest or person of honor is seated there instead.

An additional aspect of traditional / communal dining is a moderate focus on the exhibition of seasonal ingredients. This primarily entails the utilization of ingredients which will become prominent during a specific season during the month before, when it is believed they will be in the freshest/most desirable state. Branches of the Kuro-Ki (a tree notable for its somewhat citrus-like flavor and black coloration) are often used as a garnish during the pre-winter months owing to this cultural trait. While not particularly frowned upon, there are also a number of season-related food events it is considered odd to avoid - such as the first blooming of the aforementioned Kuro-Ki, where friend or communal groupings will often organize to gather choice branches.

Traditional Ingredients

A characteristic of Kāichrén cuisine has always been a scarcity in certain ingredients - such as meat, dairy, and animal-based fats (although oil has always been a notable presence). Dishes tend to have a high salt content, owing to the sauce used possessing such, although low sodium variations of most dishes exist.

Oil would often be used to fry vegetable or fish dishes before steeping then in Kurosuzu, and similarly would be used to fry items such as Doufu, with the Doufu being cut open to form a pouch for other items (such as aforementioned fried vegetables and Kurosuzu), or eaten on its own. Doufu is also eaten cold or stir-fried after being steeped in sauce.

Traditional Dishes

Noodle-based Dishes

A majority of dishes in Kāichrén cooking are based upon the presence of noodles as a central dish or general centerpiece of the meal. As mentioned above, the majority of noodles utilized are the barley-based Kuronamen noodles prepared in Kurozosu sauce. While Kuronamen is the primary noodle used in a majority of cooking, there is a strong niche for the clear, yam-based noodles known as Kōtakunoarumen, sometimes shortened to Kunrumen. Kunrumen is often used for meals planned for consumption on the go, owing to the lesser chance of stainage if a portion falls on clothing due to their lack of sauce utilization.

The reasoning for this focus on noodles primarily owes to the fact that they were historically easy to grow, alongside being easy to store for long-term consumption. Additionally, the fact that they could be enjoyably eaten cold allowed them to be fulfill a decent role as a part of military rations during multiple historical periods while not requiring use of something which could give off smoke. Their role in rations was especially encouraged during the Great War, due to the large crops in the earlier stages of such allowing for massive amounts of noodles to be produced and stockpiled for future utilization. A trait which made such more viable was the quick cooking time of the noodles, allowing for rations to be prepared within minutes if they included a heated component.

Noodles are either served cold or pan-fried alongside other dishes in the meal, such as fish or vegetables. In the modern day, noodles are occasionally prepared in batches through the process of being deep-fried instead of going through the boiling process, although this is generally limited to street food or meals with acquaintances, and is considered somewhat uncouth in polite meals.

Pickled Dishes

Pickling in Kāichrén culture is primarily done exclusively with salt, Kurosozu, or brine, in comparison to pickling done with vinegar or other substances alike to such. A majority of pickled materials are vegetables, which can be snacked upon throughout the day or otherwise utilized for flavor addition in larger meals, although fish are also sometimes pickled. Pickling can be either a day-long or month-long process depending on the method used, with the former being preferred for casual meals and the latter generally being saved for more extravagant events, such as festivals. In the modern era, certain fruit are also utilized for pickling.

Side Dishes

A notable side-dish is Minkana ("Miniature Fish"), young Hiakemirian Anchovies boiled in salted water and then left to dry for a period of time. Minikana are often used to add flavor to meals lacking in such by inherent nature, and therefore see a large amount of utilization in Kunrumen dishes. It is also somewhat-commonly utilized in omelettes or other egg dishes, especially the Chūago ("Faithful Egg"), a dish made by preserving an egg for several weeks in a mixture usually including Minkana. Chūago were first popularized by practitioners of Kigenism, due to the free time certain practitioners had to practice cooking dishes in abnormal ways, and therefore maintains a somewhat-religious association usually expressed by their presence at festivals.

Another notable although rare side dish is Shikēki ("Corpse Cake"), a thick-cut and deep fried bread shell filled with fish or meat fillings and served alongside majority-vegetable dishes. Shikēki was often considered a luxury dish, and therefore picked up connotations of wealth on a cultural level - although these are lesser in the modern era due to increased capacity for importing of meat from foreign sources, it is normally still treated as a surprise or luxury meal. Its name was gathered from a historical presence at funeral services, with a small portion of the budget given to funerary events usually being set aside to purchase it and dishes alike to it.