Seolleongtang facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Ox bone soup |
|---|---|
| Type | Tang |
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Beef bones, head, trotters, knee cartilage, and intestines |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
설렁탕
|
|---|---|
| Hanja |
先農湯
|
| Revised Romanization | seolleongtang |
| McCune–Reischauer | sŏllŏngt'ang |
| IPA | [sʌl.lʌŋ.tʰaŋ] |
Seolleongtang (Hangul: 설렁탕), also called ox bone soup, is a popular Korean soup. It is a milky, off-white broth made by simmering beef bones for many hours. This long cooking time helps to get all the delicious flavor from the bones.
People usually eat Seolleongtang hot with rice. Sometimes, the rice is even added right into the soup! You can also add different things to make it taste just right for you. Common additions include salt, black pepper, red pepper, minced garlic, or chopped green onions. It is a well-known local dish from Seoul, the capital city of Korea.
Contents
What Is the History of Seolleongtang?
Ancient Roots: Sacrifices and Kings
The story of Seolleongtang goes back a long time in Korea. During the Joseon dynasty, which was a kingdom in Korea, people used to hold special ceremonies. These ceremonies were called Sŏnnongje. They were held to honor their ancestors, like Dangun, who was a legendary founder of an ancient Korean kingdom.
The place where these ceremonies happened was called Sŏnnong dan. This tradition of honoring ancestors at Sŏnnong dan started even earlier, during the Silla Dynasty.
How Did Seolleongtang Get Invented?
One interesting story about Seolleongtang involves King Seongjong of Joseon. He was a king during the Joseon dynasty. King Seongjong once visited the Sŏnnongje ceremony himself. After the ceremony, he ate a meal with the people.
To help feed more people in his kingdom, King Seongjong asked his cooks to create new dishes. He wanted dishes that could feed many people using only a few ingredients. Seonnongtang was one of the dishes created during this time. The word tang means "soup" in Korean.
Another Idea: Mongolian Influence
There is another idea about where Seolleongtang came from. Some people think it might have started even before the Joseon dynasty. This idea suggests that the food came from the Mongolian invasion of Koryo in the 13th century.
The Mongolians had a dish called "Sulen." This dish was made with sliced and boiled beef, often with green onions. Some historians believe that this Mongolian "Sulen" slowly changed and developed into the Seolleongtang we know today in Korea.
Why Did the Name Change?
The original name of the soup was Seonnongtang. Over time, its name changed to Seolleongtang to make it easier to say.
The sounds in the name changed a bit:
- First, Seonnongtang (선농탕) became Seollongtang (설롱탕). This happened because the "N" sounds changed to softer "L" sounds. This makes the word flow better when spoken.
- Then, Seollongtang (설롱탕) changed to Seolleongtang (설렁탕). This was a small change in the vowel sound to make it even smoother to pronounce.
A Common Misunderstanding About the Name
Many people think the name seolleongtang comes from its snowy white color and rich taste. They might think it means "snowy thick soup" in hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean writing).
However, this is actually a common mistake. Most Korean dictionaries say that using the hanja characters for "snowy thick soup" (雪濃湯) is not the correct way to spell the dish's name. Even so, you might still see this incorrect spelling used sometimes.
See also
In Spanish: Seolleongtang para niños
