Seafood and sweet surprise: What South Korea put on Uzbek president’s banquet menu
South Korea appears to have treated Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the finest of its cuisine during a state banquet in Seoul. The selection of servings ends with dried-pearlimon crème brûlée — a Korean-Uzbek fusion menu that makes diplomacy taste considerably less formal.
Around 50 guests from the two countries were expected at Monday evening’s banquet, part of Mirziyoyev’s state visit ahead of the first South Korea–Central Asia summit. The South Korean presidential office said the menu was designed around the Uzbek president’s preferences and both countries’ culinary traditions, according to Yonhap.
Instead of serving formal Korean dishes, the chefs incorporated Central Asian flavours into the menu. Pomegranate brightens the seafood starter, lamb is the most Uzbek, and dried persimmon makes a French dessert Korean.
From cold lobster to sizzling lamb
The meal opens with chilled fresh lobster and scallops dressed in pomegranate sauce. The sweet, briny shellfish should meet the fruit’s bright acidity before the banquet moves into softer and warmer territory.
Next comes tarakjuk, a silky Korean milk porridge, enriched for the occasion with sweet pumpkin and jujubes. It is a restrained course rather than a heavy one: creamy, gently sweet and designed to settle the palate before the grilled meats arrive.
Read more: Central Asia has minerals. What can South Korea offer in return?
A Korea.net guide to royal cuisine includes the dish among traditional recipes associated with the palace table.
The main course brings the two food cultures closest together. Korean beef striploin will be served as neobiani alongside a marinated and grilled French rack of lamb.
Read more: Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrives in Seoul, meets Uzbek citizens
Neobiani consists of broad slices of tender beef seasoned before grilling. It is closely associated with Korean royal cuisine and is often described as a courtly predecessor of modern bulgogi. The lamb is the menu’s most immediate link to Uzbekistan, where it anchors everything from kebabs and kazan dishes to plov.
Persimmon gives crème brûlée a Korean finish
After the meat, nutritious Icheon rice and dak-gomtang are served. This clear but flavourful chicken soup is made by slowly simmering the meat until the broth is rich and comforting.
Dessert departs from tradition. Fresh fruit will be served with crème brûlée made with dried persimmons from Sangju, known for its amber fruit. The result is a brittle caramel shell over cool custard, with a concentrated honeyed flavour and a gentle Korean persimmon chew.
Three drinks were selected for the table. They include Pungjeong Sagye Chun, a polished Korean yakju or clear rice wine traditionally paired with delicate seafood and grilled dishes.
Read more: South Korea calls first Central Asia summit in push for trade and minerals
The hospitality extended beyond the dining room. President Lee Jae-myung selected premium Korean red ginseng as a gift for Mirziyoyev, presenting it as a wish for his health and wellbeing. First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva was due to receive a decorative piece combining white porcelain and silver.
