Korean Temple Cuisine: Harmony, Simplicity, and Umami
In a world of fast food and faster lives, there exists a quiet, contemplative cuisine that asks us to slow down.
Korean temple food—sachal eumsik—is a culinary expression of Seon (Zen) Buddhism, where cooking and eating are seen as acts of meditation, compassion, and harmony with nature. No garlic. No onion. No meat. Just seasonal plants, fermented flavours, and an extraordinary sense of balance.
This is mindfulness made edible.
🌿 A Cuisine of Restraint and Reverence
At first glance, Korean temple cuisine might seem simple—modest bowls of mountain vegetables, grains, tofu, and pickles. But within that simplicity is a rich spiritual practice.
Temple food follows the “Five Pungent Spices” rule (oshinchae), avoiding garlic, onion, chives, leeks, and scallions. These are believed to inflame bodily heat—yeolgi, a concept in traditional Korean medicine referring to internal heat or energetic agitation. This rule is rooted in Buddhist texts that prioritise calmness for meditation.
While yeolgi is not a direct term from Buddhist scripture, it reflects traditional Korean medical and cultural beliefs that align with the temple food aim of preserving meditative stillness.
By removing these ingredients, the food invites clarity, stillness, and gentleness toward oneself and all living beings.
🧘♀️ Intention in Every Chop and Stir
In temple kitchens, nothing is done carelessly. The preparation of food is considered part of a monk’s daily discipline. Each vegetable is handled with quiet focus. Each grain of rice is honoured.
There’s no tasting while cooking—only trust and attentiveness.
The idea is that food should reflect the energy with which it was made. A peaceful heart creates peaceful food. Even the way ingredients are cut—long, clean lines for greens, hand-torn mushrooms—is a practice of mindfulness and respect.
During meals, the monastic ritual of barugongyang (a silent, formalised method of eating) encourages full presence and gratitude for every bite.
In many temple meals, ingredients aren’t mixed together but appreciated individually—each with its own texture, taste, and essence.
🍲 Umami Without Excess
Despite its restraint, temple food is far from bland.
Korean monks have mastered the art of fermentation and subtle umami. Soy sauce aged for years, doenjang (often handmade and naturally aged), jangajji (pickled roots), and mushroom broths add depth and savouriness without overpowering the palate.
Instead of heat and fat, flavour comes from harmony—bitterness balancing sweetness, sourness lifting earthy tones, and texture providing quiet contrast.
One bite of ssukbeoseot muchim (seasoned mugwort mushrooms) or mu saengchae (daikon salad) shows how flavour can bloom without force.
🕊️ Plant-Based Eating as Compassion in Action
Temple food embodies ahimsa—non-harming. It avoids animal products not just for health or sustainability, but because every being has the right to live peacefully.
This ethos goes beyond the plate. Food waste is minimised. Leftovers are rare. Even scraps are turned into broths or pickles. Every part of the plant is honoured—stem, seed, skin.
To eat temple food is to participate in an ecosystem of care.
🌄 What We Can Learn From Korean Monks
You don’t have to become a monk to practise temple food values. You can:
Cook with more presence (no multitasking or distractions).
Avoid overpowering flavours and embrace balance.
Honour every part of a plant—use stems, skins, and seeds creatively.
Try skipping garlic and onion in one dish. Explore alternatives like toasted sesame oil (used in modest amounts), shiitake mushroom powder, or kelp stock.
Temple cuisine reminds us: it’s not just what you eat, but how you prepare, serve, and receive it.
🛠️ Tips & Tricks: Try It at Home
✅ Skip garlic and onion once — Use doenjang, perilla seeds, sesame oil (sparingly), or kelp powder to build savoury depth.
✅ Balance your bowl — Combine a leafy green, a root veg, and something fermented.
✅ Cook in silence — Just once. No phone. No noise. Let the quiet guide your pace.
🍚 Try This: A Temple-Inspired Meal
Steamed rice or millet
Light miso or doenjang-based vegetable broth (salted lightly)
Blanched spinach or mung bean sprouts, lightly dressed with sesame and soy
A small side of pickled daikon or cucumber
Eat slowly. In silence. No judgment. Just awareness.
Then ask yourself—not “Was it delicious?” but “How did it make me feel?”
🌏 Want to Learn More?
Balwoo Gongyang, a renowned restaurant in Seoul, offers authentic temple-style dining to the public.
Jeong Kwan, a Buddhist nun and temple chef, introduced temple cuisine to global audiences through her appearance on Chef’s Table.
Temple cooking classes and retreats in Korea now welcome laypeople interested in learning through experience.