Poppy seeds are illegal in Korea
I wanted to make my favourite Christmas desert
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I'm born in Upper Silesia (which is former Germany but now Poland) and for Christmas there is a super delicious desert called Makówka and I was on Coupang ordering all the things from my grocery list for the traditional Christmas diner
Dish | English | In Korean |
---|---|---|
Borscht | Beets | 비트루트 |
Sugar | 백설탕 | |
Vinegar | 백식초 | |
Eggs | 신선란 | |
Heavy Cream | 휘핑크림 | |
Pickle Soup | Pickled Cucumbers | 오이피클 |
Carrots | 국내산 당근 | |
Potatoes | 국내산 감자 | |
Potato Pancakes | Potatoes | 국내산 감자 |
Potato Starch | 감자전분 | |
Mushrooms | 양송이버섯 | |
Heavy Cream | 휘핑크림 | |
Potato Salad | Pickled Cucumbers | 오이피클 |
Potatoes | 국내산 감자 | |
Carrots | 국내산 당근 | |
Mayonnaise | 백설 마요네즈 | |
Peas | 캔 완두콩 | |
Fish | Carp | 활잉어 |
Trout | 활송어 | |
Poppy Seed Dish | Poppy Seeds | 양귀비 씨앗 |
Sweet Bread | 브리오슈 빵 | |
Milk | 멸균우유 | |
Sugar | 백설탕 | |
Almonds | 슬라이스 아몬드 | |
Walnuts | 껍질 벗긴 호두 | |
Raisins | 골든 레이즌 |
At the end I tried to order the poppy seeds which are the main ingredient of the desert.
And by main ingredient I mean you need like 3 kg of it. In Poland and Germany you just buy it in the supermarket, they sell it in 500g packages. I lived in Sweden and there it was already difficult because they only sold it in 30g packages and it was somehow expensive, so that I always brought some from Germany to have in storage.
Anyway I couldn't find it at all, and then I asked ChatGTP where I could buy it in Korea and it told me:
In Korean, "mak" (poppy seeds) is referred to as 양귀비 씨앗. However, it's important to note that poppy seeds are classified as narcotics in South Korea, and their possession or importation is strictly prohibited. Attempting to order or bring poppy seeds into the country can lead to serious legal consequences, including fines or imprisonment. Therefore, it's advisable to avoid purchasing or attempting to import poppy seeds while in South Korea.
And as the source it linked to a this New York Post article.
God damn it, so no Makówka for me this year ...