The Brothers' Banquet
It was the last day of February. Tomorrow, I'd officially enter my third year as a resident. Since tomorrow was a Sunday, the ward wouldn't get hectic until Monday. Not because of patients, but because of the new resident interns.
I'd thought my third year would be more of the same. Just going with the flow. I'd decided to go to medical school for the solid career it offered, and before I knew it, I'd chosen internal medicine. Things had changed a bit now. My connection with Munjong through the Gatong had a big influence. My sense of calling as a doctor had grown stronger. Starting my third year, I wanted to do it right. No more drifting aimlessly. I'd help as many people breathe easier as I could.
It was right after finishing morning rounds. A Gatong message came from Munjong.
From: Yi Hyang
Do-yun, this past month has been sorely trying for me. Honoring a parent's kiwol—the month of their passing—is the proper duty of a child, yet abstaining from meat dishes for a full month was no easy task.
Right. This month was King Sejong's kiwol. Sejong had died on February 17, 1450.
Veritable Records of King Munjong, Volume 12
2nd year of King Munjong (1452), 2nd month, 1st day (Eulchuk)
The King proceeded to Hwidokjeon Hall to perform the New Moon sacrifice. As it was the kiwol of King Sejong, he partook of plain vegetarian fare (soseon). Plain dishes (sochan) were used both inside the palace and without.
I couldn't help but smile at Munjong's Gatong.
"Bearing the weight of the crown." This wasn't the Munjong who had to suppress his grief at Lady Sukyong Hong's death. He seemed human somehow.
Munjong—and his brothers like Prince Suyang and Prince Anpyeong—had spent the entire month on a modern ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, no meat or fish. All to commemorate their father, King Sejong, who would have sent away the royal table at the mere absence of meat. Joseon's ultimate carnivore.
From: Yi Hyang
Do-yun is well-versed in cuisine as well, so I ask that you restore to me the joy of meat dishes.
This was the most direct request Munjong had ever made. Until now, he'd shared his daily life or feelings, and I'd offered help voluntarily. Except for health matters, that had been the pattern.
"Meat dishes... What would be good?"
I pondered for a while. Munjong was the King of Joseon. He lacked for nothing materially. But unwittingly—thanks to me—he'd discovered new flavors. Moryeomakjeok (oyster grill) and jwagye (fried chicken) had introduced him to the dopamine of fine dining. I needed to share a meat dish unavailable in Joseon.
Steak came to mind. The finest tenderloin, a Chateaubriand steak. That would deliver a dopamine hit to Munjong.
To: Yi Hyang
There is a meat dish fit to present to Your Highness.
From: Yi Hyang
Speak it.
Chateaubriand is beef tenderloin. The softest part attached to the spine, near the loin, with minimal movement, so the fibers are fine and fat is low. In Joseon, beef was typically sliced thin, grilled, or steamed. Medium-rare would provide iron, vitamin B, zinc, and more.
But steak alone wasn't ideal. Modern folks enjoy it with garnishes. I decided to recommend my favorite spinach-egg salad instead.
Though triangle kimbap was my staple now... Spinach supplies vitamins A, K, and folate. Eggs provide protein and choline, key for cell membranes and acetylcholine. Sesame seeds offer fats, plus traces of zinc and copper.
I'd name it myself. Jeon Sun-ui had likely left for Hamgil-do by now.
To: Yi Hyang
Your Highness, I shall present two dishes. The first is a meat dish: Buncheoljjeok (Cast-Iron Steak).
Cut the beef tenderloin to one chi (about 3 cm) thick. Heat a cast-iron pan until it smokes, sprinkle salt first. Place the meat on, flip occasionally. The outside should char black, inside retain red.
Do not overcook—the red is not raw.
From: Yi Hyang
Salt on the cast iron, you say?
I wanted to explain it sped up the Maillard reaction for maximum crust, but it was too complex. I gave up.
Yes. The inside must be red.
Is that not raw meat?
To: Yi Hyang
Munjong, trust me! You will savor the tender meat.
From: Yi Hyang
Very well.
Cast-Iron Steak
Ingredients: Beef tenderloin 1 piece (3cm thick, ~300g), salt, pepper
Preparation: Pat meat dry with kitchen towel. Heat cast-iron pan over fire ~5 min until smoking, sprinkle salt. Add tenderloin, season with salt/pepper, flip every 30 sec 6-7 times (3-4 min total). Rest 5 min off heat.
Have the butchers cut the innermost loin center to one chi thick. It's flavorful yet tender.
Not difficult. After slaughter, bestow the leg meat to the butchers?
From: Yi Hyang
I shall inform Saongwon and Jeon-guseo. The butchers will rejoice.
I then explained the spinach-egg salad recipe, including mayonnaise—which I named baekyu-jang (white oil sauce). Time had made me better at naming, perhaps Jeon Sun-ui's blood in my veins.
To: Yi Hyang
Next: Sigeum-nam-machae (Spinach-Egg-Sesame Salad).
First, make baekyu-jang: 1.5 hop walnut oil, 2 egg yolks, 1 spoon honey, pinch each salt, yuja juice, mustard. Whisk until arm aches.
Dip dried squid or mix with pollock roe for delight. The royal chef will toil.
From: Yi Hyang
The royal chef Dae-ryeong Sugwa will labor. I shall bestow rib meat upon him.
A true father to the people. I silently apologized to the royal chef making mayo with walnut oil.
Blanch spinach, rinse in cold water, squeeze dry. Boil eggs half a gak until yolks half-set. Mash eggs with spinach, ground sesame, baekyu-jang.
Egg Spinach Sesame Salad
Ingredients: Spinach 300g, 6 boiled eggs, 6 Tbsp mayo, 2 Tbsp sesame, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp soy, 1 tsp sesame oil
Preparation: Salt boiling water, blanch spinach 30 sec, rinse cold, squeeze dry. Boil eggs 8 min, roughly mash. Toss with sauce, top ground sesame.
From: Yi Hyang
I shall inform Royal Chef Han Seong-jae.
"Who's Han Seong-jae?" He didn't appear in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. I used my internet search chance.
"Ah... Modern Han Seong-jae is a descendant of that Han Seong-jae." Dae-ryeong Sugwa Han Seong-jae. A name that inspired trust—integrity in character, skill in cooking.
From: Yi Hyang
I shall summon my siblings to the inner palace for a royal kin banquet.
Not all kin, surely—just full blood siblings sharing Sejong and Queen Sohyeon's blood.
A bit burdensome.
To: Yi Hyang
I trust in Do-yun.
Reading my mind, Munjong added:
From: Yi Hyang
It would be better if you inform my siblings of the dishes' benefits.
To: Yi Hyang
Beef restores vitality. Spinach aids blood flow and soothes the gut. Eggs boost energy and bodily essence. Sesame nourishes the five viscera.
From: Yi Hyang
Very well.
1452, 3rd month, 1st day, morning
Jeon-guseo officials oversaw slaughter of several cattle at the butchers' village, taking only tenderloin and ribs. Remainder bestowed to butchers by royal command. Butchers held a beef feast in gratitude.
That evening, Munjong summoned full-blood siblings to inner palace. Crown Prince Danjong seated beside. Buncheoljjeok and sigeum-nam-machae served.
Munjong spoke: "You endured a month of plain fare. Beef restores vitality, spinach blood, eggs essence, sesame viscera. Eat your fill today to replenish. Father's kiwol past—how could kin not gather thus?"
Prince Anpyeong eyed red meat and green salad alternately. Prince Suyang stared down silently before eating. Crown Prince's head nearly touched bowl.
Exiting, Anpyeong ordered attendant to gift silk bolt to royal chef. Munjong's sister Princess Jeonghye named the dishes gaeeudeuk ("all benefit"), had maids learn recipe for weekly serving.
March 2nd—my first day as a third-year resident. Internal medicine ward corridor reeked of new white coats and tension from eighteen rookies. Standing ramrod straight in line, they looked less like doctors, more like dominoes about to topple from nurses and patients.
"Was I like that as a first-year?"
Eighteen newbies in internal med alone. We'd care for patients and them. Sent first-years to lunch; I skipped mine. Around 3 PM, grabbed a break and bought from the cafeteria convenience store.
Hand paused tearing plastic bag.
'Han Seong-jae Tuna Mayo: Joseon Palace Style'
Marketing hook: Walnut oil baekyu-jang instead of palm oil mayo. Collab with Black & White Chef.
Prince Anpyeong returned to Bihaedang at Inwangsan foothills, lost in thought.
"An hour past kin banquet, yet buncheoljjeok and sigeum-nam-machae linger. Beneficial to body, as said. Sister right—truly gaeeudeuk."
Meat fresh from cast iron: Exterior firm-black, yet crisp in mouth. Cross-section red as raw. Thought chef erred. But flavor filled mouth.
Beside: Deep green salad, egg yellow-white, pale sauce.
"That color array stopped my breath. Must paint it—not food, a canvas. Black-yellow contrast intense. Sliced meat revealed red-green."
Anpyeong set brush down, gazed out window.
"Tomorrow, visit An Gyeon."
Suyang rode home to Bukchon in silence, eyes through palanquin lattice. Attendants held breath outside.
All banquet, he only pretended to eat. Not lack of appetite—delicious. Slicing cast-iron beef, red juices flowed. Chill struck.
Chef wouldn't serve underdone. Brother ordered it thus.
"Father's kiwol just ended. Yet brother bids drink bull's blood."
"Brother excels in civil and martial."
As Crown Prince, Munjong favored Jiphyeonjeon, literary gatherings, never parted from books—yet took state affairs seriously. Suyang too courted scholars, co-compiled Yeokdae-byeongyo, debated strategy.
But scholars remained Munjong's.
"In strategy and martial arts, I thought myself a step ahead. Horsemanship, archery, hunt—my strengths beyond him. He couldn't lift my mace."
"Yet today, bleeding meat to all siblings at kin banquet. Brother no weakling."
Suyang pondered Munjong's recovered health. Attributed to Jeon Sun-ui's care—but he was in Hamgil-do.
Unseen vegetable dish: Jeon couldn't have taught pre-departure. Chef wouldn't serve bloody meat.
"Someone aids brother. Who?"
If Kim Jong-seo or Hwangbo In, easy to uncover—Suyang tracked them.
"An invisible someone."
He'd planned to claim throne after removing Sejong's trusted ministers. Still did. Remove Kim Jong-seo, done.
No longer.
"Brother healthy. Invisible aid. Today's beef blood—a warning. Removing Kim and Hwangbo won't suffice."
Suyang lay sleepless.
"Who the hell is he...?"