Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- Ssukttok (grain cake seasoned with wormwood) has been widely known as a popular dish in dietary life of the Korean people.

More than 30 species of wormwood are growing in mountains and fields of the DPRK.

Wormwood is specially efficacious for illness resulting from body chill, hypertension and bronchitis as it has antipyretic, analgesic, diuretic, sterilizing and anti-poison effects.

According to "Tongguksesigi", a classic book of our country, women made and ate wheel-shaped ssukttok in the fifth month of the lunar calendar, hoping that their husbands return homes from the battle sites in good health.

From olden times, when spring comes, every family has made ssukttok, regarding that it makes people be not ill that year.

Ssukttok is efficacious and peculiar tasty. It can be made at homes in a simple way. Good mixing ratio between wormwood and grain is 3:7.

It can be made with such grains as rice, wheat, kaoliang and maize. It is more glutinous than other rice cakes and it helps prevent deterioration of food for its peculiar fragrance and essential oil substances.

The ssukttok-making was registered as a national intangible cultural heritage in May 2016. -0-