Instructions: Comments: In a number of cultures cooks stuff the small intestine of the cow, sheep or pig and boil, bake or roast it. In Tunisia, this is known as "merguez", in Eastern Europe as "kishke", in Indonesia, it is the spectacular "usus" in coconut milk. The "soonday" of Korea is entirely different.

It originated in the cold climate of mountainous North Korea where the intestines of the wild mountain pigs were used. Now its prepared all over the country and brought in large buckets to the public markets of Pusan, Kyongu, Seoul, Taegu and elsewhere. This sausage stuffing is made of rice, seasonings and beef or pork blood (or substitute 8 ounces canned tomato puree).

Clean the intestine as received from your butcher once again. Rinse well in cold water, then soak in lightly salted water for 1 hour; this makes the intestine firm and easier to handle. Tie up one end firmly with cotton string.

Prepare the stuffing. Mix the cooked rice, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallions and either blood or tomato puree. Loosely stuff the intestine either by machine or by a funnel - forcing the stuffing along the entire length. Do not fill too tightly since the intestine may split in cooking when the rice expands. Tie the open end firmly.

The intestine may also be stuffed as individual sausages in which case it is cut into the desired lengths, tied, filled and tied again.

Place the soonday in a large pan, curling it around like a snail. Cover it with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Then turn to low and cook uncovered for 3/4 hour. At the end of this time, insert a skewer in the soonday to test for doneness. As when testing a cake, if the skewer is dry and the soonday is firm to pressure, it is done.

Cut diagonally into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve warm or at room temperature (warm is better). Serve on festive occasions especially after the harvest of rice, cabbage (or whatever is being grown) with your favorite Korean dip.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

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