Kim Jong-un's father invented burritos in 2011 claims North Korea

North Korea has claimed that Kim Jong-un's father invented burritos in 2011 — and that sales of the meal were rising despite food shortages. The late Kim Jong-il, according to the regime's propaganda mouthpiece, invented the Tex-Mex cuisine in 2011, shortly before his death from a major heart attack, according to Rodong Sinmun newspaper.

The outlandish claim comes on the heels of another outlandish propaganda narrative that claimed Jong Il devised a delicacy called double bread with meat that tasted eerily similar to a hamburger. In the meanwhile, the burritos are known as "wheat wraps."

Kim Jong-un is said to be following in his father's footsteps

Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il's tyrant son, is said to be following in his father's footsteps by developing a meticulous interest in the dish, according to the Rodong Sinmun newspaper. North Koreans can be seen consuming burritos at a stall near the Kumsong Food Factory in Pyongyang on State TV news footage. A painting of Kim Jong-il smirking in a kitchen where burritos were being cooked was also shown during the broadcast.

While the propaganda clip portrays an abundance of street food, people who have escaped the hidden regime claim that such meals are almost non-existent. Most of his countrymen, according to Hyun-seung Lee, who was born into an aristocratic North Korean family but escaped the nation in 2014, could not even conceive of such a feast.

North Korean burrito differs from its western counterpart

The North Korean burrito differs from its western counterpart in a few ways right away. The Pyongyang version, for example, looks to have some form of doner meat as well as cabbage and carrot. According to the Rodong Sinmun, Kim Jong-il recommended serving the "wheat wraps" with mineral water in the summer and hot tea in the winter.

He stated that sawdust was rich of vitamins and nutrients when he was in charge of North Korea. Rowan Beard, a guide with Young Pioneer Tours, a company that specialises in arranging tours to North Korea, claimed he had never heard of the meal in Pyongyang.

Although the actual origins of the contemporary burrito are unknown, the word burrito does occur in a Mexican dictionary from 1895, where it is characterised as a cuisine. Apart from propaganda, North Korea's food shortages remain a major issue, with Kim Jong-un himself admitting last week that the situation is severe.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: PTI