[Food]

[Food] Myeongranjut (명란젓, Salted Pollack Roe)

From ancient times, Koreans have been very good at making salted or pickled or fermented food with vegetables and seafood. Kimchi is the world famous and the most popular dish in among them. However Koreans have more dish that they enjoy on their meal table :)

Myeongranjut (명란젓, salted pollack roe) is very typical dish of Korean side dish and salted food which assumed to be eaten by Koreans since the 19th century. Koreans manufacture, cook and eat wall-eyed pollack in so many ways, and myeongranjut is one of them. It's roe of fresh pollack, it's washed in salt water then seasoned with minced garlic, spicy red pepper powder and salt. They are stored in any jar or pot to be fermented for about two weeks.

It tastes fresh, salty and flavor of sea. Koreans usually serve it with sesame oil and sesame to add savory flavor on it, and eat it with hot steamed-rice. It is originated in Korea but many people usually know it's Japanese food which is definitely wrong. Myeongranjut was known to Fukuoka of Japan in 1949 by Korean-Japanese who was born in Busan. Myeongranjut is called 'Mentaiko' in Japan, and it's local specialty of Fukuoka today.

Today, it's being used in many style of dish by many cooks. It's cooked in many ways to be used in even in bakery, pasta, stew and more.

I personally loves aglio e olio with myeongranjut topping on it and roasted myeongranjut :) It usually tastes salty and marine, but you may don't like it if you are not a fan of seafood :)

Bon Appétit!

[Food] Myeongtae, Fish with Countless Names 2 (명태, Pollack)

[Food]

[Food] Myeongtae, Fish with Countless Names 2 (명태, Pollack)

In my previous article on Myeongtae, I told you briefly about the countless names for pollack in Korea and a few related dishes. Today, I want to tell you more about pollack dishes in Korea :)

Koreans love hot and spicy dishes. Spicy chili, garlic, spring onions with pollack or frozen pollack gives a savory flavor and usually hits the spot for many Koreans. The broth of stew and soup also provide refreshing and hearty energy with the silky flesh of pollack.

Spicy saengtae (Raw pollack) and egg soup, saengtae jjigae

The difference between raw pollack and frozen pollack is that raw pollack has a softer flesh while the frozen one has a chewy and tough texture which entertains one's teeth and tongue.

Spicy frozen pollack soup (동태찌개, Dongtaejjigae)

There isn't only spicy pollack soup, there's also a mild one which is made of dried and frozen pollack called hwangtae.

Hwangtae haejangguk (Dried and frozen pollack soup). Once I introduced this dish in an article where I talked about Haejangguk.

Hwangtae soup is not spicy enough to give you the hot and refreshing flavor of flesh and broth. I would recommend hwangtae haejangguk for Korean breakfast :)

This is kodari jorim which is spicy braised semi-dried pollack. Kodari also has a chewy texture but it's not as tough as frozen or full-dried pollack.

Myeongtaejeon (Fried pollack fillet cake)

Myeongtaejeon is usually cooked for Korean New Year's day and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) because myeongtae fillet was eaten on a special day in Korea a long time ago due to its high cost :) It has a savory, salty and soft flavor.

Fermented and salted pollack eggs (명란젓, Myeongranjeot)

All of pollack's miscellaneous parts (egg, gill, intestines etc.) can be turned into 'jeotgal', which is a salted and fermented dish. Among them, fermented and salted pollack egg is most popular. It's salty, silky and elastic texture goes very well with plain rice, and the Japanese also love this dish.

If you have a chance to visit Korea and are a seafood lover, I recommend you taste various and countless Korean pollack dishes :)

Bon Appétit!