Gejang
Gejang or gejeot is a variety of jeotgal, or salted fermented seafood in Korean cuisine, which is made by marinating fresh raw crabs in either ganjang or a chili pepper powder based sauce. The term consists of two words; ge, meaning "a crab", and jang which means "condiment" in Korean. The crabs selected for the Gejang dish are mainly female crabs with eggs.
While gejang was originally used to refer to crabs marinated in soy sauce, it is now also called ganjang-gejang to differentiate it from yangnyeom-gejang. The latter is a relatively new dish that emerged alongside the boom in South Korea's restaurant industry. Its origins appear to come from the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces, which both have long-standing traditions of mixing raw fish or dried pollock with a spicy red pepper flake or gochujang sauce. People later began preparing crab in a similar fashion, resulting in what is known today as yangnyeom-gejang. "Yangnyeom" means "seasoning" or "seasoned" in Korean, and refers to the spicy sauce of the dish that is made with chili pepper powder.
The Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and Jeju regions are famous for their own types of gejang. It is a representative specialty of Yeosu in South Jeolla Province, and a traditional Jeolla cuisine dish. According to Korean traditional medicine, crabs possess a 'cold nature' that can cool one's body temperature, and so gejang is believed to be good for driving away the spring fever.
Historical records
Historical records on gejang can be found in books such as Sallim gyeongje, Gyuhap chongseo, Jubangmun, Siui jeonseo, and others written during the Joseon period. As a traditional Korean dish, is estimated to have been consumed on the Korean Peninsula since the 1600s. According to Sallim gyeongje which is written around the end of the 17th century, making gejang is referred to as "johaebeop", which means "a way of marinating crabs in sediments of liquor". With this method, crabs are marinated in a mixture of jaegang, salt, and an alcoholic beverage. Generally, gejang spoils if preserved for a long time; however, the gejang made using johaebeop can be eaten until the next spring. Additionally, the book records various ways of making gejang such as juhaebeop, chojang haebeop, and yeomtang haebeop. It also records methods of crab rearing which are called Yukseon chibeop. These records verify that the consumption of gejang in the Korean diet appeared as early as the 17th century. Historical records such as the "Gyuhap Chongseo," "Jubangmun," and "Shinui Jeonseo" mention gejang. Crabs were easily accessible by simply stepping into the water, and even when food was scarce, households could make soy sauce, making gejang a common dish. At that time, it was referred to as salted crab.The term "ganjang gejang" became popular in South Korea south of the 38th parallel after yangnyeom gejang gained popularity in the 1980s. There are two main types of gejang that became popular in South Korea from the 1990s, differentiated by their marinades: the soy sauce-based ganjang gejang and the spicy yangnyeom gejang made with a chili seasoning. Typically, these dishes are eaten raw without heating. They are often referred to as "rice thieves" because they pair so well with rice. The most delicious blue crabs are considered to be those caught from December to June for females, and from July to October for males, although the timing can vary by species. Outside these periods, rapidly frozen crabs may be used. Gejang is served in seafood and barbecue restaurants across South Korea, and there are also specialized gejang restaurants. It is sold in department store delis and markets as well. According to the South Korean Ministry of Unification's "Specialist Written Unification Food Recipe" on December 20, 2021, the Korean-style ganjang gejang popular in Japan does not exist in North Korea. Instead, North Korean gejang is characterized by the use of "dry soy sauce." This unique North Korean ingredient is a solid form of soy sauce, which is not yet used in South Korean cuisine. North Korean gejang is not cooked, so it is best to use richly flavored brewed soy sauce to enhance its taste and aroma. Yangnyeom gejang is a seasoned crab dish, and as people began to refer to it as such, the existing gejang became known as ganjang gejang. The commercialization of ganjang gejang began when several Korean celebrities started businesses under their names. Notably, the entertainer Kim Soo-mi was involved. As Korean celebrities promoted ganjang gejang, interest in the dish grew, leading to the establishment of ganjang gejang restaurants and increased consumption. In the 21st century, ganjang gejang has gained global popularity. It is particularly well-known in Japan, where it is highly recognized. The Japanese interest in ganjang gejang stems from the similarities in food culture, such as the use of soy sauce, rice, and seafood. Additionally, it was an unfamiliar type of food in Japan, and after the "Winter Sonata" boom, Japanese tourists visiting Korea often included ganjang gejang in their dining experiences. Consequently, some ganjang gejang restaurants in Seoul specifically target Japanese customers and offer services in Japanese. Since the 21st century, ganjang gejang has also become known in the United States and Western Europe, and it is now a common dish for visitors to Korea to try.
Crabs and harvest
Gejang was originally made with freshwater crabs which have become scarce likely due to overfishing and climate change. As a result, gejang is now commonly made with kkotge, caught in the Yellow Sea on the west side of the Korean peninsula. Among the most popular gejang made with freshwater crabs are, chamgejang of the North Gyeongsang Province, which can be preserved and eaten after a year, and beotteok gejang, which can be eaten immediately after preparation.Preparation
To prepare ganjang-gejang, crabs are first thoroughly cleaned using a brush while submerged in a bowl of water. They are then rinsed to remove moisture. Next, the crabs are put in a hangari and are salted for about six hours. To prepare the sauce, a mixture of ganjang is boiled briefly along with sesame oil, sugar, finely sliced scallions, minced garlic, ginger, and finely shredded fresh red chili pepper. Once the salted crabs are removed from the hangari and placed in a bowl, the hot sauce is poured onto the crabs. An hour later, the ganjang is removed from the bowl and reheated to reach its boiling point. It is again poured over the crabs. This procedure is repeated for a third and fourth time. The dish can be eaten once the sauce is chilled. If using boiled ganjang after it has been chilled, the gejang can be eaten two weeks after preparation, and can be preserved for even longer periods. A variation involves adding minced beef while the sauce is poured over the crabs, endowing the gejang with more spices. In present times, some people may choose to add lemon, chili pepper, or traditional medicine when making gejang to remove its fishy smell and increase its rich flavor.As for yangnyeom gejang, the dish is made with raw crabs seasoned with a sweet and spicy sauce of chili pepper powder, ground Korean pear, onions, ginger, garlic, whole sesame seeds, and sesame oil. The gejang can be eaten half a day after it is prepared. It is also best to consume the dish within two or three days to keep its sweet, spicy, and sour taste intact. If the crabs are first marinated in a boiled and then chilled mixture of eakjeok and soy sauce before adding in the spicy sauce, the yangnyeom gejang can be well marinated with the latter sauce, and be preserved longer.
Types
Types are divided by crab species, region, and cooking method. Among varieties, beoltteok gejang is a local specialty of the Jeolla Province and is made with live Charybdis, which are called either beoltteokge or minkkotge in Korean. The crab has a hard carapace with a reddish-brown color and is found in the seawater of Korea, according to Jasaneobo, the first Korean fisheries science book written by scholar Jeong Yak-jeon in 1814. To make the gejang, the crabs are cut into several pieces or used whole if they are not large. One to two days after the beoltteokge has been marinated in a ganjang-based sauce, one can enjoy the gejang which has a fresh and sweet taste. However, beoltteok gejang can not be preserved for a long time, so it is said that the name reflects the fact; beotteok means "quickly" or "immediately" in Korean.Kkotgejang is made with kkotge which is the most consumed crab in South Korea. It is also a local specialty of the Jeolla Province and is known for its umami taste. After being cleaned, the live crabs are chopped into several pieces and a mixture of ganjang, containing sliced scallions, garlic, ginger, chili pepper powder, sesame seeds, and salt is poured over them. It can be eaten one day after preparation.
Another local specialty of the Jeolla Province is konggejeot which is indigenous to Gangjin County. The gejang is made by grinding crabs as small as a bean with millstones. The thick ground paste is mixed with salt and gochujang. In Jeju Island, gejang is called gingijeot and is made on the 15th day, 3rd month of the Korean calendar at low tide. Traditionally, gingijeot is said to be a good cure for many illnesses in the region.
[Image:Korean seafood-Yangnyeom gejang-01.jpg|thumb|Yangnyeom gejang]
Chamgejang is a local specialty of the Gyeonggi Province. It is made with chamge which generally live in the rivers of Korea that flow to the Yellow Sea. Chamge harvested in the Imjin River near the Paju region, is especially famous for its unique taste and less earthy smell. Thus, for many centuries the crabs were presented to the King of Korea as a delicacy. As records on chamge can be found in several historical documents regarding fisheries and cuisine such as Jasaneobo, Gyuhap chongseo, and the chapter Jeoneoji of Imwon gyeongjeji, it is clear that the dish has been a long-standing Korean delicacy. In present times, river pollution has decreased the crab's habitat. As a result, chamge is rarely found except in the Imjin River. Chamgejang is commonly nicknamed "bapdoduk' because it is considered a good dish for arousing one's appetite. As this dish is intended to be preserved for long periods of time, the gejang is typically saltier than other varieties.
Chamgejang is also widely eaten in the Gyeongsang Province, and is prepared at every house during autumn to make a banchan for the next summer. The crabs are also caught in rice fields during the harvest season, with female crabs being considered ideal as they contain more roe and fatty tomalley.