Jangajji


Jangajji or pickled vegetables is a type of banchan made by pickling vegetables. Unlike kimchi, jangajji is non-fermented vegetables, usually pickled in soy sauce, soybean paste, or chili paste. Jangajji dishes are usually preserved for a long period of time, and served with a drizzle of sesame oil. Preserved foods like jangajji were developed to attain a certain level of vegetable consumption during the long, harsh winters on the Korean peninsula.

Etymology

The word jangajji is derived from. The Middle Korean is believed to have come from, 'pickled cucumber, melon or gourd'. The suffix -찌 may originate from 'to marinate or soak something'. Alternatively, the ending -찌 may represent the natural mutation of -ㅅ디히 to -ㅅ지이, finally becoming -찌.

Ingredients

Main ingredients vary according to region and temperature. Some examples are green garlic, garlic scapes, radish, cucumber, chili pepper leaves, chamoe, perilla leaves, and deodeok. Jangajji is usually pickled in soy sauce, soybean paste, or chili paste, but brine and diluted vinegar can also be used as the pickling liquid. Usually, vegetables are slightly dried or salted to prevent the addition of surplus moisture to the condiment. When served, jangajji is cut, then seasoned with sesame oil, sugar, and toasted sesame seed powder.

Varieties