Hongeo-hoe
| Hongeo-hoe | |
 Hongeo samhap, hongeohoe (foreground) served with kimchi and bossam | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 홍어회 |
| Hanja | 洪魚膾 |
| Revised Romanization | hongeohoe |
| McCune–Reischauer | hongŏhoe |
Hongeohoe, or hongeo, is a type of fermented fish dish from Korea's Jeolla province.[1] Hongeohoe is made from skate and has a strong, characteristic ammonia-like odor that has been described as being "reminiscent of an outhouse".[2]
Origin
Skates are cartilaginous fish that excrete uric acid through the skin, rather than by urinating as other animals do.[1][3] As they ferment, ammonia is produced which helps preserve the flesh and gives the fish its distinctive, powerful odor.
This natural preservative effect of the fermentation process on skate meat was noted by Korean fishermen in the days before refrigeration became commonplace. It was found that skates were the only fish that could be transported over long distances or stored for extended periods without rotting, even in the absence of salt.[1][4]
Production
Originally, the skates used in the production of hongeohoe were harvested locally from the waters around Heuksando. In more recent years, a larger proportion has been made with imported fish, mainly from Chile.[1][4]
Specific production techniques vary from shop to shop. The traditional process involves sandwiching the fish between layers of hay in a clay pot and leaving it to ferment. According to one modern method, the fish undergo fermentation in a walk-in refrigerator for as much as 15 days at 2.5 °C, and then for approximately 15 more days at 1 °C.[4]
After fermentation, the preserved skates are sliced into small pieces and packed into boxes for shipment.
Eating
Hongeohoe is usually presented to diners as small slabs, sashimi-style, without being subjected to cooking.[1][4]
The dish is traditionally consumed together with bossam and kimchi,[5] a combination known as hongeo samhap.[6] It is also often served with the Korean alcoholic beverage makgeolli, which helps diners cope with the pungency of the fermented dish.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Choe, Sang-Hun (14 June 2014). "Korea's Fish Special: A Delicate Mix of Outhouse and Ammonia". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ Oberhauser, Steve (5 February 2011). "Skate fish an acquired taste". The Jeju Weekly. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ McPherson, Joe (13 July 2008). "Hongeo 홍어 – The Hardest Thing to Swallow in Korea". ZenKimchi. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d Klug, Foster (9 April 2014). "South Koreans crave Asia's smelliest fish". Yahoo! News. AP. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ^ "Fermented skate (홍어)". Korean Food blog. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ "Explore Korea's Treasures – Gwangju & Jeollanam-do". Visit Korea. Korea Tourism Organization. 11 May 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ Cho, Jae-eun (28 October 2011). "Hongeo: Not for the weak of stomach". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
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