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| Alternative names | Meljeot, salted anchovies |
|---|---|
| Type | Jeotgal |
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Main ingredients | Anchovies |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 멸치젓 |
| RR | myeolchijeot |
| MR | myŏlch'ijŏt |
| IPA | [mjʌl.tɕʰi.dʑʌt̚] |
Myeolchi-jeot (Korean: 멸치젓) orsalted anchovies is a variety ofjeotgal (salted seafood), made by salting and fermentinganchovies.[1] Along withsaeu-jeot (salted shrimps), it is one of the most commonly consumedjeotgal inKorean cuisine. In mainland Korea,myeolchi-jeot is primarily used to makekimchi,[2] while inJeju Island,meljeot (멜젓;myeolchi-jeot inJeju language) is also used as a dipping sauce.[3] TheChuja Islands, located betweenSouth Jeolla and Jeju, are famous for producing the highest qualitymyeolchi-jeot.[4]
Myeolchi-jeot (멸치젓) is a compound ofmyeolchi (멸치), the Korean word foranchovy (Engraulis japonicus), andjeot (젓), the word meaning salted fermented seafood.[5][6][7]Meljeot (멜젓) is also a compound, consisting ofmel (멜), the Jeju name for anchovy, andjeot.[8] The Jeju wordmel is cognate with the first syllablemyeol of the Korean wordmyeolchi, whose second syllable-chi is a suffix attached to fish names.[9] Similar forms tomeljeot also occur in mainland Korean dialects, includingmetjeot (멧젓) andmitjeot (밋젓) inGyeongsang dialect.[10][11]
The anchovies forMyeolchi-jeot are harvested along the southern coasts of theKorean Peninsula en masse.Myeolchi-jeot used in the process calledgimjang are prepared with mature anchovies known asosari-myeolchi (flood tide anchovies), which are harvested in July and August. OnJeju Island, bigger anchovies harvested in the spring along the coasts ofSeogwipo are made intomeljeot.
Cleaned fresh anchovies are drained onsokuri (bamboo baskets), and salted withcoarse salt weighing 15‒20% of the anchovies.[12] In anonggi (earthenware jar), the anchovies and salt are put in layers, with the uppermost layer being a thick layer of salt, to prevent the anchovies from coming in contact with the air.[2] The jar is sealed, and the salted anchovies are then allowed to ferment at 15–20 °C (59–68 °F) for two to three months inonggi (earthenware jars). Once themyeolchi-jeot has aged another couple of months, it becomesmyeolchi-jeot-guk (anchovy extract).[12]
The liquid extract, made after around six months of fermentation ofmyeolchi-jeot, is filtered and boiled to be used in kimchi.[12] Alternatively, two partsmyeolchi-jeot can be mixed with one part water, boiled over high heat, filtered, let set, and the upper, clear layer is used in kimchi.[2] The boiled and filteredmyeolchi-jeot liquid may also used to flavor seaweed dishes.[13]Myeolchi-jeot made with boned anchovies are seasoned and eaten asbanchan (side dish).[13]
InGeomun Island, where it is difficult to grow soybeans, the remaining solids and cloudy lower layer of liquid after extracting the clear, upper liquid (anchovy extract) frommyeolchi-jeot is used to makemyeoljang (anchovy paste).[13]
In Jeju Island,meljeot is used as dipping sauce for grilled pork. In summer,meljeot is used in blanched soybean leafssam (wrap), and in winter, napa cabbage leaves are dipped inmeljeot.[3]Meljeot may also be eaten asbanchan (side dish), either as is or seasoned with garlic and chili peppers.[3]
