 Jijim-nureum-jeok (egg-washed and pan-fried skewers) | |
| Place of origin | Korea |
|---|---|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 적 |
| Hanja | 炙 |
| RR | jeok |
| MR | chŏk |
| IPA | tɕʌk̚ |
Jeok (Korean: 적) is aKorean meat dish served withskewers.[1]Jeok is typically made with a large variety of meats, vegetables and mushrooms and is usually served on special occasions such asbirthdays (hwangap) and wedding ceremonies.Jeok comes in multiple varieties, includingsanjeok andnureum-jeok.
Jeok is frommaekjeok (맥적;貊炙). It is discussed in the bookIn Search of the Supernatural (搜神記) written during theJin dynasty of China. In a letter,maek (貊) refers to theYemaek people, the tribe believed to be the ancestors of modern Koreans. The book says "Qiang simmered dish and Yemaek roast are barbarian's foods. Since the beginning of China, they are prized by nobles and rich people" (羌煮,貊炙,翟之食也。自太始以來,中國尚之。貴人,富室,必留其器) where Yemaek roast ismaekjeok.[2] According to another recordShiming (釋名), "Maekjeok is a whole pig that is barbecued, from which pieces of meat are sliced off by each individual participating in the meal. It derives from Yemaek." (貊炙,全體炙之,各自以刀割,出於胡貊之為也)[3]
While the ancient descriptions ofmaekjeok are different frombulgogi, some theorize thatmaekjeok ultimately evolved to modern daybulgogi.[4]
Outside of the nobility, ordinary people also enjoyed jeok and similar grilled dishes without skewers, such asbulgogi andgalbi.
Depending on the ingredients and preparation methods, the exact names becomesanjeok,nureum-jeok(누름적), along other variations. The three main categories of jeok are fish, vegetable and meat.
Vegetables served with jeok include spring onions, carrots, broad bell flowers and most notably, mushrooms. These are foods that are widely found available in the local areas where the cuisine first became popular.[5] As jeok consists of several ingredients, from vegetables to meat, the dish has a high nutritional balance and unlike many Korean dishes, does not include rice.[citation needed]
