Gamjatang
Encyclopedia
Gamjatang or pork bone soup is a spicy Korean soup made with pork spine, vegetables, green onions, hot peppers and ground wild sesame seeds. It is a matter of contention whether the name of the soup comes from the word for potato (감자; gamja) or not, because the soup is frequently served without potatoes.
The vertebrae are usually separated with bits of meat clinging to them. The vertebrae is boiled in high temperatures to soften the meat. To remove the meat, one must use an instrument such as a chopstick. The meal is usually served with kimchi
and a bowl of rice. This food served as a lunch or dinner and often as a late night snack as well.
The soup base is a deep red colour from the red hot peppers.
The soup is now common in Korean restaurants outside of Korea
, including the United States
and Canada
.
n province of Jeolla
. The main industry of Jeolla Province was agriculture, and hogs were widely raised and used for food. The origins of gamjatang can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms
Era when South Jeolla farmers raised hogs in greater numbers than in most of the rest of Korea.
Since cows were the backbone of farming then, used both for their milk and plowing, cows were much more valuable than hogs. Slaughtering hogs for feasts and special occasions was much more common than slaughtering cows, which helps explain the dish's pork origins.
When Incheon
harbor opened, many people migrated to Seoul and its surrounding area from Jeolla Province, as well as from other parts of the country. When construction of the Gyung-ui Railway began in 1899, lots of laborers started working around Incheon and gamjatang become popular among them because it is cheap, nutritious, and its high fat content provided the calories they needed. As time passed by, gamjatang became one of the iconic foods of Incheon
.
The vertebrae are usually separated with bits of meat clinging to them. The vertebrae is boiled in high temperatures to soften the meat. To remove the meat, one must use an instrument such as a chopstick. The meal is usually served with kimchi
Kimchi
Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
and a bowl of rice. This food served as a lunch or dinner and often as a late night snack as well.
The soup base is a deep red colour from the red hot peppers.
The soup is now common in Korean restaurants outside of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
Gamjatang originated in the southern KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n province of Jeolla
Jeolla
Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...
. The main industry of Jeolla Province was agriculture, and hogs were widely raised and used for food. The origins of gamjatang can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
Era when South Jeolla farmers raised hogs in greater numbers than in most of the rest of Korea.
Since cows were the backbone of farming then, used both for their milk and plowing, cows were much more valuable than hogs. Slaughtering hogs for feasts and special occasions was much more common than slaughtering cows, which helps explain the dish's pork origins.
When Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
harbor opened, many people migrated to Seoul and its surrounding area from Jeolla Province, as well as from other parts of the country. When construction of the Gyung-ui Railway began in 1899, lots of laborers started working around Incheon and gamjatang become popular among them because it is cheap, nutritious, and its high fat content provided the calories they needed. As time passed by, gamjatang became one of the iconic foods of Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
.
External links
- Pork Bone and Potato Soup (Gamjatang) at My Korean Kitchen
- Recipe of Gamjatang