Jang, Korean fermented soybean product, the result of endeavors of ancients for the best taste of Korean diet
Abstract Each ethnic group has developed a food culture that enjoys delicious food by consuming natural materials or agricultural products from their respective regions. Because soybeans originated in Korea and are abundant there, a way to make delicious soybeans has been developed. Jang is a food m...
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Published in | Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 1 - 13 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
BMC
01.12.2023
|
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Abstract
Each ethnic group has developed a food culture that enjoys delicious food by consuming natural materials or agricultural products from their respective regions. Because soybeans originated in Korea and are abundant there, a way to make delicious soybeans has been developed.
Jang
is a food made by fermenting soybeans, and representative types include
doenjang
,
gochujang
,
kanjang
, and
cheongkukjang
. Koreans usually season their food with
jangs
instead of salt. The representative seasoning of Korea traditional food is
jang
and
yangnyom
. When soybeans are fermented, soybean proteins decompose and produce fermentation by-products such as peptides, amino acids, and organic acids that provide new taste and flavor. Therefore, seasoning with
jang
provides a much richer taste than salt alone.
Jang
is an essential element of Korean food, adding taste and flavor to other dishes. Since
jang
is the most important and widely used food in Korean cuisine, Koreans have devoted all their efforts to making
jang
. These efforts include cleaning the surrounding environment, hanging
meju
(the blocked soybean) under the roof to dry, using charcoal and red pepper, and more. From a modern scientific perspective, their earnest devotion served functions of hygiene, moisture control, microbial inoculation, and salt control.
Jang
is a unique Korean food culture born from the tireless efforts of Korean mothers to feed their families with the most delicious food possible, even during times of food scarcity when they had to survive on rough grass. |
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ISSN: | 2352-6181 2352-6181 |
DOI: | 10.1186/s42779-023-00183-6 |