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Korean · III The Pantry

Mareun Myeolchi (마른 멸치)

South Gyeongsang coast and the southern sea, Korea

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I

Origin

Mareun myeolchi is dried anchovy, made from the Japanese anchovy, Engraulis japonicus, taken in the warm waters off the southern coast and the islands of South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla. The fish are boiled briefly in sea brine on the shore and then dried in the sun or in a drying house. It is the base of the everyday Korean kitchen, in the stock for jjigae and noodle soups and in the dry banchan called myeolchi bokkeum. The Korean Geographical Indications register includes a Namhae anchovy, and the name is used only for fish from that place.

II

Description

The fish is sorted by length after drying, and each size has its own use. The smallest, jiri and sebyeong, are under about 3 cm and are stir-fried whole with sugar and sesame. The medium fish, jungmyeolchi, are used for banchan and for stock. The large fish, daemyeolchi, are about 10 cm and are kept for stock, because their flesh is too hard to eat. For stock the head and the bitter dark gut are pulled away and the body is often split along the back. The dried fish should be silver-blue, slightly translucent, and dry to the touch.

III

The Thread

—Both are dried fish whose concentrated glutamate and inosinate give the stock of the daily table its depth. Katsuobushi is a smoked, fermented and shaved skipjack tuna, while the anchovy is a whole small fish simmered directly in the pot. Japanese
—Niboshi is the Japanese boiled and dried small sardine or anchovy, used for the stock of miso soup and noodles in the same way. It is closely related to the Korean fish, but the Japanese cook usually leaves the stock lighter and uses it alone, while the Korean cook pairs it with kelp and radish. Japanese
—Salt-cured anchovies from Liguria and Sicily also preserve a small oily fish for use through the year as a seasoning. They are cured wet in salt and dissolve in the pan, while the Korean fish is dried and keeps its shape. Italian
IV

Flavour Context

Dried anchovy stock is the foundation of doenjang jjigae, kalguksu, sujebi, and many soups of vegetables and tofu, and it is drunk plain as the broth of janchi guksu. The fish are also eaten dry as banchan, with rice and with beer or soju. The structural reason is the savoury depth of the fish, which supports the fermented jang and carries mild vegetables, and a small sweetness and salt balance its bitterness when it is cooked as a banchan.

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