Ganjang Gejang

Ok, so this dish may not be as universally appealing as Korean barbecue but ask Koreans what their favorite Korean dish is and many may tell you that its ganjang gejang. In fact, this supremely delicious and interesting raw crab dish is often referred to as the ultimate South Korean food.

Ganjang gejang refers to a Korean dish of raw crab marinated in soy sauce. To prepare, crabs are cleaned thoroughly before being placed in an earthenware crock where they’re salted for a period of about six hours.

A marinade of soy sauce, sugar, scallions, ginger, garlic, red chili pepper, and sesame oil is then boiled before being poured over the salted crabs. After about an hour, the marinade is removed and reboiled before being poured over the crabs again. This process is repeated several times before the crabs are chilled. They can be preserved like for several weeks, even months before being consumed.

I adore crab and I’ve enjoyed it cooked in many different ways, but this is one of the few times I’ve had it raw. Served cold, it’s absolutely delicious, especially when paired with steamed white rice and ssam (leafy vegetables used as wraps).

If you’re fond of crab, then trying ganjang gejang is a must when visiting Seoul. Check out our Seoul restaurant guide  for suggestions on where to try it.