Yoo Man-soon's Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장)
This is a recipe for Yangnyeom Gejang (spicy marinated raw crab) that boasts a deep flavor without any fishy taste, made with Ms. Yoo Man-soon's secret seasoned soy sauce. A distinctive feature, stemming from years of expertise, is that its fresh taste can be maintained for 4-5 days.
📝 Editor's Notes
Yoo Man-soon's Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장) is a recipe for spicy marinated raw crab characterized by a deep, rich umami flavor without any fishy taste.
The biggest advantage is that by boiling and using the secret seasoned soy sauce yourself, the fresh taste of the seasoning can be maintained for 4-5 days.
It's delicious even without an aging process, but if you let it age for about a day, the seasoning will permeate deeper into the crab meat, enhancing its flavor.
When eaten with warm rice, it's a true 'rice thief' – a captivating dish that will surely appeal to Korean palates.
The difficulty level is medium; while preparing the seasoned soy sauce requires dedication, it guarantees an excellent taste.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
Freshness is paramount for blue crabs, the star ingredient of Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장).
When using frozen blue crabs, choose ones that are full of meat and have shiny shells.
It's best to thaw them slowly in the refrigerator.
The apple in the seasoned soy sauce plays an important role in adding sweetness and aroma.
Choose firm apples without blemishes.
For ginger, it's good to use domestic ginger with thick roots, thin skin, and a strong aroma.
Hairtail fish sauce (galchi aekjeot (갈치 액젓)) is a key ingredient for adding umami, so selecting a high-quality product will determine the deep flavor of the crab.
🔄 Substitution Guide
If hairtail fish sauce (galchi aekjeot (갈치 액젓)) is difficult to find or its unique aroma is too strong for your preference, you can substitute it with anchovy fish sauce (myeolchi aekjeot (멸치 액젓)).
Anchovy fish sauce also adds umami, but its flavor might be slightly stronger than hairtail fish sauce, so try using a slightly reduced amount.
Beef dashi powder (sogogi dasida (소고기 다시다)) enhances umami; if you prefer not to use it, you can achieve a natural umami flavor by using shiitake mushroom powder or kelp powder.
The apple in the seasoned soy sauce can also be substituted with a pear.
Pears are sweeter than apples and offer a refreshing taste, which can create a different flavor profile for the seasoning.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
There are two main cooking points for this recipe.
First, the process of removing the fishy smell from the blue crabs.
Marinating the cleaned crabs with persimmon vinegar and mirin for 10 minutes is very effective in eliminating the fishy smell.
Be sure to stick to 10 minutes, as marinating for too long will cause the crab meat to lose moisture.
Second, the process of boiling the seasoned soy sauce.
After adding all ingredients and bringing to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 more minutes to ensure the essence of the ingredients is fully extracted.
This process is the secret to maintaining the deep flavor and freshness of the seasoning for a long time.
The seasoned soy sauce must be thoroughly cooled before mixing in other seasoning ingredients like Korean chili powder (gochugaru (고춧가루)) to prevent the flavor from deteriorating.
👨🍳 Directions
Remove dirty shells from 4 kg of frozen blue crabs and thoroughly clean any impurities with a cooking brush.
Cut off any legs without meat for easier eating.
Place the cleaned crabs in a bowl with an appropriate amount of persimmon vinegar and mirin, then marinate for 10 minutes to remove any fishy smell and unwanted odors.
In a pot, combine soy sauce, kelp-seasoned soy sauce, plum syrup (maesil-cheong (매실청)), corn syrup, hairtail fish sauce (galchi aekjeot (갈치 액젓)), water, apple, ginger, dried Cheongyang chili peppers (cheongyang gochu (청양고추)), green onions (for seasoned soy sauce), whole garlic cloves, mirin, sugar, black pepper, and beef dashi powder (sogogi dasida (소고기 다시다)).
Begin to boil the soy sauce mixture with all ingredients. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 more minutes.
Once the essence of the ingredients has been sufficiently extracted, strain out all the solids and let the seasoned soy sauce cool down.
To the cooled seasoned soy sauce, add Korean chili powder (gochugaru (고춧가루)), finely chopped chives, finely chopped green onions (for seasoning), sesame oil, and sesame seeds, then mix well to complete the yangnyeom gejang seasoning.
Pour the prepared seasoning over the cleaned and marinated blue crabs and mix well to complete Yoo Man-soon's Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장).
💡 Tips
Do not soak the blue crabs in water for too long. Soaking in water will cause the crabs to lose moisture and become less flavorful.
Boiling the seasoned soy sauce for the seasoning helps maintain its fresh taste for 4-5 days. If made without boiling, the taste may deteriorate after two days.
Adding beef dashi powder (sogogi dasida (소고기 다시다)) to the seasoning can further enhance the umami of the marinated crab.
📦 Storage & Reuse
Store the finished Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장) in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 4-5 days for the freshest and best taste.
For longer storage, it is possible to portion and freeze, but the texture of the crab meat may become slightly softer upon thawing.
When freezing, approximately one month is appropriate.
It is recommended to thaw frozen crab in the refrigerator and let it age for about a day before eating, rather than consuming immediately after thawing, to allow the seasoning to penetrate well.
Leftover seasoning is also delicious when mixed with rice or used to season other seafood (such as shrimp or squid).
🥢 Who This Is For
Yoo Man-soon's Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장) is best enjoyed when made with blue crabs in season, from cool autumn to winter.
It makes an excellent dish for entertaining guests on special occasions, and serving it as a side dish for a weekend family meal will keep everyone's chopsticks busy.
Paired with warm white rice, seaweed soup (miyeokguk (미역국)), and refreshing bean sprout soup (kongnamul-guk (콩나물국)), you'll have a lavish spread comparable to a full Korean traditional meal (hanjeongsik (한정식)).
If you prefer a spicier taste, you can adjust by adding more Cheongyang chili peppers (cheongyang gochu (청양고추)).
🔥 Nutrition Info
This Yangnyeom Gejang (양념게장) uses 4kg of blue crabs and various seasoning ingredients, making it difficult to precisely measure nutritional components per serving.
Roughly, an estimated calorie count per serving (based on approximately 200g of crab) is about 250-350 kcal.
Protein is primarily consumed from crab meat, estimated at about 20-30g; fat at about 10-15g; and carbohydrates from sugars and vegetables in the seasoning at about 20-30g.
Blue crabs are rich in taurine, which is good for relieving fatigue, and chitosan can help lower cholesterol levels.
Ingredients like apple, ginger, and green onions in the seasoning provide vitamins and dietary fiber.
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