Jipjang: Following the tradition of preparing a fermented Korean household (jongka) staple food

Abstract

Background: South Korea, home of the soybean, features diverse traditional fermented soy products. Jipjang (汁醬) is made by mixing autumn vegetables in meju powder prepared by boiling and fermenting soybeans and wheat with saccharified water. Jipjang has been documented since the early Joseon period, but its traditional path has been severed, becoming a local specialty in some southern regions and altered into other forms of jang. However, some jongka (宗家, traditional Korean family) continue to pass down jipjang recipes via the jongbu (the head daughter-in-law). Method: We conducted in-depth interviews with the jongbu of six jongkas in the Kyeongsang and Chonla provinces to investigate their jipjang recipes. Results: The Kalam, Hakbong, and Dongkye Jongka made their own meju powder by hand before mixing with hard-steamed glutinous rice or glutinous rice glue and pickled vegetables. The Nosongjeong Jongka used commercial meju mixed with glutinous rice glue, wheat yeast, eggplant, chives, and gourd. The Chunwujae Jongka mixed hard-steamed glutinous rice in meju with thin jocheong made by boiling yeotkireum water and 10 other ingredients. The Cheongjaekongpa Jongka mixed commercial meju with vegetables but used a modernized recipe. Conclusion: Although kanjang, doenjang, and gochujang require months to ferment and ripen, thereby taking longer from production to sale; using an electric rice cooker can enable jipjang to be made within a week. Hence, with the development of improved pickling technology, jipjang is predicted to become more economically feasible than other jang products. We will continue to identify Korean traditional fermented foods made in jongka and systematize their recipes. Keywords: Fermentation, Jipjang, Jongka, Korean foodways, Soybeans, Traditional food