Jokbal (Korean: 족발) is a Korean dish consisting of pig's trotters cooked with soy sauce and spices.[1] It is usually braised in a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine.[2] Additional ingredients used can include onion, leeks, garlic, cinnamon, and black pepper.[3]
| Jokbal | |
 Sliced jokbal, a popular dish served as anju in South Korea | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 족발 |
| Revised Romanization | Jokbal |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chokpal |
History
editJokbal is presumed to have originated from braised pork, a local food of Hwanghae-do, where pigs' legs are boiled. The current jokbal is a food that started in Jangchung-dong in the 1960s and is known to have been developed by grandmothers from Pyeongan-do and Hwanghae-do for a living. In the 1960s and 1970s, it became widely known through visitors to Jangchung Gymnasium, where professional wrestling games were frequently held.[4]
The etymology of the name Jokbal is disputed. The first presumption is that the word Jokbal is from word 쪽발(Jjokbal) meaning cloven hoof and the word Jjokbal was pronounced softly to sell as menu and became Jokbal. The second presumption is that the Sino-Korean word 족(Jok, Hanja: 足) which means foot and the Korean word 발(bal) which also means foot was written together on a menu for customers who cannot read Korean and it became a single word.
Serving
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As jokbal is a dish usually shared by several people, it is generally served in large portions, and as it is greasy and has a strong flavour, Korean diners often eat it as Ssam, wrapped in a piece of lettuce with sauces and other vegetables. Jokbal is considered an anju and thus is often accompanied with soju.[5] Restaurants serving jokbal frequently offer both a regular and a spicy version of the dish, with especially spicy versions being dubbed buljokbal—literally "fire jokbal". Most also offer other variations, including Busan-style naengchae jokbal, which is served cold and garnished with chilled vegetables.
Nutrition
editJokbal contains a lot of gelatin and is thus said to promote firm, wrinkle-free skin. The amino acid methionine, found in pork, is claimed to counteract the effects of alcohol and prevent hangovers. Korean sources also attribute numerous other beneficial effects to pork products like jokbal.[1]
Jokbal Street
editThe area around Dongguk University Station in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, is known for its numerous jokbal restaurants. The restaurants have long histories, some having been open for as many as 50 years, and all claim to be the "original" jokbal restaurant.[6] Most of the restaurants have opened franchises throughout the country and offer delivery services.[7][8]
Gallery
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Jokbal at a vendor in Namdaemun Market -
Jokbal at Korean Town in Osaka, Japan -
Jokbal -
Jokbal -
On a plate with sauces to the right -
Jokbal 2013
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b (in Korean) Jokbal at Doosan Encyclopedia
- ^ Jung, Alex "5 Korean ways to eat a pig" Archived 2011-11-13 at the Wayback Machine CNN Go. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 2012-04-11
- ^ Gentile, Dan (February 28, 2014). "Korean food: The 12 essential dishes you need to know from the North and the South". Thrillist. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
- ^ "족발". terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
- ^ Hong, Deuki; Rodbard, Matt (2016-02-16). Koreatown: A Cookbook. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. ISBN 978-0-8041-8614-8.
- ^ "Jangchung-dong Jokbal Street". Korea Tourism Organization. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
- ^ (in Korean) Nighttime snacks popular, Asia Today, 2010-05-31. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ^ (in Korean) Jangchung jokbal chains Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine, Hankyung, 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
External links
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- Jangchung-dong Jokbal Street, Korea Tourism Organization
- The story of food: Jokbal