Cycle 12 – Cycle 317

18 (Thu) November 2021

Chokchok Ojingeo

3.5

at Uncle 39

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with W, IZ

The descriptor “chokchok” is applied to something that’s moist, in a good way, like juicy meat (to be distinguished from “chukchuk,” which is applied to something that’s moist, in a bad way, like soggy vegetables) (the Korean language is rife with ideophonic reduplications that have similar pronunciations with slightly nuanced meanings).

Here, chokchok ojingeo is semi-dried squid.  Lightly roasted.  Served with peanuts.  Same thing as ban-geon ojingeo (see for example 12.245 Bangeon Ojingeo), with a cuter name.  I liked the scoring of the skin, which made for an interesting visual.

Curiously, “chokchok ojingeo” has its own entry in the Naver on-line dictionary, though “bangeon ojingeo” – which is more literal, and thus seemingly formal – does not.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)