What kind of Jeju food have you tried?
There are 7 masterpieces of Jeju food, but the island has many other dishes to try.
Momguk is a Jeju dish that brings ingredients from the sea and ingredients from the land together in one bowl.
Momguk can owe its popularization to the Kimchi Chronicles, which aired on America’s PBS TV channel in 2011. Over 2 months and through 13 episodes world-famous chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Marja, his half Korean wife, traveled Korea and discovered its food.
Episode 3 saw the introduction of the Jeju Chronicles and Momguk.
Momguk begins with the broth making process that includes pig bone and intestines. Seaweed known as mojaban is then added. In turn it is boiled until the concoction becomes a mushy pulpy mix. There won’t be a strong smell or taste meeting your nose or mouth, but you won’t be able to stop your spoon.
The seaweed is known as mom on Jeju instead of mojaban, which is standard for the rest of Korea. That is why this dish is called Momguk.
In the old days the dish was served to people during a large event like a wedding. Even today it is still served this way and is complemented well with a cup or two of makkoli(rice wine).
In times past Jeju was considered a poor island with food shortages and a lack of livestock available to eat given its distant transport links with the Korean mainland. Thus when a big event was held in a village, the locals would get together and share a pig. Soup proved the best way to share that protein.
Yet the seaweed too holds lots of nutrients with calcium, vitamins and amino acids. It also helps synthesize collagen, which keeps the skin wrinkle free.
Of course you can enjoy Momguk all year round, yet summertime is consider good a time. If you’re nursing a hangover Momguk can help with that as well.
