Jang, Korean fermented soybean product, the result of endeavors of ancients for the best taste of Korean diet

Abstract

Each ethnic group has developed a food culture that enjoys delicious food by consuming natural materials or agricultural products from their respective regions. Because soybeans originated in Korea and are abundant there, a way to make delicious soybeans has been developed. Jang is a food made by fermenting soybeans, and representative types include doenjang, gochujang, kanjang, and cheongkukjang. Koreans usually season their food with jangs instead of salt. The representative seasoning of Korea traditional food is jang and yangnyom. When soybeans are fermented, soybean proteins decompose and produce fermentation by-products such as peptides, amino acids, and organic acids that provide new taste and flavor. Therefore, seasoning with jang provides a much richer taste than salt alone. Jang is an essential element of Korean food, adding taste and flavor to other dishes. Since jang is the most important and widely used food in Korean cuisine, Koreans have devoted all their efforts to making jang. These efforts include cleaning the surrounding environment, hanging meju (the blocked soybean) under the roof to dry, using charcoal and red pepper, and more. From a modern scientific perspective, their earnest devotion served functions of hygiene, moisture control, microbial inoculation, and salt control. Jang is a unique Korean food culture born from the tireless efforts of Korean mothers to feed their families with the most delicious food possible, even during times of food scarcity when they had to survive on rough grass.