Ojingeo-jeot

Chewy, intensely savory fermented squid cut into pieces and seasoned with chili — a bold banchan from the sea.

Ojingeo-jeot belongs to the broad category of jeotgal, Korea's ancient tradition of salt-fermenting seafood to create intensely flavored condiments and side dishes that could preserve the bounty of the sea for months. Fresh squid is cleaned, sliced into bite-sized pieces, and generously salted, then mixed with gochugaru, garlic, ginger, and sometimes sugar before being packed into jars and fermented for weeks. The result is a bracingly savory, slightly chewy, umami-intense banchan that packs more flavor per bite than almost any other side dish on a Korean table. Coastal communities — particularly in South Gyeongsang Province and on Jeju Island — have the strongest jeotgal traditions, and local markets in Tongyeong and Busan still display enormous batches of freshly made ojingeo-jeot in open bins. It also serves a critical function in kimchi-making: added in small amounts, it deepens the fermentation and adds oceanic umami that elevates the entire batch. A small dish of ojingeo-jeot with a bowl of barley rice (보리밥) is considered a quintessential Korean coastal comfort meal.