Last Meals Part II

Another last meal with friends, last Saturday for lunch I finally had "Gae-jang," or Soy-Marinated Crab.

Now, I grew up in Maryland.  I worked two summers in a crab house in Annapolis, Maryland (fuck you, Mike).  I know Maryland style crabs pretty well -- a simple boil with Old Bay (season salt).  That's it.  Serve with a knife, a wood mallet, and either melted butter or vinegar.  And beer, preferably by the can.

I hope my crab bona fides have been established.

That said, this blew my mind, because it's conceptually from another planet.

Gae-jang isn't cooked at all.  It's marinated for hours on end in a boiled soy sauce and chili pepper mixture.  What you end up with are quartered crabs, and you kind of suck the white meat from the body.  I tried to get the meat in the legs and claws and well, but the only utensils you get are plastic gloves (you're only supposed to wear one on your left hand).

I really wanted a knife-and-mallet to compete the job, but I take it the body meat is really the centerpiece.

Also, the mustard and roe -- the eggs are great, but the mustard (Tomalley") is considered a delicacy here.

Well, this Maryland dude gave it a shot but man, I've always found the mustard far too bitter for consumption.

However, would I try it again?  Absolutely -- the huge amount of side dishes didn't hurt.

Would I recommend it to a foreigner?  That's tougher -- a set meal for three folks will run you 50 bucks in Daegu (certainly more in Seoul) and if raw crab isn't your jam, this might not be for you.  The texture is unique -- cold, slippery and not at all flakey like a properly cooked Maryland crab.

Still, when I consider what dishes I probably won't have access to in the U.S. outside of L.A.'s Koreatown or Flushing, Queens, this will be up there.  Weird, but tremendous flavor.  As a friend pointed out, you'll really appreciate having a nice bowl of rice here to balance out the saltiness.