Abstract
Techniques for fermenting kimchi and jeotgal were developed on the Korean Peninsula during the Primitive Pottery era as early as 6000 BCE, making for a long history of this important method of storing food in Korea. As agriculture became more secure so that grains could be regularly harvested, porridge culture transitioned to cooked rice culture. Starchy grains were easy to digest, and vegetables and salty seafood added flavor. It may be that kimchi and jeotgal (which is used as a condiment) emerged as a basic element of the Korean table at this time to improve the taste of staple grains. This chapter traced the history of kimchi and jeotgal fermentation from the ancient times to the Joseon period (Nineteenth century). The varieties of kimchi and jeotgal appeared in the classic literature were classified, and the production skills were introduced. The principles in fish fermentation (jeotgal and sikhae) technology were related to those of kimchi and soybean fermentation.
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Lee, CH. (2022). The History of Kimchi and Jeotgal (Fermented Fish). In: Korean Food and Foodways. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0023-5_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0023-5_7
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