Gyeranjjim with Myeongnanjeot
One the ways I have enjoyed myeongnanjeot (fermented pollack roe) is in 계란찜 gyeranjjim Korean egg soufflé.
Usually we had plain gyeranjjim as a banchan dish. But one day, it became a main dish at least for me when my mother made it a special way.
She even boiled dried 멸치 anchovy fish stock mixed into the egg. Then she broke apart a myeongnanjeot to spill the pollack roe. When cooking, the pollack roe melts and sinks to the bottom.
When scooping down to the bottom of the 뚝배기 clay pot, one gets a double layer of creamy egg on top and squishy savory pollack roe that pops between the teeth on the bottom.
Garnished with 파 green onion on top to make the atttactive colors of white, green yellow, pink,the steamy creamy dreamy taste was just surprisingly delicious! That was the first time I had 명란젓 계란찜.
My mother said that she suddenly was reminded of her grandmother’s traditional recipe when the pollack roe was sitting by the eggs one day.
There are many versions of pollack roe egg soufflé. Some are chunky, some blend the two completely. But I think the two layer style brings out the potential qualities of Korean fermented pollack roe best.
This website is the closest to what I tried to describe.
