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| − | [[Wikipedia:Hagfish|Hagfish]] are a type of non-vertabrate chordate--not a true fish, but not a true invertebrate. | + | #REDIRECT [[wikipedia:Hagfish|Hagfish]] |
| − | Locally called meokjangeo (먹장어), or "slime eel," they are only eaten only in Korean cuisine--mostly in Korea, but sometimes by Korean expatriates in Japan and California.
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| − | Hagfish are chewy, with a softer spinal chord that runs through their back, and have a mild taste, with an unpleasant aftertaste. Though unpalatable to foreigners, they are popular in Korea, where they are usually eaten by men as an [[Wikipedia:Aphrodisiac|aphrodisiac]]. For that purpose they are considered by Korean men to be interchangable with [[Cookbook:Eel|eels]], an unrelated animal with a similarly phallic shape but remarkably different taste and texture.
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| − | == Obtaining ==
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| − | An adventurous eater seeking to try one will have no trouble finding them in Korea, where seafood is displayed in large glass tanks. But the travel-limited culinary xenophile might also be able to obtain them directly from fishermen in California, and prepare then as described, using a hot plate instead of the traditional Korean barbecue set up.
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| − | == Preparation ==
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| − | To prepare them, they are sliced down the middle to remove the digestive tract, then marinated in a sauce used for Korean barbeque. Traditionally, the raw fish are then placed on a heated plate at the center of the table, where they are cooked and served like [[Cookbook:Galbi|galbi]], using scissors to slice the hagfish up. The cooked fish are moved to the side of the dish, with lettuce and [[Wikipedia:Gochujang|gochujang]], no amount of which can mask the animal's distinct taste. The head, containing the skull is left on the fish, and if a foreigner dines with Koreans, the honor will be offered to the foreigner.
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| − | Anecdotal evidence suggests that they are also popular eaten raw.
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| − | == Slime ==
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| − | The hagfish produce large amounts of mucus as a protective measure, and can be made to produce more by placing them in a bucket and agitating the animal until it is filled. The resulting slime can then be used as a substitute for egg whites.
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| − | [[Category:Seafood]]
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| − | [[Category:Korean recipes]]
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| − | [[Category:Ingredients]]
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