Gamjatang

Gamjatang or pork spine soup is a spicy Korean soup made from the spine of a pig. It often contains potatoes, cellophane noodles, dried daikon radish greens, perilla leaves, green onions, hot peppers and ground sesame seeds. As with many Korean words, the name is derived from Chinese characters 甘猪 (Gam-Juh 감저) which means the spine of a pig, rather than the Korean word for potato (감자).

The vertebrae are usually separated with bits of meat clinging to them. The vertebrae is boiled in high temperatures to soften the meat. To remove the meat, one must use an instrument such as a chopstick. The meal is usually served with kimchi and a bowl of rice. This food is served as a lunch or dinner and often as a late night snack as well.

The soup base is a deep red colour from the red hot peppers.

The soup is now common in Korean restaurants outside of Korea, including the United States and Canada.

History

Gamjatang originated in the southern Korean province of Jeolla. The main industry of Jeolla Province was agriculture, and hogs were widely raised and used for food. The origins of gamjatang can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms Era when South Jeolla farmers raised hogs in greater numbers than in most of the rest of Korea.