What is the name of Korean salted and fermented seafood, often used as a side dish? It is called jeotgal.
Jeotgal is a broad Korean category of seafood preserved with salt and often fermented. Ingredients can include shrimp, oysters, clams, fish, roe, squid, and other marine animals. The finished food may be solid, soft, chunky, or liquid.
Solid varieties are commonly served as banchan, or side dishes. Liquid jeotgal, known as aekjeot, is used as a seasoning in kimchi, soups, and stews. Small portions of shrimp jeotgal may also accompany dishes such as bossam, jokbal, samgyeopsal, or Korean sausage.
Jeotgal has deep roots in Korean food history. A reference to it appears in the Samguk sagi, describing wedding gifts offered in 683 during the Silla period. Jeotgal should not be confused with gochujang, a fermented chili paste, or jangajji, vegetables preserved in a seasoned brine or sauce.