Korean · appetizer

Ganjang Gejang (간장게장)

Ganjang Gejang (간장게장) reads umami 6.7, salinity 6.4 and sweetness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean appetizer, about 4 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Salinity 6.4 · Sweetness 5.1 · Marine & Briny 4.6 · Allium 4.4 · Funk & Ferment 3.6 · Richness 2.8 · Heat 2.8 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Floral 1.4 · Herbaceous 1.1 · Bitterness 0.9 · Sourness 0.8 · Earthy 0.8 · Nutty 0.7

What's in it (10)

• 4 fresh raw blue crabs (about 2 lbs total)
• 2 cups soy sauce
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp rice wine
• 2 dried chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black pepper

Time & effort: about 4 hr (10 min active) · effort: easy

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 81.1 kcal, 13.7 g protein, 0.7 g fat, 5.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

1. Clean live blue crabs thoroughly and submerge in a brine of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and spices boiled together and cooled to room temperature.
2. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days for the soy to cure the raw crab.
3. Serve cold with warm rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vietnamese Caramel Chicken — Vietnamese
• Tteokbokki (떡볶이) — Korean
• Kanya's Shrimps Fried rice — Chinese
• Oysters Rockefeller — Cajun/Creole
• Vietnamese Caramel Salmon — Vietnamese

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.