Amook
AMOOK
-Amook (plural: Amooks) is a Korean food item made with minced white-meat fish and some starch. Usually, it is deep-fried, roasted or steamed before consumption.
Name
It is sometimes referred to as “fishcake”. As a slang, Amook from food trucks is called “Oden” but Oden refers to a soup with Amook, daikon (winter radish), and konjac jelly (devil’s tongue)[1]. The term “Oden” originated from Japanese word “Denkaku” meaning roasted miso sauced tofu skewer[2]. When ‘Denkaku’ was served inside of broth, Japanese people started to add the prefix ‘o’ and called it ‘Oden’. The Japanese style of Amook is Kamaboko and it is different from ‘Amook’ (Korean style). Interestingly, Japanese consume solid ingredients only if Amook is served in broth. However, in Korea, people enjoy both soup and Amook. Koreans boil skewed Amook in a broth and sell it in street cars where people can eat with preferred drinks and dipping sauce.
As the reputation for “Busan Amook” grew rapidly since shortly after the outbreak of Korean war to 2000s, manufacturers from different regions imprudently labeled “Busan Amook” or “Made in Busan” on their products[3]. As a result, the Busan Fish Market gradually has been eroded by the companies that are not from Busan[4]. In 2014 the Municipal government of Busan registered “Busan Amook” on Regional Collective Mark to protect the local market and processors. Nowadays, there are more than 60 companies in Busan that uses “Busan Amook” as their label.
History
Amook originated from Japan during Muromachi period. In Korea, it first appears as “kamaboko” in a recipe compilation, “So Moon Sa Sul” written by 18th century Korean diplomat, Pyo Lee. However, manufacturing process for kamaboko differs from that of Amook, so it is unclear whether kamaboko in his book actually refers to Amook or not[5].
Amook was first introduced in Korea during Japanese Colonial Period, and the first Amook processing plant in Korea was Dongkwang Food founded by Sang Jo Lee (First plant founded by Korean, the first processing plant was founded by Japanese around 1930s) in BooPyung Traditional Market during 1950s in Busan[6]. During this period, factory managers from Dongkwang Food and Samjin Amook started a joint venture, Hwangong Amook. From 1950s to 1960s, myriad Amook processing factories emerged such as Samjin, Dongkwang, Mido, Youngjin, Hwangong, and Daewon, which marked the prosperous period of amook industry[7]. Samho F&G was the first conglomerate to enter Amook production in 1985. This was when the term, Amook, was used for the first time[8]. However, the term Amook appears on newspaper for the first time in 1969.[9]
In 2010s, Amook industry in Korea went through a major transformation from the public perception of Amook as a fast food to a recognized delicacy[10]. In 2013 December, Samjin Amook for the first time in Korea, established an Amook bakery. A store that sells various kinds of Amooks in a bakery style. Up to this day, Samjin Amook solidified unique conception and public image of Amook[11]. Other Amook processors attempted to transform their stores and diversified their menus to secure lucrative positions and market competitiveness.
Composition & Ingredients
In the past, Amook processors used bycatches as a main ingredient due to the price competitiveness and the lack of available fish stocks[12]. After the outbreak of Korean War, it was nearly impossible for Amook processing plants to procure better ingredients. Such past practices have played a role in building the misconstrued perceptions that Amook cannot possibly have good quality and that no one knows what it is made of[13].
However, in 21st century, as the available fish stocks have become stable and the demand for better and fresh ingredients has brought about a change in Amook industry. Instead of using the cheap bycatches, most Amook processors began using more credible imported fish species. Now in Busan, most Amooks are made from Alaska Pollock, Pacific Whiting, Hake and Threadfin Bream[14]. The most common fish used for Amook is Alaska Pollock[15]. Even nowadays, a significant number of Koreans doubt the quality and freshness of the ingredients being used in Amook industry. Koreans still possess a preconception that Amook is processed in unsanitary environment[16]. Inevitably, Amook processors had to implement higher standard of sanitation system into their factories in order to survive in the food market. Samjin Amook decided to impose a regulation that requires all the workers in the factory to wear sanitation overalls. Followed by Samjin Amook, other Amook processors started to implement sanitation environment in their factories with their own strategies.
References
- ^ 1. Tanaka, Minako. "Texture of Japanese foods." Food Reviews International2.2 (1986): 247-265.
- ^ Roussel, H., and J. C. Cheftel. "Characteristics of surimi and kamaboko from sardines." International Journal of Food Science & Technology 23.6 (1988): 607-623
- ^ 1. 김승. "식민지시기 부산의 수산가공업과 수산가공품 현황." 역사와경계 101 (2016): 133-174.
- ^ 1. Mansfield, Becky. "Fish, factory trawlers, and imitation crab: the nature of quality in the seafood industry." Journal of Rural Studies 19.1 (2003): 9-21.
- ^ 1. 신애숙. "부산의 전통, 향토음식의 현황 고찰." 한국조리학회지 6.2 (2000): 67-78.
- ^ 주희진, and 박연선. "부산 영도 봉래 창고군의 창조적 재활용을 위한 근대 역사문화 경관색채 계획." 한국색채학회논문집 25.4 (2011): 59-70
- ^ 1. 송정헌. "부산 어묵 가공업의 클러스터 조성 방안에 관한 연구." 水産經營論集 43.2 (2012): 15-26.
- ^ 이진희. "CJ 주식회사 식품연구소." 식품산업과 영양 12.1 (2007): 71-72.
- ^ http://news20.busan.com/controller/newsController.jsp?newsId=20110308000220
- ^ 이강순. "2015 년 부산 10 대 히트상품." BDI 정책포커스 298 (2015): 1-12.
- ^ 우석봉. "[원도심 역사· 문화 관광벨트 조성] 역사· 문화 자원 체계적으로 묶어 원도심 관광 활성화에 적극 활용." 부산발전포럼 159 (2016): 36-45.
- ^ 고경원. "[문화 살롱 _ 신간] 어둠의 재발견." 월간 샘터 (2015): 92-93.
- ^ 1. 신영훈, 신명은, and 이경희. "꽁치 어육을 이용하여 제조한 어묵의 품질 특성." 동아시아식생활학회지 24.5 (2014): 654-663.
- ^ Mansfield, Becky. "Fish, factory trawlers, and imitation crab: the nature of quality in the seafood industry." Journal of Rural Studies 19.1 (2003): 9-21.
- ^ 1. Kim, Byung-Soon, and Eung-Ho LEE. "Processing of steamed fish cake from carp meat." Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 5.3 (1972): 97-103.
- ^ 김영훈, et al. "부산지역 어묵 브랜드제품 개발에 관한 연구." Korean Journal of Culinary Research 14.3 (2008): 143-155.