Hoe (회)

Hoe is the Korean name for raw fish, seafood or meat cut into thin slices, a dish closely related to Japanese sashimi. It is one of the most recognisable preparations in Korean cooking, found both at home and in specialist restaurants.

History

The term hoe goes back to ancient China, where the Analects of Confucius mention kuai, finely cut raw meat or fish whose meaning later narrowed mainly to raw fish. The dish is generally said to have reached Korea from China during the Three Kingdoms period.

Buddhism, which spread widely from the middle of that period until the late Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), discouraged killing animals, and hoe nearly disappeared from tables. As Buddhist influence waned, it returned, and under the Joseon dynasty, which favoured Confucianism, it was accepted without objection, since Confucius was known to have enjoyed raw meat.

Culture

Hoe is associated with sociable meals and celebrations, and seasonal fish shape its variety through the year. It may be made from fish, shellfish, beef (yukhoe) or liver (gan hoe). It is dipped in gochujang-based sauces such as chogochujang or ssamjang and wrapped in lettuce and perilla leaves. Many restaurants follow it with maeuntang, a spicy stew made from the head and leftover bones of the fish. Regional styles vary in their seasoning: gochujang dominates in Gangwon and North Gyeongsang, while doenjang is used in South Gyeongsang and on Jeju Island.

Trivia