Start with the crab meat. Use your hands or the tools provided to gently break the shell and pull out the meat.
GUIDE 12
How to Eat Ganjang Gejang
Crack the crab, mix the shell, and enjoy it with rice.
WHAT IS IT?
Ganjang gejang is raw crab marinated in a savory soy sauce. The sweet crab meat and rich marinade are usually enjoyed with rice rather than eaten on their own.
HOW TO EAT IT
Eat it with rice. Place a little crab meat over plain rice so the salty, savory marinade can balance the rice.
Don’t waste the sauce. Mix a small amount of the soy marinade into your rice for extra flavor.
Try the crab shell with rice. Add rice to the shell and mix it with the remaining crab meat and sauce—one of the most popular Korean ways to enjoy ganjang gejang.
Add seaweed. Wrap rice and crab meat in Korean roasted seaweed for another classic combination.
Take your time. Ganjang gejang is a hands-on dish, and using your hands is completely normal.
Take it one relaxed bite at a time.
LOCAL TIP
Start with a little sauce at a time. It is deeply savory, and plain rice keeps each bite balanced.
TABLE TIP
Refill Your Side DishesNeed more banchan? Just ask the staff. Most Korean restaurants are happy to refill common side dishes at no extra charge, and some have a self-service banchan bar. A few dishes made with more expensive ingredients may be limited or not refillable. Don’t be shy—asking for more banchan is completely normal in Korea.
Don’t worry if…
The shell can look unfamiliar at first, but there is no wrong way to take it slowly and enjoy the crab with rice.