[Jeong Jun-seong's Yeomindonglak (357)] Boknal and Mineo Fish

Mineo fish has many nicknames.

This itself is evidence that our people have enjoyed eating it since ancient times.

In the Seoul and Incheon regions, the fish was called differently depending on its size.

Fish about two palms long were called 'bogeulchi,' those around three palms were 'eoseurae-gi,' larger ones were 'sangmineo,' and only those exceeding four palms were called mineo.

Of course, these were names used among fish merchants.

The ancient text Jasaneobo (玆山魚譜) also records it by multiple names.

Myeneo (鮸魚) and Pyoeo (鰾魚) are representative examples, and mineo fry are written as Amchieo (岩峙魚).

In Jeoneo-ji (佃漁志), it is recorded as mineo (鰵魚), not with the character for 'people' (民).

In Jeolla Province, the largest mineo is still called 'gaeuchi.'

In Beopseong Port, fish around 30 centimeters long are called 'hongchi.'

In Wando, small mineo are called 'buldung-geori.'

Moreover, records of mineo appear throughout ancient texts.

In Huh Gyun's 'Seongsobibugo (惺所覆瓿藁),' it is written that the fish was named mineo because it was as common as the number of common people.

It also appears in 'Sejong Sillok Jiriji' and 'Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungram.'

It is recorded that common people enjoyed eating it and called it mineo (民魚).

True to its name as the 'people's fish,' mineo is well known as the finest 'health food' during the height of summer.

In particular, 'mineo soup' was highly regarded as a boknal (dog days) dish.

There is even a saying: "During the summer heat, mineo soup is first class, sea bream soup is second class, and dog soup is third class."

It is also said that the nobility ate mineo during the three dog days while commoners ate dog soup, and it was ranked among the finest summer foods of May and June.

Its deliciousness is not limited to soup and raw fish.

Gourmands first eat the chewy, fatty belly meat and tail meat, as well as the fin meat.

The skin, slightly scalded in hot water and rinsed in cold water, dipped in sesame oil and salt is also a delicacy.

Grilled, pan-fried, marinated gills, bone broth—there is nothing that cannot be eaten. Even the roe is considered the finest among fish eggs.

The swim bladder, which determines the value of mineo, is an especially prized delicacy.

There is even a saying that if mineo costs 10 won, the swim bladder costs 4 won—enough to whet the appetite of true gourmands.

'Even cow horns curl in the heat'—today is the middle of the three dog days.

It would be nice to beat the summer heat with a plate of mineo sashimi accompanied by swim bladder and a piping hot, spicy mineo soup.