Hongeohoe / Photo Credit: www.instiz.net

Hongeohoe is fermented skate characterized by the stinging odor of ammonia, often ranked high in lists of world’s smelliest foods. The flesh and backbones of skate are crunchy and give very unique and pungent taste that some people enjoy. Hongeohoe’s origin dates back to the Goryeo dynasty, when residents of island Heuksando had to carry fish to feed themselves for their long journeys.

Hongeo Samhap / Photo Credit: gdikorea.tistory.com

To tone down and balance out the flavor, hongeohoe is often consumed in a Samhap, a combination of the hongeohoe, braised pork, and kimchi. Usually kimchi is used to wrap skate and pork in one.