JWIPO aka Korean Dried Filefish
What is Jwipo?
Jwipo is what Koreans call Filefish that have been dipped in a sugar solution before being pressed and dried into (usually oval-shaped) molds. This is a small (the largest it gets is 30cm) and flat fish going by the scientific name of Stephanolepis-Cirrhifer but it usually says “Filefish” on the package.
There are over 100 variations of Filefish (Wiki article) but Koreans only eat the specific one stated above for Jwipo. In general, the species seem to live in most oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian) and people around Florida describe it as a tasty fish similar to Triggerfish in flavour. Cooking the deboned fillets in butter seems the way to go.
What does Dried Filefish (Jwipo) taste like?
Jwipo is surprisingly sweet, but a savoury-sweet. Theoretically you may be skeptical at eating a dried fish jerky that is sweet. But trust me on this, this taste may very well hook you. It’s incredibly (satisfyingly!) chewy, the sweetness hits your brain as “YUM” then you munch, munch, munch on the fish jerky. It’s a popular camping snack, movie-watching snack, bar snack, just perfect for when you get the munchies with serious chew.
But I may be biased as this is my all👏time👏favourite👏snack👏.
Help me Pronounce it!
“Gee + Po”
Is Jwipo Healthy?
As I mentioned briefly (I wish I could forget I knew this), this fish jerky is drenched in a high sugar solution. Therefore, I feel a responsibility to tell you that this is not a heart-healthy fish snack. I would even go as far as to say because of the sugar content, it rather negates the health benefits you could be getting from consuming fish. Insert a sad ha-ha. Think of this as a sometimes indulgence.
How do you cook Jwipo?
All this dried fish jerky needs is some browning, crisping or charring (depending on your preference) with a heat source.
Option 1: Over an open flame (we use a butane camping stove but if you have a gas burning stove, it will work as well).
Option 3: Using a frypan on the stove. Use tongs! Watch your fingers.
Option 4: Microwave in 10 sec increments. Some people will hug a damp paper towel around it to maintain tenderness.
Option 5: Pop it in the toaster (but as I said in the video, wouldn’t this leave a faint fishy odour in the toaster affecting your morning toast??)
How do you eat Jwipo?
Bar Snack: Cut into strips/small pieces.
Snack: Cut into pieces. Dip in Gochujang Mayo (Mix Gochujang + Mayo). Make it fancy by plating with some nuts.
Don’t cut it and just rip into it. Let your inner Neanderthal out.
You can also make Korean Banchan (side dishes) with it. Usually it’s made Spicy or Sweet, and we don’t make this as I enjoy it piping hot as a snack but the lovely ladies over at My Korean Kitchen (go to her Jwipo Banchan recipe) and Aeri’s Kitchen (check out her Jwipo Banchan recipe) do.
Where to buy Jwipo?
I usually (almost always heh) pick up a package when we do our monthly Korean grocery run. I find it either with dried ingredients like dried anchovies or in the ready-to-eat foods section. But I have also found it in the snack aisle too. Keep in mind, sometimes they will sell pre-roasted Jwipo (though this isn’t as commonly found in North America). Pre-roasted means it’s totally ready to eat right out of the package.
You can tell the difference by the amount of Jwipo in a package. If it’s got a lot (think 10 pieces or more) then you gotta get some heat on them. If they’ve got a single piece or 2, then it’s an individual pre-cooked snack that’s ready to eat.
I haven’t found much of a selection online, but Amazon’s got one here so at least you can get an idea of what the package will look like.
Enjoy! But for goodness’ sakes enjoy in moderation, k?
Did you know OPPA COOKS HERE makes Youtube vids too? Here’s the Jwipo video.
