Mild, Tender Gajami Jorim (Braised Flounder)
Braised fish made by simmering thick Korean radish first, then topping the mild fish with a spicy sauce and braising until slightly reduced.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This side dish features mild, clean-tasting flounder topped with a spicy seasoning sauce and simmered until rich and tender. Thickly sliced Korean radish needs to be precooked in broth so that the seasonings penetrate all the way through. The key is to simmer gently over low heat until the sauce reduces, keeping the fish and vegetables wonderfully soft.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Flounder2 whole (medium-sized)
- Korean radish (mu)5 pieces
- Onion1 (large)
- Large green onion (daepa)2 stalks
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)4
- Red chili pepper4
Seasoning sauce
- Soy sauce6 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)5 tbsp
- Broth2 cups
- Garlic2 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Ginger juice1 tsp
- Toasted sesame seedsa little
For precooking radish
- Broth1 cup
- Gently scrape off the dark scales from both the back and belly of the flounder with a knife, remove the innards, wash thoroughly, and drain the water.
- If you do not have broth, you can dissolve beef or anchovy Dasida seasoning powder in plain water and use 1 cup.
Steps
Cut the vegetables into large pieces.
I like to eat large slices of Korean radish, so cut it about 1.5 cm thick
and 3-4 cm in size, and slice the remaining ingredients thickly on a diagonal.
Flounder has scales on both the back and belly, so scrape gently with a knife to remove the dark scales. Remove the innards as well.
I bought 2 medium fish that fit perfectly in my shallow braising pot.
Nowadays most fishmongers clean them for you.
Wash thoroughly and drain the water.
Mix the seasoning ingredients ahead of time in the amounts listed above.
If you make it about 30 minutes in advance, the color becomes much prettier.
Lay the Korean radish in a shallow braising pot and add 1 cup of broth to precook the radish.
Because the radish is thick, if you put it in together with the flounder, it will still be undercooked by mealtime and you won't be able to eat them together.
If you do not have broth, dissolve beef or anchovy Dasida in plain water and add 1 cup.
When the radish is somewhat cooked, lay the onions over it,
and evenly arrange the flounder, large green onion, and chili peppers on top.
Ladle the prepared seasoning sauce over the top.
Bring it to a boil over high heat at first, then simmer gently over low heat until the sauce is reduced.
Since the flounder and the other vegetables cook quickly, braise them over low heat.
Here is the well-cooked Gajami jorim. Doesn't it look delicious?
Ppunwife's tips
- If you prepare the seasoning sauce about 30 minutes ahead, the color becomes much richer and prettier.
- Because the Korean radish is thick, it will not cook in time if added together with the flounder. Lay the radish in a shallow pot first with 1 cup of broth and precook it.
- Flounder and other vegetables cook through quickly, so bring to a boil over high heat first, then simmer gently over low heat until the liquid reduces.
FAQ
Why cook the Korean radish before the flounder?
Thick-cut radish takes much longer to cook, so simmering it from the start with the quick-cooking flounder would leave the radish underdone by the time the fish is ready.
What can I do if I have no broth prepared?
You can dissolve beef or anchovy Dasida bouillon powder in plain water and use 1 cup instead.
How do you clean and prep flounder?
Gently scrape away the dark scales along the back and belly using a knife, take out the innards, rinse thoroughly under running water, and drain well.
What is the benefit of making the sauce in advance?
Letting the seasoning sit for about 30 minutes allows the chili flakes to hydrate, deepening the flavor and yielding a richer, more vibrant red color.
