Pan-Fried Sweet and Spicy Kodari Jorim (Braised Semi-Dried Pollock)
Kodari jorim (braised semi-dried pollock) made by dusting pollock with flour, pan-frying it until golden, and braising it in a sweet and spicy sauce.
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 →
Lightly dusting the fish with flour and pan-frying it until golden keeps the flesh from breaking apart and gives it a delightfully chewy texture. The sweet and spicy soy sauce braising liquid soaks all the way in, making this a wonderful winter side dish for rice or a great accompaniment to drinks.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Semi-dried pollack (kodari)2 whole, 500 g
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
- Large green onion (daepa)1/4
Braising sauce
- Anchovy broth (or water)1/2 cup
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)4 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Ginger powdera little
- Ground black peppera little
- Toasted sesame oila little
- Toasted sesame seeds
- If the semi-dried pollack is frozen, let it thaw at room temperature before using.
- Snip off all the fins with kitchen shears, rinse thoroughly under running water, and drain well. Wash the gills inside the head thoroughly as well.
Steps
1. These 2 semi-dried pollack are quite large. If the semi-dried pollack is frozen, let it thaw at room temperature before using.
2. Snip off all the fins with kitchen shears, rinse thoroughly under running water, and drain well.
Wash the gills inside the head thoroughly as well.
3. Cut the rinsed semi-dried pollack heads off and cut each body into 4 pieces. You can save the heads to use in soups or stews.
4. Slice the large green onion and chili peppers diagonally.
5. Coat the fish evenly with flour, then shake off any excess.
6. Heat oil in a heated pan and add the semi-dried pollack, pan-frying both sides until golden brown.
This keeps the surface from breaking apart while braising and gives it a chewy texture.
7. Add all the braising sauce ingredients except the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Once it comes to a boil, add the semi-dried pollack and braise.
The fish will be about half submerged in sauce. Turn the pieces over as they braise.
8. When the sauce is reduced by half, add the chili peppers and continue braising.
When just a shallow layer of sauce remains at the bottom, add the large green onion, toasted sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds, then finish braising until the green onion softens.
If you prefer a saucier dish like fish jjigae, pour in about 1.5 cups (1+1/2) of water and simmer together with Korean radish or onion. Add the semi-dried pollack heads at that time as well.
Ppunwife's tips
- Heating oil in a pan and pan-frying the semi-dried pollack until golden on both sides keeps the surface from falling apart when braised and gives it a chewy texture.
- If you do not like spicy food or are serving children, simply omit the gochugaru and chili peppers.
FAQ
How do I keep the flesh from breaking apart while braising?
Coat the cleaned semi-dried pollack evenly with flour and pan-fry it in an oiled pan until golden on both sides first. This prevents the flesh from crumbling and gives it a chewy texture.
How can I adjust the recipe for children who cannot eat spicy food?
You can leave out the gochugaru from the seasoning sauce and omit the fresh chili peppers to enjoy a non-spicy version.
How do I use the leftover semi-dried pollack heads?
You can add them to soups or stews to make a rich broth, or add water, Korean radish, and onion to simmer them together into a jjigae-style dish.
How should I thaw frozen semi-dried pollack?
Simply leave it at room temperature to thaw naturally, then clean and prepare it for cooking.
