Spicy Galchi Jorim (Braised Hairtail Fish) with Tender Radish
A 4-serving fish side dish of hairtail fish and radish pre-cooked in anchovy broth, braised until spicy and flavorful.
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 →
Pre-cooking the radish halfway in the broth yields a melt-in-your-mouth tender texture and deep flavor. Simmer it with the sweet and spicy seasoning sauce until the liquid reduces to a gentle simmer; you can easily adjust the sweetness to your taste.
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Cook time
- 10 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Hairtail fish2 whole
- Korean radish (mu)400 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
- Anchovy broth (or water from washing rice)3 cups
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)5 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)4 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)4 tbsp
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Ground black pepper0.5 tsp
- Ginger powder0.5 tsp
- Trim off the fins with kitchen shears, remove the guts, and rinse under running water.
- If using medium-sized hairtail fish, prepare 2 whole fish.
- You can also cut an onion into thick slices and prepare it. In summer, radish is less flavorful, so adding an onion brings out savoriness.
Steps
1. I prepared the thick center-cut bodies of two large hairtail fish.
If using medium-sized hairtail fish, prepare 2 whole fish.
Trim off the fins with kitchen shears, remove the guts, and rinse under running water.
2. Cut the Korean radish (mu) into large, thick slices about 4-5 cm wide.
Thickly slice the large green onion (daepa) and chili peppers diagonally.
You can also cut an onion into thick slices and prepare it. Korean radish is sweet and delicious these days, so I skipped the onion.
In summer, radish is less flavorful, so adding an onion brings out savoriness.
3. Add all the seasoning ingredients in the specified amounts and mix together.
This is a slightly sweet braise, so if you do not like that, you can cut the amount of sugar in half.
4. A wide, shallow pan is best for braised fish dishes.
Add the radish, pour in 1.5 (1 1/2) cups of the anchovy broth (half of the amount listed in the ingredients), and cook the radish halfway through.
Cooking it in advance ensures you can enjoy tender, nicely cooked radish when eating.
Instead of broth, you can also use clean rice water from the second or third wash.
5. Add the hairtail fish, pour in the remaining 1.5 (1 1/2) cups of broth, spoon the sauce over top,
bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
If any hairtail pieces are not submerged in the broth, turn them over once midway through.
When braising mackerel, which has thicker flesh than hairtail fish, add about 1 cup more anchovy broth.
6. Add the chili peppers and large green onion, and braise until the broth is gently simmering and reduced down.
If you reduce it down too much, the sauce will be salty, so check the seasoning when just enough liquid remains, and finish up.
Ppunwife's tips
- A wide, shallow pan is best for braised fish dishes.
- Add the radish, pour in 1.5 (1 1/2) cups of anchovy broth (half of the amount listed in the ingredients), and cook the radish halfway through. Cooking it in advance ensures you can enjoy tender, nicely cooked radish when eating.
- If any hairtail pieces are not submerged in the broth, turn them over once midway through.
- If you reduce it down too much, the sauce will be salty, so check the seasoning when just enough liquid remains, and finish up.
FAQ
What can I substitute if I don't have anchovy broth?
You can use clean water saved from the second or third wash of rice instead of broth.
What should I do if I want to reduce the sweetness?
You can cook by cutting the amount of sugar in the seasoning in half.
Why is the radish cooked first?
Pouring half of the broth in first and cooking the radish halfway through allows you to enjoy soft, melt-in-your-mouth tender radish when you eat it later.
Is there anything to keep in mind when making braised mackerel with the same seasoning?
Mackerel has thicker flesh than hairtail fish, so it is best to add about 1 cup more anchovy broth before braising.
