Godeungeo Ganjang Jorim (Soy Braised Mackerel)

Ingredients

• If the salted mackerel feels too salty, soak it in water from washing rice to draw out just the right amount of excess salt. Remove the large backbone and the surrounding long bones to a good extent, and pat thoroughly dry.
• If using fresh mackerel, gently sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.
• Adding plenty of ginger to the teriyaki sauce helps remove fishiness and deepens the flavor, so prepare more than usual.

Steps

1. Prepare the ingredients

   

   

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   I prepared salted mackerel meant for pan-frying.

   If it feels too salty, soak it in water from washing rice to draw out just the right amount of excess salt.

   Remove the large backbone and the surrounding long bones to a good extent, and pat thoroughly dry.

   If using fresh mackerel, gently sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.

   The vegetables to braise alongside are shishito peppers (kkwari-gochu) and the white part of large green onion (daepa).

   Adding plenty of ginger to the teriyaki sauce helps remove fishiness and deepens the flavor, so prepare more than usual.

2. Slice the ingredients

   

   

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   Cut the mackerel into 3 pieces, coat evenly in potato starch or flour, and shake off any excess powder.

   Thinly julienne the ginger, and cut the shishito peppers and large green onion into large pieces.

   You can also peel garlic cloves and slice them into thin chips instead.

3. Pan-fry the mackerel

   

   

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   Coat a heated pan with oil and pan-fry the mackerel until crispy on both sides, then transfer to a plate.

   Coating it with potato starch or flour before pan-frying firms up the flesh and locks in the fish's natural juices, so it won't break apart while braising and stays wonderfully moist.

4. Braise

   

   

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   Wipe the pan used for pan-frying the mackerel, then add 5 tbsp water, 2 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 1 tbsp rice syrup (jocheong), 1 tbsp brown sugar, and the ginger, bringing it to a bubbling boil so the ginger flavor infuses. If using sliced garlic, add it here to boil together.

   Before adding the rest of the ingredients, stir in 1 tbsp minced garlic, and...

   

   

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   Add the mackerel, shishito peppers, and green onion, then braise over medium to low heat while spooning the sauce over everything so the flavor coats both the mackerel and the vegetables thoroughly.

   

   

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   Once glossy and the sauce has reduced until just a little remains on the bottom, add 1 tbsp lemon juice to eliminate any lingering fishiness and bring a fresh brightness, and...

   Finish by adding a little ground black pepper.

5. Serve

   

   Scrape up the remaining sauce and drizzle it over the top, and you have a teriyaki braised mackerel dish that feels as refined as anything from a specialty restaurant.

Ppunwife's tips

• Coating it with potato starch or flour before pan-frying firms up the flesh and locks in the fish's natural juices, so it won't break apart while braising and stays wonderfully moist.
• Once glossy and the sauce has reduced until just a little remains on the bottom, add 1 tbsp lemon juice to eliminate any lingering fishiness and bring a fresh brightness.

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