Chungcheong-style Crispy River Fish

Quick answer

Total time: 40 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Dori baengbaeng arranges dry pond smelt in a tight circle, fries them crisp, drains the oil, and sets a gochujang, rice syrup, and garlic glaze over low heat.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
pond smelt	200	g
vegetable oil	100	ml
gochujang	2	tbsp
rice syrup	1.5	tbsp
minced garlic	1	tbsp
cheongyang chili pepper	1	ea
sesame seeds	1	tsp
red chili pepper	1	ea

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Wash the pond smelt cleanly and remove moisture completely with a paper towel to prevent oil splattering during cooking.
2

Step

Arrange the smelt tightly in a circular shape along the edge of a round pan, with the heads pointing toward the center.
3

Control

Pour enough vegetable oil to slightly submerge the fish and fry over medium heat for 8 minutes until crispy and firm.
4

Step

Once the fish are fully set and crispy, carefully drain and discard the oil accumulated in the pan.
5

Control

Spread the sauce made of gochujang, rice syrup, and minced garlic evenly over the fish and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes.
6

Finish

Sprinkle finely sliced green and red chilies and sesame seeds over the top, and serve directly in the pan.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Pan-fried crispy fish
Finish cue: Once the fish are fully set and crispy, carefully drain and discard the oil accumulated in the pan.