Korean Fermented Flounder Sikhae
Quick answer
Gajami sikhae is a traditional fermented flounder preparation from Korea's East Coast, made by combining salt-cured flounder fillets with julienned radish, cooked glutino...
What makes this special
- Fermented flounder in gajami sikhae gains mellow acidity through a glutinous rice substrate.
- Glutinous rice acts as lactic fermentation substrate creating mellow acidity
- Less salty than jeotgal; eaten directly over rice as East Sea coastal food
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Pat 600 g fresh sashimi-grade flounder fillets dry, then coat both sides evenly with 35 g coarse salt.
- 2 Cut 350 g Korean radish into fine julienne and toss with a small amount of salt for 20 minutes.
- 3 In a large bowl, combine 180 g cooled cooked sweet rice, 7 tablespoons Korea...
Gajami sikhae is a traditional fermented flounder preparation from Korea's East Coast, made by combining salt-cured flounder fillets with julienned radish, cooked glutinous rice, gochugaru, and fish sauce, then sealing the mixture for fermentation at low temperature for a week or more. The glutinous rice starch feeds lactic acid bacteria, producing a mild, rounded acidity that reads quite differently from the sharp, concentrated saltiness of jeotgal. Radish adds moisture and textural contrast. As fermentation progresses, fish proteins break down into deep umami compounds. The resulting sikhae is far less salty than conventional fermented seafood and can be eaten directly over rice. A regional winter banchan associated with Gangwon and Hamgyeong provinces, it grows more sour the longer it ferments.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Pat 600 g fresh sashimi-grade flounder fillets dry, then coat both sides evenly with 35 g coarse salt.
Refrigerate for 2 hours until the flesh firms, then wipe away released moisture and all visible excess salt.
- 2Season
Cut 350 g Korean radish into fine julienne and toss with a small amount of salt for 20 minutes.
When it softens and releases liquid, squeeze firmly by hand without crushing the strands, so the final sikhae stays crisp.
- 3Season
In a large bowl, combine 180 g cooled cooked sweet rice, 7 tablespoons Korean chili flakes, 50 ml anchovy fish sauce, 25 g minced garlic, and 8 g minced ginger. Mix until the rice grains are evenly coated and loosened.
- 4Season
First fold the squeezed radish and 80 g scallions cut into 4 cm lengths into the seasoning paste.
Once the mixture turns evenly red, add the cured flounder and mix gently so the pieces do not break apart.
- 5Prep
Pack the mixture tightly into a glass or food-grade plastic airtight container and level the surface.
Press out trapped air as much as possible, then ferment at 0-4°C in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
- 6Season
From day 5, check the aroma.
It is ready when the raw fish smell has softened and a gently sour fermented rice aroma is clear; if it tastes too salty, add more radish and ferment one additional day before serving with rice.
After the steps
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