Korean Thistle and Mackerel Pot Rice

The pot is covered and cooked over low heat for fourteen minutes, followed by five minutes of resting off the heat. During that resting period, the earthy, slightly smoky aroma of gondre and the concentrated umami of the mackerel seep into each grain of rice without further stirring. Keeping the fish skin-side up protects the flesh from breaking apart during cooking and prevents the pot from becoming cloudy with loose pieces. The radish layer at the bottom absorbs moisture and guards against sticking while contributing its own mild sweetness to the rice underneath. Before eating, a drizzle of soy sauce is poured over the opened pot and the contents are tossed together lightly, bringing the mountain-foraged greens and the sea fish into a unified, quietly complex bowl. The scorched rice crust that forms on the bottom of the pot is steeped in hot water to make nurungji tea.