Gizzard shad, a small fish at its fattiest in autumn, stays moist even when braised in a soy and gochugaru sauce.
Three deep scores along the back let the sauce reach the thick part of the fish without a long cook. Thick slices of radish packed across the bottom of the pot keep the fish from scorching and turn sweet as they soak up the sauce; the thicker the slices, the sweeter they get. Basting with a spoon takes the place of flipping, which would break the delicate flesh apart. The reduced sauce left in the pot is spooned over steamed rice.
Clean 700 g gizzard shad by scraping off the scales, removing the innards, and cutting off the heads.
Make three deep scores along the back so the seasoning can reach the thicker flesh without needing long cooking.
Cut 250 g radish into thick 1 cm pieces and cover the bottom of the pot in a tight layer.
This keeps the fish from scorching, absorbs some fishy aroma, and gives the radish time to turn sweet.
Mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 0.5 tsp ginger, and 220 ml water until no dry clumps remain. The sauce should be loose enough to flow between the fish and radish.
Place the scored fish over the radish without stacking them too tightly, then spoon the sauce evenly over the top.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, until the liquid bubbles steadily and the radish starts softening.
Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat and baste the fish with the hot liquid instead of turning it over.
Keep the simmer gentle so the flesh stays moist and does not break apart before the radish finishes cooking.
Slice and add 1 green onion and braise for 5 more minutes.
Turn off the heat when the radish is translucent and the thickest gizzard shad flesh is opaque, then serve with rice.
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radish, ginger
radish, ginger
radish, ginger
In season from September to November
Learn how to score the fine bones, season the fish, and choose between grilled and steamed gizzard shad.
