Korean Braised Saury in Spicy Sauce

Quick answer

Total time: 40 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Kkongchi-jorim simmers Pacific saury with daikon radish in a soy-gochujang sauce until the bones soften enough to eat whole - a thrifty Korean fish braise built on one of autumn's most affordable catches.

The radish lines the pot bottom, cushioning the fish from direct heat to prevent breakage while absorbing the braising liquid into sweet, flavor-soaked wedges. After bringing the sauce to a boil, twenty-five minutes of medium-low simmering renders the fine bones edible without adding vinegar. Canned saury, with bones already softened during processing, halves the cooking time for weeknight shortcuts. Green onion placed on top in the final two minutes tempers the fish's natural oiliness and adds a visual accent. Like most jorim-style banchan, this dish improves over several days in the refrigerator as the seasoning continues to penetrate.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

saury (canned or fresh)400 gg

daikon radish150 gg

soy sauce2 tbsptbsp

gochujang1 tbsptbsp

gochugaru1 tbsptbsp

minced garlic1 tsptsp

green onion20 gg

water150 mlml

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Instructions

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

6 steps

1

Prep

Slice 150 g daikon into 1 cm half-moons and spread them evenly across the bottom of the pot.

Keep the pieces close together so they cushion the saury and prevent scorching or breaking against the hot metal.
2

Control

Cut 400 g fresh saury into 5 cm pieces.

If using canned saury, drain the canning liquid, rinse briefly under cold water to reduce excess saltiness, and arrange the fish in one layer over the daikon.
3

Season

Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 150 ml water in a bowl.

Stir until the gochujang loosens completely and the sauce looks evenly red.
4

Control

Pour the sauce evenly over the saury and set the pot over high heat.

When the edges boil actively, lower to medium-low heat so the liquid simmers steadily without splashing or shaking the fish apart.
5

Control

Cook uncovered, spooning the braising liquid over the fish instead of stirring.

Cook fresh saury until the flesh is done through and the daikon is tender; shorten the cooking time for canned saury.
6

Finish

When the liquid reduces to less than half and turns glossy, add 20 g diagonally sliced green onion on top.

Simmer 2 more minutes, then serve once the daikon is seasoned through and the sauce coats the fish.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Pacific saury simmers with daikon radish in a spicy soy glaze until the bones soften.
Finish cue: Simmer 2 more minutes, then serve once the daikon is seasoned through and the sauce coats the fish.
Storage and reheating: Like most jorim-style banchan, this dish improves over several days in the refrigerator as the seasoning continues to penetrate.