Korean Saury Kimchi Rice Bowl
Quick answer
Canned mackerel pike (kkongchi) is stir-fried with aged kimchi and sliced onion, using a couple spoonfuls of the can liquid to deepen the sauce's umami.
What makes this special
- Savory umami from canned saury strengthens aged kimchi for a flavorful kkongchi kimchi deopbap.
- Canned broth included in the sauce to infuse fish umami throughout
- Kimchi stir-fried 3 minutes first to drive off moisture and soften the tang
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 180 g aged kimchi into bite-size pieces and thinly slice 80 g onion.
- 2 Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a pan and warm it over medium heat.
- 3 Cook the kimchi over medium heat for about 3 minutes to drive off moisture and soften the sharp sourness.
Canned mackerel pike (kkongchi) is stir-fried with aged kimchi and sliced onion, using a couple spoonfuls of the can liquid to deepen the sauce's umami. The kimchi cooks down for three minutes first to drive off excess moisture and tame its sourness, then the fish is broken into generous chunks - keeping them large preserves a pleasant flaky texture. Chili flakes, soy sauce, and sugar simmer together for four minutes into a thick, clinging glaze that soaks into the rice below. Topped with fresh scallion, this is a pantry-friendly rice bowl that transforms humble canned fish into something deeply flavorful.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Cut 180 g aged kimchi into bite-size pieces and thinly slice 80 g onion.
Chop 30 g scallion and keep it separate for finishing, so it stays fresh instead of wilting in the pan.
- 2Control
Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a pan and warm it over medium heat.
Stir-fry the onion for about 1 minute first, then add the kimchi when the edges begin to turn translucent.
- 3Control
Cook the kimchi over medium heat for about 3 minutes to drive off moisture and soften the sharp sourness.
If liquid still pools on the bottom, keep stirring briefly so it reduces without scorching.
- 4Step
Add 200 g canned mackerel pike with 2 tbsp of the can liquid.
Use a spatula to split the fish only a few times into large chunks, keeping the pieces intact for a better flaky texture.
- 5Control
Add 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sugar.
Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 4 minutes, until the seasoning thickens and clings to the kimchi and fish.
- 6Finish
Divide 2 bowls of warm rice into serving bowls and spoon the saury kimchi mixture generously on top.
If it tastes too sour, balance it with a little more sugar, then finish with scallion and serve immediately.
After the steps
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