Saengseon-jorim/Fish stew.

A universal Korean braising sauce that works on any fish you can find at the market. Mix the sauce, layer the pan, simmer. That's it.

Best with mackerel, sea bream or any firm white fish.

Ingredients

The 2·2·2·2·1 sauce — mix in a small bowl

• 2 tbsp soy sauce (간장)
• 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce (굴소스)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (식초)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp minced ginger
• 2 tbsp water (to loosen)

The pan

• 2 fish fillets or 1 whole gutted fish (≈400g) — mackerel, pollock, or any firm white fish
• 1 medium onion, sliced into thick rings
• 2 spring onions (greens reserved for garnish)
• 1 radish cut into 5cm batons
• 1 cup water

Method

1. Mix the 2·2·2·2·1 sauce. Combine everything in a small bowl. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
2. Layer the pan, cold. Onion rings and radish cut into thick pieces (~5cm batons) on the bottom of a wide, shallow pan. Spring onion whites on top.
3. Place the fish. Lay fillets (or whole fish) on top of the aromatics — don't crowd.
4. Pour the sauce. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish. Add 1 cup water around the sides (not over the fish).
5. Cover and simmer — medium heat, 15 minutes. The aromatics underneath protect the fish from sticking and infuse the sauce.
6. Baste at minute 10. Open the lid, spoon sauce over the fish twice, cover again. This is what makes the top glossy.
7. Uncover the last 3 minutes. Let the sauce reduce to a glossy glaze. Don't walk away — it goes from saucy to scorched fast.
8. Garnish + serve. Reserved spring onion greens on top. Serve over rice with the sauce spooned around.

Tip · fish doesn't matter, sauce does

Mackerel or sea bream is classic, but this works with pollock, hake, cod, even firm trout. Pick what's fresh at the counter.

Tip · the layered pan trick

Always put aromatics underneath the fish. Two reasons: (1) fish doesn't stick to the pan, and (2) the onion + spring onion silently cook into the sauce, making it deeper and sweeter. Skip this and you'll wonder why your jorim tastes flat.