Cooking with whole fish is something I’ve only gotten comfortable with in the last couple of years – thanks in part to Eric Kim’s pan-fried croaker in Korean American. So I figured it was time to try his Maeuntang, a warm, spicy Korean fish soup made with a whole trout cut into pieces.
The preparation couldn’t be simpler: thinly sliced Korean radish is sautéed with gochugaru, soy sauce, and sesame oil until fragrant, then simmered with water, the trout, ginger, and garlic. Once it comes to a boil, sliced onions go in and everything cooks together for just ten minutes – as Ina would say, how easy is that!
Served with peppery watercress and a bowl of white rice, it’s light yet deeply comforting – the kind of soup that warms you from the inside out on a cold Maine day.
Book: Korean American, page 169
Rating: 5/5
How Easy Is That – Skill Level: Easy
Store-Bought Is Fine: gochugaru
Recipe not online.
