Sweet-and-Spicy Broiled Mackerel or Other Fillets
Like Japan, Korea makes good use of fermented beans, in the form of soy sauce and the terrific chilibean paste known as go chu jang (page 591). If you cannot find that, use the Sesame-Chile Paste on page 591 or hoisin, spiked with a couple of pinches of cayenne or dried red chile flakes, but don’t make the dish too hot—it should be predominantly sweet, sticky, and spicy. Serve with white rice, preferably short grain (page 507), and a salad or vegetable.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the broiler; adjust the rack so that it is about 4 inches from the heat source. (These can also be grilled, but you’ll need a basket, because they’ll stick if grilled directly on the grate.) Combine the go chu jang, soy sauce, mirin, garlic, and sesame oil and rub this mixture all over the fish, but primarily on the flesh side. Place skin side down in a broiling pan, preferably nonstick or lined with lightly oiled foil (you can use more sesame oil for this).
Step 2
Broil until the top is brown and bubbly, less than 10 minutes. If the fish is not cooked through (a thin-bladed knife will pierce its thickest part easily), move it to the oven for a couple of minutes or lower the broiling rack a couple of inches. Serve immediately, garnished with the sesame seeds and scallion.
