Spicy & Sweet Grilled Mackerel (Gogalbi)
Make Delicious Spicy Grilled Mackerel (Gogalbi) at Home! Warning: Addictive Flavor!
Tired of eating mackerel the same old way? Try ‘Gogalbi’, a unique and flavorful grilled mackerel dish! This recipe is inspired by a secret technique learned while working at a ‘hof’ (casual pub) and is designed for easy home cooking. The rich, spicy-sweet glaze on the perfectly grilled mackerel is incredibly satisfying, often surpassing the taste of grilled meat, especially when wrapped in fresh greens. Give Gogalbi a try – it’s unbelievably delicious!
Gogalbi Main Ingredients- 1 whole fresh mackerel
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or pancake mix)
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1/2 large green onion (scallion)
- 2 Korean green chili peppers (Cheongyang)
Spicy Glaze- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch of black pepper (a dash)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch of black pepper (a dash)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s get rid of any fishy smell from the mackerel. Rinse the mackerel clean and soak it in rice water (water used to wash rice) for about 20 minutes. If you don’t have rice water, you can use cold water with a splash of lemon juice or cooking wine. (The salted mackerel I bought at the market was large and fresh, costing 6,000 won, and one fish was plenty!)
Step 2
Drain the mackerel thoroughly after soaking it in rice water. On a large plate or tray, generously coat the fleshy part of the mackerel, especially around the bones, with flour. You can use all-purpose flour, pancake mix, potato starch, or glutinous rice flour if you have them. Coating it a bit thickly will result in a crispier texture.
Step 3
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Carefully place the mackerel, floured side down, into the hot pan. Sear the flesh side until it’s golden brown and crisp. The blue, finned side will be cooked last. Resist the urge to flip it too often; let the flesh side get nicely browned and crispy first. Maintaining medium heat is key to cooking it through without burning.
Step 4
This step appears to be a duplicate of the previous one. We can either omit it or elaborate further on the cooking process. (Example: ‘Once the flesh side is golden brown, carefully flip the mackerel to cook the blue, finned side. Be mindful of the heat to prevent the skin from burning.’)
Step 5
Finely chop the green onion and Cheongyang chili peppers for garnish. If you have red chili peppers, you can add those too for extra color.
Step 6
Once the flesh side of the mackerel is crispy and well-cooked, flip it over to cook the blue, finned side. While the other side is cooking, generously brush the cooked flesh side with the prepared spicy glaze using a spoon. Keep the heat moderate to prevent the glaze from burning.
Step 7
Continue cooking the mackerel with the glaze on the flesh side until the blue, finned side is fully cooked. The delicious glaze will meld with the fish, creating a perfectly spicy and sweet Gogalbi! Once done, sprinkle the thinly sliced green onions and chili peppers over the top. Your incredibly delicious Gogalbi is ready!
Step 8
Sprinkle the thinly sliced green onions and chili peppers over the finished Gogalbi for a beautiful presentation and added flavor. The spicy glaze combined with the fresh aromatics creates a wonderful taste experience. This Gogalbi is perfect as a side dish for rice or as an impressive appetizer with drinks. Enjoy!
