Spicy Rockfish Stew (Yeolgi Maeuntang)
How to Make a Flavorful Rockfish Stew (Yeolgi Maeuntang) with Fresh Rockfish
This hearty and spicy rockfish stew (Maeuntang) is made with fresh rockfish caught by my husband! It’s the perfect dish to warm you up and a fantastic remedy for a hangover, guaranteed to make you want another bowl of rice.
Main Ingredients- 165g Radish (Mu)
- 73g Onion
- 150g Zucchini (Ae-hobak)
- 65g Green Onion (sliced diagonally)
- 2 whole Rockfish (Yeolgi), cleaned and prepared (approx. 480g)
- 1750ml Water
- 1 bag Bean Sprouts (head and tail removed)
- 1 pack Enoki Mushrooms
- 1 large King Oyster Mushroom (Saesongi)
- 1 block Firm Tofu (300g)
- 1 head Bok Choy (Cheonggyeongchae)
- A handful of Korean Water Parsley (Minari)
- A handful of Crown Daisy (Ssukgat)
- 1 Green Chili Pepper (Cheongyang), deseeded and sliced diagonally
- 1 Red Chili Pepper (Honggochu), deseeded and sliced diagonally
Broth Ingredients- 1 piece Dried Kelp (Dashima, approx. 10x10cm)
- 1 Dried Anchovy (Dippori/Bandaengi, guts removed)
- 7 Dried Anchovies (Myeolchi, guts removed)
- 2 slices Fresh Ginger (Gyeunsaenggang)
- 7 slices Radish (Mu)
- 2 Green Onion roots (Daepapuri)
- 2 Onion skins (Yangpa kkeopjil)
- 1 Dried Red or Green Chili Pepper
Seasoning Paste- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Fine Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp Coarse Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp Dried Shrimp Powder (for umami)
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Minced Ginger
- 2 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine) or Mirin
- 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce (preferably anchovy or shrimp)
- 1 Tbsp Plum Extract (Maesilcheong)
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Syrup (Saenggangcheong)
- 1 tsp Salt
For Final Seasoning- 2 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 2/3 Tbsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 piece Dried Kelp (Dashima, approx. 10x10cm)
- 1 Dried Anchovy (Dippori/Bandaengi, guts removed)
- 7 Dried Anchovies (Myeolchi, guts removed)
- 2 slices Fresh Ginger (Gyeunsaenggang)
- 7 slices Radish (Mu)
- 2 Green Onion roots (Daepapuri)
- 2 Onion skins (Yangpa kkeopjil)
- 1 Dried Red or Green Chili Pepper
Seasoning Paste- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Fine Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp Coarse Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp Dried Shrimp Powder (for umami)
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Minced Ginger
- 2 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine) or Mirin
- 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce (preferably anchovy or shrimp)
- 1 Tbsp Plum Extract (Maesilcheong)
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Syrup (Saenggangcheong)
- 1 tsp Salt
For Final Seasoning- 2 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 2/3 Tbsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce (Gukganjang)
- 2/3 Tbsp Salt (adjust to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly scrape off the scales from the rockfish. Remove the fins, guts, and head. Rinse the fish under cold running water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Your fish is now ready for cooking!
Step 2
To create a rich broth, prepare a broth bag. Place the dried kelp, dried anchovy (Dippori/Bandaengi, with guts removed), dried anchovies (Myeolchi, with guts removed), sliced fresh ginger, radish slices, clean green onion roots, onion skins, and the dried chili pepper into the bag. These ingredients will add depth to your stew.
Step 3
In a large pot, add 1750ml of water. Place the prepared broth bag into the water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Step 4
Once the water is boiling, add the generously cut radish first. The radish will contribute a refreshing sweetness to the broth.
Step 5
As the radish begins to cook, carefully add the prepared rockfish. Gently place the fish into the pot to avoid breaking the delicate flesh.
Step 6
Next, add the entire bag of cleaned bean sprouts. The bean sprouts will enhance the refreshing taste of the stew, making it even more flavorful.
Step 7
Now, let’s make the seasoning paste that gives the Maeuntang its signature spicy kick. In a bowl, combine the gochujang, fine gochugaru, coarse gochugaru, dried shrimp powder, minced garlic, minced ginger, cheongju (rice wine), soup soy sauce, fish sauce, plum extract, ginger syrup, and 1 tsp of salt. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined. Ensure the paste is smooth.
Step 8
When the broth is vigorously boiling, carefully remove and discard the broth bag. Removing the bag prevents the broth from becoming cloudy and keeps the flavor clean.
Step 9
Now, dissolve the prepared seasoning paste into the simmering broth. Stir well to distribute the spicy and flavorful paste evenly throughout the stew.
Step 10
As the paste dissolves, foam may rise to the surface. Skim off this foam diligently with a spoon. This step will result in a clearer and cleaner tasting broth, a hallmark of a well-made stew.
Step 11
Add the enoki mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms, which have been prepared for cooking. Mushrooms add a wonderful depth of flavor and a pleasing texture to the stew.
Step 12
Now, add the sliced zucchini, onion, diagonally sliced green onions, and the deseeded, diagonally sliced green and red chili peppers. These colorful vegetables not only make the stew visually appealing but also impart their fresh, sweet flavors into the broth.
Step 13
Finally, add the cubed firm tofu and fresh bok choy. The tofu will soften and enrich the broth, while the bok choy will provide a delightful crispness.
Step 14
Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer until all the ingredients are cooked through. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Step 15
Once the stew returns to a boil, remove the lid and taste the broth. If needed, add 2 Tbsp of soup soy sauce and 2/3 Tbsp of salt to adjust the seasoning to your preference. Feel free to add more chili powder if you desire extra spiciness.
Step 16
Carefully remove the large pieces of rockfish from the stew. This helps to prevent the fish from overcooking and breaking apart while you adjust the seasoning.
Step 17
While the broth is still bubbling, add the fragrant Korean water parsley and crown daisy. Cook them only briefly until they are just wilted to preserve their fresh aroma and color, then immediately turn off the heat.
Step 18
Take the removed rockfish pieces and carefully debone them, separating the tender flesh from the bones and skin. This makes the stew easier to eat.
Step 19
Return the flaked rockfish flesh to the pot and gently mix it with the broth. Ladle the generous and delicious rockfish stew into serving bowls. Enjoy your flavorful meal!
