Baek Jong-won Style Boneless Galchi Jorim (Braised Cutlassfish)
The Perfect Harmony of Tender Boneless Galchi and Refreshing Radish: Baek Jong-won’s Boneless Galchi Jorim
Hello everyone! I’m your culinary companion, here to bring you delicious and hearty meals. Galchi, or cutlassfish, is renowned for its mild and tender flesh, making it incredibly versatile for grilling, braising, or frying. It’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which help remove neutral fats from the body, improve blood circulation, and lower cholesterol levels, making it excellent for preventing adult diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. Its high calcium content also contributes to bone health and osteoporosis prevention. Today, we’ll be making a fantastic boneless galchi jorim, inspired by the renowned Chef Baek Jong-won, right in your own kitchen! Enjoy a wonderful meal with the convenience of boneless galchi.
Main Ingredients
- 1 pack Boneless Galchi (approx. 4-5 pieces)
- 6 slices Korean Radish (about 0.5cm thick, similar to fish thickness)
- 1 stalk Scallion
- 3 pcs Korean Green Chili Peppers
- 3 cups Water (720ml)
Baek Jong-won’s Special Seasoning Sauce
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce for Soup (Guk-ganjang) (60ml)
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup (30ml)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar (15ml)
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Wine (Mirin) (30ml)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (15ml)
- A pinch of Minced Ginger (approx. 1/2 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste) (15ml)
- 1/2 cup Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes) (50g)
- 1/6 Tbsp Sea Salt (optional, for adjusting taste)
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce for Soup (Guk-ganjang) (60ml)
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup (30ml)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar (15ml)
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Wine (Mirin) (30ml)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (15ml)
- A pinch of Minced Ginger (approx. 1/2 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste) (15ml)
- 1/2 cup Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes) (50g)
- 1/6 Tbsp Sea Salt (optional, for adjusting taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Boneless galchi, with bones and spines already removed, is conveniently available nowadays, making it even easier to prepare delicious galchi jorim.
Step 2
Gently rinse the boneless galchi under cold running water to remove any surface impurities. Pat it dry with paper towels. This step helps ensure a cleaner flavor.
Step 3
Slice the Korean radish into thin pieces, about 0.5cm thick, similar to the thickness of the galchi pieces. This ensures they cook at the same rate for a harmonious texture. Slice the scallions diagonally or into rounds. Slice the green chilies similarly. The green chilies will add a pleasant kick of heat.
Step 4
Let’s make the delicious seasoning sauce! In a bowl, combine the soy sauce for soup, corn syrup, sugar, cooking wine, minced garlic, minced ginger, gochujang, and gochugaru. Add about half a cup (120ml) of the total water (from the 3 cups specified for braising) and mix well until smooth and lump-free. Preparing the sauce in advance makes the cooking process much smoother.
Step 5
Choose a deep pot or a ttukbaegi (Korean earthenware pot). Ttukbaegi are excellent for braising as they retain heat well, allowing ingredients to cook evenly and stay warm longer. First, arrange the thinly sliced radish pieces at the bottom of the pot. Then, place the prepared boneless galchi pieces on top. Scatter the sliced scallions and green chilies over the fish. Finally, pour the prepared seasoning sauce evenly over everything.
Step 6
Now, carefully pour in the remaining 2.5 cups (600ml) of water into the pot, ensuring the ingredients are mostly submerged. Pouring water over the sauce helps incorporate it fully without wasting any. Galchi is a white fish and has a mild flavor, so it’s less prone to strong fishy odors. If you’re particularly sensitive to fishiness or making mackerel jorim, adding a spoonful of doenjang (fermented soybean paste) can be a good addition.
Step 7
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. While cooking time is a guideline, it’s more important to visually check that the sauce has reduced and flavors have melded into the ingredients. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning. Keep an eye on it as it cooks.
Step 8
Once the sauce has thickened to a nice consistency (jangjorim-like), and the flavors have penetrated the ingredients, turn off the heat. If the taste needs a little adjustment, you can add a small pinch of sea salt (about 1/6 Tbsp) at this stage. Chef Baek Jong-won’s recipes are known for their simplicity and delicious results. Even with plain water, the flavor is excellent, and the ingredients are less complex compared to other recipes.
Step 9
Your delicious Baek Jong-won style boneless galchi jorim is ready! Serve it over a bowl of hot steamed rice for an incredibly satisfying meal.
Step 10
While traditional galchi jorim with bones is also delicious, the boneless version is much more convenient to eat, making it perfect for the whole family. Many people even prefer the radish in braised dishes because it becomes wonderfully soft and sweet! The absence of bones and spines means you can easily break apart the fish with chopsticks or a spoon. Because it’s boneless, the fish absorbs the flavorful sauce more quickly and deeply, resulting in an even more delicious dish. Give this boneless galchi jorim a try for your next meal!
