Crispy & Flavorful “Eel Gangjeong”: A Family Favorite Recipe
Eel Gangjeong (Sweet & Spicy Glazed Eel)
We’re making a delicious Eel Gangjeong using conger eel, featuring a wonderfully chewy texture that both children and adults will adore, perfect for your dinner table. We’ve prepared fresh ginger, garlic, perilla leaves, and all the sauce ingredients to bring this dish to life.
Main Ingredients- 7 Conger Eels, cleaned
- 10 Perilla Leaves
- 7 cloves Garlic
- 3 slices Ginger
- 3 Tbsp All-purpose Flour
- 3 Tbsp Frying Mix (Tempura Flour)
- Vegetable Oil, for frying
Eel Marination- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
- 3 Tbsp Cooking Sake (or Mirin)
Sweet & Spicy Sauce- 3 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Korean Plum Extract (Maesilcheong)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Sake (or Mirin)
- 2 Tbsp Oligosaccharide
- 1 Tbsp Corn Syrup (Mulyeot)
- 1 Tbsp Grated Ginger Juice
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 5 Tbsp Water
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
- 3 Tbsp Cooking Sake (or Mirin)
Sweet & Spicy Sauce- 3 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Korean Plum Extract (Maesilcheong)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Sake (or Mirin)
- 2 Tbsp Oligosaccharide
- 1 Tbsp Corn Syrup (Mulyeot)
- 1 Tbsp Grated Ginger Juice
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 5 Tbsp Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
After cleaning the conger eels, rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove any slime. Cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
In a bowl, season the cut eel pieces with salt, pepper, and cooking sake. Gently mix to ensure even coating. Let it marinate for about 10-15 minutes.
Step 3
Peel and wash the ginger and garlic. Slice the ginger thinly and the garlic into thin slices.
Step 4
Mix the frying mix (tempura flour) and all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio. This blend creates an extra crispy coating.
Step 5
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until it reaches about 180°C (350°F). To test, drop a tiny bit of batter; it should sizzle and float immediately.
Step 6
Coat the marinated eel pieces evenly with the flour mixture. Carefully place them into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove the fried eel and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Step 7
Alternatively, for a mess-free coating, combine the frying mix and all-purpose flour (1:1 ratio) in a zip-top bag. Add the marinated eel pieces and shake well to coat. This method is quick and keeps your hands clean.
Step 8
Using the same oil (or fresh oil if preferred, but leaving some rendered eel fat adds flavor), fry the sliced ginger and garlic until they are golden and crisp. Maintain the oil temperature around 180°C (350°F).
Step 9
Drain the fried ginger and garlic on a sieve to remove excess oil. Frying them separately ensures they stay crispy and don’t make the final dish soggy.
Step 10
In a small pot or pan, combine all the sauce ingredients (gochujang, soy sauce, plum extract, cooking sake, oligosaccharide, corn syrup, ginger juice, minced garlic, sesame oil, and water). Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 11
Once the sauce has thickened, add the fried eel pieces to the pan. Toss gently to coat the eel evenly with the sauce. Remove from heat once coated.
Step 12
Wash the perilla leaves thoroughly under running water, pat them dry completely, and thinly julienne them.
Step 13
Arrange the julienned perilla leaves on a serving plate. Scatter the crispy fried ginger and garlic around the plate, and then top with the glazed eel. Your delicious Eel Gangjeong is ready to be enjoyed!
