Gajami-Gui
가자미구이·(gajami-gui)
First-Generation Sunday Suppers: Gatherings & Feasts
She seasons the scored whole flounder. She heats the hot canola oil. She steps back and waits. Ten minutes is the entire window, but the secret the grandmothers knew is moisture management. Drop a wet fish into hot oil and it shreds into a frustrating, sticky mess. Salt it, let the fridge dry it out, and dust it with gluten-free potato starch. What emerges is blistering skin protecting sweet, delicate flesh. Hit it with a garlicky soy-chili glaze at the end. It's minimal effort and absolute comfort. Keep a metal spatula away until that skin completely shatters.
Before you start
Clean and dry the fish.
Rinse the flounders under cold water, carefully scraping away any dark bloodlines inside the belly cavity, and pat completely bone-dry with paper towels.
Score and salt the flesh.
Score the thickest part of the fish with diagonal slashes down to the bone on both sides. Rub the coarse salt and pepper evenly over the skin and into the scores.
Cure the fish in the refrigerator.
Leave the fish uncovered in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours. This mimics traditional semi-dried fish, firming up the flesh and guaranteeing a crispy skin.
Mix the yangnyeomjang.
Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, minced garlic, scallion, chilies, and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
Ingredients
- whole flounder or sole2 small
- coarse sea salt1 tsp
- black or white pepper1/4 tsp
- potato starch3 tbsp
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- lemon1/2 med
- soy sauce2 tbsp
- rice vinegar1 tbsp
- honey1 tbsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- garlic2 small clove
- scallion1 med
- jalapeño1 small
- red chili1 small
- toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
Method
- 01
Dredge the fish in potato starch.
Blot any remaining moisture off the fish, then dredge lightly in potato starch. Slap off the excess until only a translucent coating remains, and let it rest on a rack for 3 to 5 minutes so the starch becomes tacky.
- 02
Fry the presentation side without touching it.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the fish in the pan dark-side down and step away. Do not touch or poke it for 4 to 5 minutes until the edges are golden and it releases easily.
- 03
Flip the fish and finish with butter.
Carefully flip the fish, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Drop the butter into the pan during the final minute, basting the foaming fat over the crust.
- 04
Glaze and serve.
Transfer the crispy fish to a platter and spoon the vibrant soy-chili sauce directly over the top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
Moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
Fresh fish is full of water. If the surface is wet, it will steam rather than fry, causing the delicate proteins to stick to the pan and tear.
Respect the potato starch.
Never substitute wheat flour if you can avoid it. Potato starch lacks gluten, ensuring a delicate, glass-like crust that perfectly achieves the coveted geot-ba-sok-chok texture—crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.
From Cook Korean in America.