Braised black cod with radish

Eundaegu-jorim (braised sablefish or black cod) is a popular dish at Korean restaurants for a good reason: it’s delicious! Sablefish is flaky, soft, and has a juicy texture, no matter how it’s prepared. The Korean way of preparing this fish is braising it in a savory mix of soy sauce, garlic, spicy gochugaru, and Korean radish. For a lot of people, the radish is the most delicious part! It adds favor to the braised fish but it also soaks up all the other tasty, savory ingredients and becomes a real highlight of this dish. The result is a real Korean taste.

Many of my readers and viewers have asked for this recipe over the years, so I’m so excited to share it with you today. As a fish lover, it was fun to work on and test.

Interestingly, the Korean word eundaegu means “silver cod,” because depending how the light hits the fish, it can look dark and black or shiny and silver. We Koreans chose to call it silver, and Americans, Canadians, and the British call it black! 

Try to get the best quality of sablefish you can for this recipe, it really makes a big difference. I used sablefish fresh frozen from Alaska, but fresh caught would also be wonderful.

Enjoy! 

Ingredients

• 1 pound black cod (also known as sablefish) fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 pound Korean radish (or daikon), peeled and sliced into ½-inch thick rounds
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 dae-pa (or 4 green onions), cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces.
• 1 or 2 green chili peppers, coarsely chopped.

For seasoning sauce:

• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon gochu-garu (Korean hot pepper flakes)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, minced garlic, gochu-garu, and sugar (if using). Mix well and set aside.

2. Arrange the radish rounds on the bottom of a large pot or skillet. Add 2 cups of water, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes.

3. Uncover and flip the radish rounds with a spatula for even cooking. Add sliced onions, daepa, and green chili peppers over the radish.

4. Place the fish fillets on top one by one, leaving space between each piece.

5. Pour the prepared sauce over the top and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Open and gently move the radish around with a spoon so that the radish wouldn’t burn. Spoon some broth over the fish and radish to season evenly.

7. Cover and simmer over medium heat for another 5 to 7 minutes until both the radish and fish are well infused with the sauce, and some broth has evaporated. The radish should appear a little brown and transparent when properly cooked.

8. Remove from heat and serve the dish with rice and a few more side dishes.

Note: Adjust the cooking time based on the thickness of the fish fillets and your stove’s heat level. You may need to add a bit more water during braising. Enjoy your delicious black cod and radish stew!