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Fish, East Asian

Braised mackerel with Korean radish and rice

Braised mackerel with Korean radish is a simmered dish for 4 people, ready in 45 minutes, easy to make, for about €3.60 per serving. The fish cooks slowly in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, sitting on radish that soaks up all the flavor. The key is basting the fish regularly while it simmers so it gets a nice glossy coating.

Mackerel braised with radish in a sweet and spicy sauce, it's the dish that smells like Korea, with a bowl of rice.

Braised mackerel with Korean radish and rice
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.60
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Braised mackerel with radish fills the kitchen with the smell of garlic, ginger, and chili. The gochujang sauce, slightly sweet and nicely spicy, coats the fish and seeps into the radish cooking underneath. The radish, in fact, turns soft and almost ends up tasting better than the fish itself.

This is a dish to make on an evening when you have a bit of time, not a quick weeknight dinner, more a Sunday night or a day when you want a change from plain grilled fish. Mon Chou suggests it in fall or winter, when simmered, comforting dishes feel right. Serve it with rice, the radish and sauce do the rest.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • whole mackerel, gutted 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • black radish or turnips 400 g
  • onion 1
  • garlic 4 cloves
  • fresh ginger 20 g
  • scallions 2

Pantry

  • gochujang chili paste 2 tbsp
  • soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Espelette pepperoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Allergens Fish, Soy, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut each mackerel into 4 cm pieces, rinse well and pat dry.

    The bones hold the fish together, don't remove them.

  2. Peel the radish or turnips and cut them into large chunks.

    If you can't find Korean radish, black radish or turnip work just as well.

  3. Mix the chili paste, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic and ginger with 20 cl of water.

    If you can't find gochujang, mix tomato paste with Espelette pepper instead.

  4. Place the radish and onion at the bottom of a pot, layer the fish on top and pour in the sauce, bring to a boil.

    Pour just enough sauce to barely cover the fish.

  5. Cover and let simmer over low heat, basting regularly, until the radish is tender. 30 min

    Baste every ten minutes with a spoon to glaze the fish.

  6. Cook the rice, then serve the fish coated in sauce with the scallions. 11 min

    Mash a bit of radish into the rice with the sauce, it's the best part of this dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick mackerel that's firm and shiny, the flesh holds together better during braising and won't fall apart.
  • Taste the sauce before pouring it in, it should balance sweet and spicy, adjust the sugar if your gochujang is very strong.
  • Let the dish rest a few minutes off the heat before serving, the fish keeps soaking up sauce as it sits.

The variations

  • Swap the mackerel for whole fresh mackerel or pollock if you prefer a white fish, the cooking time stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with firm tofu cut into thick slices, it soaks up the sauce just as well.
  • For a faster version, cut the radish into smaller pieces, it will cook in 15 minutes instead of 30.

What to serve it with

  • A bowl of steamed white rice
  • Garlic steamed vegetables
  • A light green tea

Storage

This dish keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well since the radish turns too soft once thawed. Reheat it gently in a pan or pot with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can mix the sauce the day before and keep it in the fridge. It actually tastes even better once the flavors have had time to settle.

Do you need to remove the mackerel bones?

No, the bones hold the pieces of fish together during braising and keep them from falling apart. You simply remove them while eating.

Is gochujang essential for this recipe?

It gives the dish its signature flavor, but you can replace it with tomato paste mixed with Espelette pepper. The result will be a bit less deep but still good.

Is this dish good for kids?

The sauce is fairly spicy, so it's not really designed with kids in mind. You can cut back on the Espelette pepper and gochujang for a milder version.

How long does it take to make a braised mackerel with Korean radish and rice?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a braised mackerel with Korean radish and rice?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a braised mackerel with Korean radish and rice cost?

About €3.60 per serving, or €14.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, soy, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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