Galchi Jorim - braised spicy hairtail
Hairtail, aka beltfish and cutlassfish, is a silvery, long, flat fish with snow white flesh, delicate flavor and firm texture. It is a great tasting fish. It is a seasonal catch in Summer months, so the ones available at supermarkets are normally lightly salted. In Korea, the best hairtail come from Jeju-do, where they can grow to 2-3kg and more than a meter in length.
When fresh, simply pan-fried, charcoal grilled or steamed can bring out maximum natural flavor and sweetness. It is also served raw in some restaurants. In salted or frozen form, Koreans have the ideal solution - galchi jorim, or braised in a fiery hot and spicy sauce with radish (the long white variety aka daikon). On cold winter days, a pot of this spicy fish, a bowl of steaming white rice, and a bottle of Makgeolli is an ethereal experience.
In the sprawling, bustling Namdaemun market, there is a small, narrow, dimly lit alley, known as the Hairtail Alley, （帶魚胡同）crammed with a number of dilapidated looking eateries that serve some of the spiciest and tastiest galchi jorim in town. The restaurants are small and crowded, with rickety tables and chairs, slippery floors and stifling air; but the lines are long, the smell is pungent, and that is where you want to be, where you need to be.
I went by myself during the lunch hour rush and waited 40 minutes before I was ushered to the attic, the penthouse suite dining area. It was so cramped and the ceiling so low that even the smallest 南方小土豆wouldn't be able to stand upright. I literally crawled to my corner table. Now I stand at 180cm, and I was on my knees, mumbling to myself "this better be worth it". And it was! For less than ten bucks, I had myself a meal. The fish was tender, the sauce was murderously hot, my lips swelled up like a Kardashian collagen shot, I sweated like hog, and I was happy.
I've been back to the alley several times since, but not during covid-19. Hope they will be fine when this blows over.
I have made my own version of galchi jorim at home to good effect. A friend, a fishing enthusiast, went to Jeju-do for hairtail fishing and had a major haul. I was gifted with a bag of the freshest, flash-freezed about 5 or 6 fish altogether. We had pan-fried and steamed fish first, then galchi jorim to finish off the loot. I still say a prayer for him every now and then, when I have the cravings for hairtail.
There are ready made galchi jorim sauces available at supermarkets, and they are tasty and not too spicy. Simply stew the radish for a bit, add fish, garlic, scallion, cover and let simmer. With fresh fish like that, you can't go wrong.
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