Maeuntang is a classic Korean spicy stew made with fish. This recipe is made with a red snapper (domi), which has a firm, white flesh with a mildly sweet and nutty flavor.

You can use any firm, white flesh fish for this recipe. Cod fish (daegu), monkfish (agu), and yellow croaker (jogi) are some of the common ones.

We normally use a whole fish cut up for this dish, including the head and bones. You can ask the fishmonger to clean and cut it for you. If preferred, use fish fillets, but the head and bones are great for flavoring the stew. Be sure the fish you buy is absolutely fresh!

As with most of Korean stews (jjigae), anchovy broth is used for this dish to add depth to the stew. I like to throw in some clams (or shrimp) to add another layer of flavor to the broth.

Finally, adjust the spiciness level to your taste by reducing or increasing gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes). 

Ingredients:
whole snapper (about 600 grams)
3 little neck clams (or any other small clams)
160 grams mu
160 grams tofu
80 grams zucchini
1 scallion
30 grams ssukgat (crown daisy) or watercress

Seasoning:
1-1/2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes)
1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)
1 teaspoon doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soup soy sauce)
1 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
3 cups anchovy broth or water
salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
pepper to taste

Clean the fish, remove guts, scales, and fins, if not already done by the fishmonger. Rinse and scrub the clams. Place the clams in salted water (1 tablespoon of salt in 2 to 3 cups of water) for 30 minutes or longer to get the clams to spit out the sand.

Clean the vegetables. Cut the radish into bite sizes. Thinly slice the scallions and the pepper. Cut the tofu into 1.5-centimeter thick small pieces.

In a small bowl, combine all the seasoning ingredients and mix well.

Add the broth to a medium size pot along with the radish and the seasoning mix. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Cook until the radish turns soft, about 3 minutes.

Drop in the fish, clams and tofu. When it comes to a boil again, reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the clams are open and the fish is almost cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add the chili pepper, crown daisy leaves, and scallions right before turning the heat off.

For more recipes, visit www.koreanbapsang.com.

By Ro Hyo-sun