Korean Pan-Fried Whole Fish Recipe

Eating the whole fish is common in Korea, whether it's seasoned and braised, cut up and made into a stew, or fried on the stove. Follow this simple recipe and you'll be gifted with a fish that is crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. This is a traditional Korean way to cook yellow croaker (jogi, yellow corvina), but I've also substituted grouper and striped bass with good results.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

- 2 medium-sized yellow croakers, scaled, cleaned and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp soju or rice wine
- 2 Tbsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 Tbsp flour
- 1.5 Tbsp glutinous rice powder*
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- canola cooking oil

Preparation:

Combine soju, garlic and salt and pepper and sprinkle mixture onto both fish.
After about 15 minutes, mix flour, rice powder and cornstarch together in a large bowl.
Dip fish into the flour mixture, coating both sides evenly.
In a pan, add at least 1/8-inch of cooking oil and heat.
Pan-fry fish over medium-high heat until both sides are nicely browned. Add extra oil if necessary and depending on the size of the fish, it will take about 3-5 minutes per side to cook.
Remove from pan immediately and drain on paper towel.

*Glutinous rice powder (chapsal):
This rice powder might also say 'sweet rice powder' or 'sweet rice flour' or 'glutinous rice flour' on the package if you're buying it at an Asian grocery store. It's called 'glutinous' because it has a glue-like and sticky texture after you cook it, not because it has gluten in it. Chapsal is a gluten-free food.
Eating the Whole Fish
Nose-to-tail fish eating is healthy and reduces waste since you can eat everything- the skin, the head, the tail and the fins. Depending on how much oil you've used and the size of your croaker, the bones in this dish might be soft enough to eat. If you haven't used a thick layer of oil, then you might have to remove the bones before eating.
One of the most delicious parts of a fish is on the back part of the head, which is lost if you fillet a fish.
Health Facts:
Yellow croaker is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. It contains significant amounts of B6 and B12 vitamins and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, fish and seafood have been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks. National Institute of Health (August 1, 2005). "Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid".
Omega-6 fatty acids in sunflower oil and safflower oil may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Willett WC (September 2007). "The role of dietary n-6 fatty acids in the prevention of cardiovascular disease". Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine.

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deep fried fish..woooow korean-style

The Basics (Fried croaker)
* Whole croaker – descaled and with the inside cleaned
* Cornstarch
* Cooking oil – enough to deep fry
The Basics (Sesame dressing)
* Sesame seed oil – 4 tbsp
* Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
* Roasted sesame seeds – 1 tbsp
* Red pepper – finely minced; about 2 tbsp
* Red pepper flake – I used able 1/2 tbsp, but you can add more if you would like it more spicy.
* Green onion – finely minced; 2 tbsp
* Sugar – 1/2 tsp
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oat the fish in cornstarch. Fry in a pot with cooking oil (should be able 325 degrees) for about 4-5 mins on each side or until golden brown.
Combine all ingredients listed in above in a bowl. Taste and adjust as needed.
Garnish fish with slices of red pepper, green onions and dressing. Enjoy!

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Croaker fish get their name from the sound the males make to attract females during mating season. Abundant in the Texas gulf and the Atlantic Ocean, among other places, croakers tend to be less than 1 lb. in size, though they can be as large as 4 lbs. Cooking croaker fish is no different from any other kind. Whole croaker can be breaded and pan fried, and you can also bake croaker fillets. Baking croaker fish as simply as possible allows its naturally delicate flavor to shine.

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2

Behead, skin and fillet your croaker fish if you're starting with a whole fish. Rinse the fillets in cool, running water and pat the dry with paper towels.

Step 3

Salt and pepper the croaker fillets very lightly on both sides. Coarse salt and cracked pepper add more flavor, but plain table salt and ground pepper work, too.

Step 4

Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to help keep the fillets from sticking. Place the croaker fillets in the baking dish in a single layer.

Step 5

Sprinkle lemon juice over the croaker fish and place the baking dish in the hot oven. Bake the croaker fish for 10 minutes per each 1-inch of thickness of the fillets. The fillets are done when they are opaque all the way through and flake easily when poked gently with a fork.

Tips and Warnings

Dredge croaker fillets in water and a cornmeal coating before baking for a crispier result.
Remove all bones from croaker fish before serving them to small children.

Things You'll Need

Fillet knife
Fish
Paper towels
Coarse salt
Cracked pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
Baking dish
Lemon juice
Seasonings

Joan's Eating Places

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Croacker fish