Braised Hairtail갈치조림

Galchi-jorim is Jeju Island's gift to Korean cuisine. Hairtail fish (also called cutlassfish or beltfish) is one of those ingredients that most Americans have never seen, but it is wildly popular in Korea, especially in the southern coastal regions. The fish is long, thin, and silver -- it looks like a ribbon with teeth.

Finding hairtail in the US requires a trip to a Korean or Chinese grocery store. It is almost always sold frozen, either whole or cut into sections. The frozen sections are actually convenient for this recipe since the fish is already portioned. Thaw in the fridge overnight and handle gently -- hairtail flesh is softer than mackerel and breaks easily.

The cooking method is nearly identical to godeungeo-jorim (braised mackerel), and that is not a coincidence. Korean cooks developed a braising template -- radish bed, spicy sauce, covered simmer -- that works beautifully with almost any fish. The radish protects the fish from direct heat and soaks up flavor.

Hairtail has a unique texture that sets it apart from other braised fish. The flesh is delicate and almost creamy when cooked, falling off the backbone in clean sections. The bones are small and soft enough that some people eat them, though you can easily pick them out.

The green onion goes in at the very end, just two minutes before serving. This is intentional -- you want the green onion to wilt slightly and release its fragrance without losing its color and crunch. Adding it too early turns it into gray mush that disappears into the sauce.

Galchi-jorim is one of those dishes that Korean expats miss the most. The combination of soft, flaky fish, spicy sauce, and radish that has absorbed twenty minutes of braising liquid is deeply satisfying. Serve it over rice and let the sauce do its work.