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Stews & jjigae

Spicy Fish Stew

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maeun-tang

Fiery fish stew with radish, vegetables and chili broth.

Hard50 min4 servings🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️★ 62Contains fishContains soy
Spicy Fish Stew

History & culture

Spicy fish stew is a coastal Korean staple along the southern and eastern seas where fresh catch meets chili broth. Fishing towns reportedly simmered rockfish or similar species with gochugaru, radish, and vegetables after market days. The dish spread inland through seafood restaurants and urban demand for bold flavors. Today maeuntang appears nationwide, though fish choices and broth styles vary by region.

Servings
4

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Ingredients & steps

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Ingredients

  • Garlic
    4 cloves
  • Firm tofu

    Substituteextra-firm tofu

    150 g
  • Water
    5 cups
  • Fresh green chili

    Substitutejalapeño or serrano

    2 each
  • Green onion

    Substitutescallion or spring onion

    2 stalks
  • Korean radish (mu)

    Substitutedaikon radish

    200 g
  • Mackerel

    Substitutesaba fillets or salmon (milder)

    1 whole

Seasonings

  • Gochujang (Korean chili paste)

    Substitutemiso + chili paste (approximate)

    1 tbsp
  • Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

    Substitutecoarse red pepper flakes (adjust heat)

    3 tbsp
  • Soy sauce

    SubstituteTsuyu (diluted) 4 tsp (2 tsp per 1 tbsp) or Tamari 2 tbsp

    2 tbsp
  • Fish sauce (aekjeot)

    Substitutesoy sauce + anchovy (approximate)

    1 tbsp

Steps

  1. 15 min

    Clean fish, remove innards, rinse with salt water, pat dry, and cut into steaks; slice radish into thick half-moons.

    • Mackerel
    • Korean radish (mu)
  2. 2High heat10 min

    Layer radish in a pot, place fish on top, and add gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic and water.

    • Korean radish (mu)
    • Mackerel
    • Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
    • Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
    • Soy sauce
    • Fish sauce (aekjeot)
    • Garlic
    • Water
  3. 3Medium heat15 min

    When it boils, skim foam. Simmer 15 minutes, add tofu and chili, and finish with green onion.

    • Firm tofu
    • Fresh green chili
    • Green onion

Storage & reheating

Eat same day for best texture; refrigerate up to 1 day.

Troubleshooting

  • ⚠️ Fish breaks apart

    → Simmer gently after adding fish and avoid stirring aggressively.

  • ⚠️ Fishy odor remains

    → Use very fresh fish and add ginger or extra garlic at the start.