Main dishes

Grilled Fish

saengseon-gui

Simple Korean-style grilled fish served with rice and banchan.

Easy25 min2 servings★ 57Contains fish

History & culture

Saengseon-gui grills whole or filleted fish, often mackerel, hairtail, or flatfish, over charcoal with salt or soy glaze. Coastal communities built meals around seasonal catches, and seaside restaurants popularized charcoal grills for travelers in the twentieth century. Home broiler and pan versions spread the custom inland, keeping fish central to Korean holiday and elder-respect tables.

Servings

KCook

Ingredients & steps

Cook mode

Ingredients

Lettuce leaves (for wraps)Optional
6 leaves, for serving
Neutral cooking oil
1 tbsp
Mackerel
Substitutesaba fillets or salmon (milder)
2 fillets or small whole fish

Seasonings

Soy sauceOptional
SubstituteTsuyu (diluted) 4 tsp (2 tsp per 1 tbsp) or Tamari 2 tbsp
2 tbsp
Salt
1/2 tsp
Rice wine (mirim / cooking wine)Optional
Substitutedry sherry or water + pinch of sugar
1 tbsp
Black pepper
1/4 tsp

Steps

15 min
Pat fish dry. If using rice wine, rub it on and rest 5 minutes, then pat dry again. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Mackerel
- Rice wine (mirim / cooking wine)
- Salt
- Black pepper
2Medium heat4 min
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Place fish skin-side down and cook 4 minutes without moving.
- Neutral cooking oil
- Mackerel
3Medium heat3 min
Flip and cook 3 more minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Mackerel
4
Serve with rice, optional soy dipping sauce and lettuce wraps.
- Soy sauce
- Lettuce leaves (for wraps)

Storage & reheating

Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate 1 day; reheat in a pan to restore crisp skin.

Troubleshooting

⚠️ Skin sticks to pan
→ Use a well-oiled hot pan; do not flip until the skin releases.
⚠️ Fish breaks apart
→ Choose firm fish like mackerel; use a wide spatula to flip.