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Soups & stews · Korean home cooking

Braised mackerel with radish

Mackerel and tender radish in a savory chili-soy broth. Soften the radish first, then cook the fish gently and baste rather than stir.

45 min2 servings6 steps
Braised mackerel with radish

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Unsalted raw mackerel, 4 cross-cut steaks is unavailable

    Use instead
    Fresh unsalted skin-on salmon, 4 pieces
    Substitute quantity
    4 pieces, one 400 g packReference quantity: 400 g

    Use raw salmon, not smoked or salted salmon, cut about 2 cm thick. Follow the radish pre-cooking step; in step 5 simmer the salmon 10–12 minutes, then check for opaque flaky flesh at 63°C. Finish briefly with scallion only as needed; lift cooked fish out if the radish still needs time. Flavor is richer and different.

  • Substitute available

    If Korean white radish is unavailable

    Use instead
    Daikon white radish
    Substitute quantity
    ½ of a 600 g packReference quantity: 300 g

    Peel and slice into 5 mm half-rounds. Use the same pre-simmering step, checking tenderness with a fork before adding fish. Daikon is usually less dense; if already tender, shorten its pre-simmer rather than overcooking the fish.

  • Substitute available

    If Onion is unavailable

    Use instead
    Plain frozen chopped onion
    Substitute quantity
    ¼ of a 300 g packReference quantity: 75 g

    Add the measured frozen onion directly at the onion step; no thawing is needed. Small chopped pieces soften faster, so start checking after 5 minutes. Keep the chicken or fish cooking until fully done even if the onion is already soft.

  • Essential

    Required for the correct broth or egg texture. Use the listed paper-cup amount for the food; any extra water below a steaming rack stays outside the bowl. Add small amounts of hot water during braising only if it starts drying out.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Regular light soy sauce or tamari
    Substitute quantity
    3 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 45 ml

    Saltiness varies: taste before adding more salt. Tamari also contains soy; check the label for wheat if relevant.

  • Optional

    May be reduced or omitted. Omit its addition to the sauce; use the same water and cooking time. Fish braises become milder and browner; chicken still has heat from gochujang.

  • Substitute available

    If Minced peeled garlic is unavailable

    Use instead
    Plain unsalted ready-minced garlic
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 g

    Choose garlic with no added salt, sugar or flavored sauce. Add this replacement amount at the same sauce-mixing step. It has a slightly less fresh aroma; keep soy sauce and water unchanged.

  • Optional

    May be omitted from the sauce. The fragrance will be a little milder; keep water and cooking time the same.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. The sauce will taste less sweet; do not replace the missing sugar with extra salt or soy sauce.

  • Optional

    May be omitted entirely; skip the chopping and final addition. It adds a fresh onion aroma and green color, but does not control cooking time.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Start with cleaned, unsalted raw mackerel cut into 4 thick cross-cut pieces, about one 400 g pack. Ask the fishmonger to remove the head and guts. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator following the packaging first. Pat dry and check for any loose bones. Keep fish and vegetable boards separate.

    Start with cleaned, unsalted raw mackerel cut into 4 thick cross-cut pieces, about one 400 g pack. Ask the fishmonger to remove the head and guts. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator following the packaging first. Pat dry and check for any loose bones. Keep fish and vegetable boards separate.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Peel the radish and cut it into half-round slices about 5 mm thick; thick chunks take much longer. Slice the half onion thinly and chop the scallion separately. Lay the radish in a single, slightly overlapping layer in a wide shallow pot so the fish can sit above it later.

    Peel the radish and cut it into half-round slices about 5 mm thick; thick chunks take much longer. Slice the half onion thinly and chop the scallion separately. Lay the radish in a single, slightly overlapping layer in a wide shallow pot so the fish can sit above it later.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: In a bowl mix 3 level eating-spoons soy sauce and 1 spoon minced garlic. Add up to 1 spoon gochugaru, ¼ small teaspoon minced ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar if using. For a milder dish reduce or omit the chili; the broth will be brown rather than red. No extra salt is needed.

    In a bowl mix 3 level eating-spoons soy sauce and 1 spoon minced garlic. Add up to 1 spoon gochugaru, ¼ small teaspoon minced ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar if using. For a milder dish reduce or omit the chili; the broth will be brown rather than red. No extra salt is needed.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Pour 2 small paper cups water over the radish, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes. The radish should start to soften when poked with a fork; if still very hard, give it another 3–5 minutes before adding fish. Keep the water level from drying out.

    Pour 2 small paper cups water over the radish, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes. The radish should start to soften when poked with a fork; if still very hard, give it another 3–5 minutes before adding fish. Keep the water level from drying out.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Lay sliced onion above the radish, then arrange the 4 mackerel pieces in one layer. Spoon all the seasoning over the fish. Cover and gently simmer 12–15 minutes on medium-low heat. Do not stir or turn the fragile pieces; spoon some broth from the edge over them once halfway.

    Lay sliced onion above the radish, then arrange the 4 mackerel pieces in one layer. Spoon all the seasoning over the fish. Cover and gently simmer 12–15 minutes on medium-low heat. Do not stir or turn the fragile pieces; spoon some broth from the edge over them once halfway.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Add optional scallion and simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes, basting gently. Radish must be fork-tender and fish opaque, separating easily into flakes; if measured, its thickest flesh reaches 63°C. Cook longer if needed, adding 2–3 spoons hot water if dry. Lift the fish gently onto two plates with radish and sauce. Remove bones carefully, especially for children.

    Add optional scallion and simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes, basting gently. Radish must be fork-tender and fish opaque, separating easily into flakes; if measured, its thickest flesh reaches 63°C. Cook longer if needed, adding 2–3 spoons hot water if dry. Lift the fish gently onto two plates with radish and sauce. Remove bones carefully, especially for children.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Braised mackerel with radish
Braised mackerel with radish
Helpful tips

Contains fish and soy; soy sauce may also contain wheat. Use unsalted raw fish for these amounts. Remove all bones from children’s portions, and reduce or omit chili for the braises. Serve with rice cooked separately; the listed time begins with thawed, cleaned fish. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating-spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml). Household spoon and vegetable sizes vary; pack weights are a helpful reference. Thawing time is not included. Photos show the original ingredients, including optional extras; substitutions can change the appearance. Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Keep at 4°C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat the portion needed thoroughly to 74°C; soy sauce is seasoning, not a method for making meat or fish safe at room temperature.