Hearty Monkfish Stew (Agujjim) Made at Home
Hearty Monkfish Stew (Agujjim) Made at Home
Seasonal Monkfish Dish: Make Perfectly Chewy Agujjim at Home (Agujjim Recipe)
Monkfish, known for its unique texture and delicious taste despite its appearance, is a popular choice for stews and braised dishes. This Agujjim recipe features monkfish, which is in season from January to February. While Agujjim is delicious, ordering it out can be quite expensive. But guess what? You can make this delightful dish at home for about half the price! Follow along with this easy recipe, and you’ll be enjoying a fresh and flavorful homemade Agujjim that rivals any restaurant.
Main Ingredients- 800g prepared monkfish
- Pinch of coarse salt (for pre-seasoning monkfish)
- 2 Tbsp rice wine or soju (to remove fishy odor)
- 300g bean sprouts
- 150g Korean water parsley (minari)
- 2 Korean green chilies (cheongyang peppers)
- 1 red chili
- 1/2 large Korean leek (daepa)
- Starch slurry (mix 2 Tbsp potato starch with 2 Tbsp water)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Seasoning Ingredients- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 6 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, fine)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce) or regular soy sauce
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 6 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, fine)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce) or regular soy sauce
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the Korean water parsley thoroughly and cut it into approximately 5cm lengths, making it easy to eat.
Step 2
Remove the seeds from the Korean green chilies and red chili, then slice them diagonally into 5cm lengths for a pop of color. Slice the Korean leek diagonally to add its aromatic flavor.
Step 3
In a small bowl, combine sugar, gochugaru, minced garlic, gochujang, soy sauce, and black pepper. Mix well until all the seasoning ingredients are evenly combined to create the sauce.
Step 4
In a large pot, add enough water to generously cover the ingredients. Add a pinch of coarse salt and 2 Tbsp of rice wine. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add the prepared monkfish.
Step 5
Blanch the monkfish for about 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove the monkfish from the pot and set it aside. This step helps remove any unpleasant fishy odors and gives the monkfish a firm, chewy texture.
Step 6
In the same pot used to blanch the monkfish, add the bean sprouts, blanched monkfish, chopped Korean water parsley, sliced chilies, and leek. Drizzle the prepared seasoning sauce evenly over the ingredients. Add about 1/2 cup of the monkfish blanching water back into the pot. Cover with a lid.
Step 7
Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the vegetables are slightly wilted, about 5-7 minutes. Gently stir the ingredients with a spatula to ensure the sauce coats everything evenly, being careful not to break apart the vegetables.
Step 8
Once the vegetables are well-coated and cooked, gradually pour in the starch slurry while stirring. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. The starch slurry will give the Agujjim a rich, glossy finish, making it cling beautifully to the ingredients.
Step 9
Finally, drizzle 1 Tbsp of sesame oil over the top and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a delicious finish. Serve hot with steamed rice for a truly satisfying meal!
