Maeuntang (spicy fish stew)

by Maangchi

Ingredients

• 2½ pounds cleaned whole fish (black sea bass, cod, pollock, flounder, fluke, AND in this case, monkfish), cut into 2 inch pieces
• 8 cups water
• 1 pound Korean radish (or daikon) sliced into ⅛ inch thin bite sized pieces
• 7-8 large dried anchovies, with heads and guts removed and placed in a stock pouch (or soup strainer, or tied up in cheesecloth)
• 1 dae-pa (or 4 to 5 green onions), sliced diagonally
• 1 large green chili pepper, sliced
• 1 red chili pepper, optional but if you use, sliced diagonally
• 4-5 sprigs of chrysanthemum greens (substitute with a few basil sprigs)

For the seasoning:

• ½ cup Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons Korean fermented bean paste (doenjang)
• 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons mirim (or soju)

Instructions

Make seasoning paste:

1. Combine the seasoning paste ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix it well with a spoon. Set aside.

Make maeuntang:

1. Combine the radish, dried anchovies, and 8 cups of water in a large pot.
2. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat until the radish turns a little soft.
3. Add the fish and about half of the seasoning paste.
4. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes over medium high heat until the fish is fully cooked.
5. Remove the anchovy pouch and add green chili pepper and green onion. Taste the soup and add more paste if you want it spicier and saltier.
6. Gently stir the stew a few times with a wooden spoon and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and add the chrysanthemum greens and red chili peppers.

1. Serve with rice, kimchi, and a few other side dishes, if you have them.
2. You can put the stew in the middle of the table, with a ladle. Provide bowls for each person and ladle some of the stew into each bowl.
3. Provide an empty bowl for bones. As people eat the fish they can discard the bones there.