Al-tang (Fish Roe Stew)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide 3-quart pot or medium ttukbaegi
• •Slotted spoon
• •Small bowl for seasoning paste
• •Instant-read thermometer, optional but useful for roe

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the roe

   Keep the roe cold while you work. Rinse it very gently in a bowl of cold salted water, 2 cups water with 1 teaspoon salt, then lift it out and pat it dry. Do not rub it under running water; the sacs tear easily, and torn roe clouds the broth before it has a chance to set.

   If your roe is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator on a tray. Fast thawing in warm water hurts the texture and is poor seafood practice.
2. 2

   Make the broth

   Put the water, kelp, anchovies, and radish in a wide pot. Bring it just to a simmer over medium heat, then remove the kelp right away so it does not turn the broth slick or bitter. Simmer the anchovies and radish for 12 minutes more, until the radish begins to turn translucent at the edges, then lift out the anchovies.

3. 3

   Season cleanly

   In a small bowl, stir the gochugaru, soup soy sauce, fish sauce, gochujang, garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons hot broth into a loose paste. Stir it into the pot and simmer 3 minutes. This blooms the chili and spreads the seasoning evenly, so you do not chase lumps of paste around the stew later.

4. 4

   Poach fish first

   Add the fish, tofu, zucchini, and mushrooms. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the fish is almost opaque and the zucchini still holds its shape. Taste the broth now. Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt only if it tastes flat, because roe and fish sauce vary in saltiness.

5. 5

   Set the roe

   Lay the roe sacs on top of the simmering stew in one layer. Spoon a little broth over them, cover the pot, and cook gently for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness. They are done when the outside firms and the inside is just set, not dry. If you use a thermometer, the thickest part should reach 145°F. This is the step to watch.

6. 6

   Finish the pot

   Add the green chili and scallions and cook 1 minute. Turn off the heat, fold in the crown daisy, and add the sesame oil if you are using it. Crown daisy should wilt from the pot's remaining warmth so it stays green and a little bitter, which is the right balance for the rich roe.

7. 7

   Serve at once

   Carry the pot to the table with rice and mild banchan. Cut large roe sacs into spoon-size pieces at the table or just before serving, so each bowl gets broth, radish, fish, tofu, greens, and roe. Write down whether your roe needed 4 minutes or 6. 손맛 is real; I measure it anyway.

Chef Tips

• •Buy roe from a fishmonger with good turnover. It should be glossy and full, never dull, collapsed, or sour-smelling. Frozen roe is acceptable for this stew when thawed slowly in the refrigerator.
• •Do not make this a gochujang stew. One teaspoon gives body. More than that makes the broth sweet and muddy, and the roe disappears behind it.
• •Crown daisy is best, with its clean bitterness. If you cannot find it, use minari (Korean water dropwort) or a small handful of tender spinach, but add either at the end so the greens do not collapse.
• •Salted myeongnan-jeot (seasoned pollock roe) is not the same ingredient. In a pinch, rinse it gently, use only 6 ounces, skip the added salt, and expect a saltier, firmer stew.
• •A ttukbaegi is good at the table, but a wide shallow pot is easier for home cooking because the roe can sit in one layer and cook evenly. 시대가 바뀌면 음식도 바뀌어야 해요. When times change, food must change too.

Advance Preparation

• •The anchovy-kelp broth with radish can be made up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate it with the radish in the broth, then bring it back to a simmer before seasoning and adding the seafood.
• •The seasoning paste can be mixed 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Add the minced garlic the day you cook if you want a cleaner flavor.
• •Do not cook the roe ahead. Al-tang is best eaten right after the roe sets; reheating makes it firm and grainy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 590g)