Saeu-jang (Soy-Marinated Raw Shrimp)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small saucepan
• •Fine strainer
• •Glass or stainless marinating container with lid
• •Paring knife
• •Instant-read thermometer, optional, for checking that brine is fully chilled

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose the shrimp

   Use only shrimp sold for raw eating, or shrimp your fishmonger can confirm was handled for raw preparations and previously frozen. Keep it cold from the shop to the cutting board. Raw marinated seafood is not for pregnant people, small children, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised; that is not fear, it is respect for the ingredient.

2. 2

   Boil the brine

   Combine the soy sauce, water, mirin, sugar, rice syrup, onion, pear if using, garlic, ginger, kelp, shiitake if using, dried chili, peppercorns, and scallions in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer 5 minutes. Pull out the kelp at 5 minutes so it gives body without turning the brine slick or bitter.

   The syrup gives gloss and a round sweetness, not candy. Two tablespoons is enough; the shrimp should still taste like shrimp.
3. 3

   Cool completely

   Strain the brine into a clean bowl and cool it to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Do not rush this. The brine must be cold before it touches raw shrimp, both for safety and for texture.

4. 4

   Clean the shrimp

   Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on if you like the way they look at the table. Run a shallow cut along the back and remove the dark vein. Toss the shrimp with the salt and soju, rub gently for 30 seconds, then rinse quickly under cold water and pat very dry. The salt and soju clean the surface; drying keeps the marinade from turning watery.

5. 5

   Marinate overnight

   Lay the shrimp in a clean glass or stainless container in one snug layer. Pour the cold brine over them until fully covered. Press a small piece of parchment or plastic wrap directly on the surface if any shrimp float. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours, turning once if you remember. By then the flesh should feel firmer and look lightly soy-stained.

6. 6

   Serve with rice

   Lift the shrimp from the brine and arrange them over hot short-grain rice, or serve them as a main dish with rice beside them. Spoon over 1 to 2 tablespoons of the marinade per serving, then finish with sliced green chili, red chili if using, and toasted sesame seeds. Eat cold against hot rice. That contrast is why the dish works.

7. 7

   Store briefly

   Keep leftover shrimp refrigerated and eat within 24 hours after the first serving, no more than 2 days from when they first entered the brine. Do not reuse the marinade for another raw batch. If you want to save the flavor, boil the leftover brine hard for 2 minutes, cool it, and use a spoonful over cooked rice or noodles.

Chef Tips

• •Do not make saeu-jang with warm shrimp, bargain shrimp, or shrimp that smells strongly fishy. Good raw shrimp smells clean and faintly sweet. If the market cannot give you that, cook something else tonight.
• •If your soy sauce is very salty, use 3/4 cup soy sauce and 1 1/4 cups water the first time. Measure it. Notebook 18 says the difference between pleasant and harsh was only 2 tablespoons of soy sauce in one winter batch.
• •Safe shortcuts: use peeled, deveined shrimp if they are raw-quality and handled cold, and make the brine a day ahead. Do not shorten the cooling, the cleaning, or the refrigerated marinating.

Advance Preparation

• •The soy brine can be boiled, strained, and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead. Keep it covered and cold until the shrimp are ready.
• •The shrimp should be marinated 8 to 12 hours before serving. Past 24 hours, the texture tightens and the salt takes over.
• •For a weeknight rice bowl, cook the rice just before serving and keep the shrimp cold until the last minute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 330g)