''Agwi-jjim'' * () or ''agu-jjim'' () is a

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...

jjim ''Jjim'' (; ) is a Korean cuisine term referring to dishes made by steaming or boiling meat, chicken, fish, or shellfish which have been marinated in a sauce or soup. The cooking technique originally referred to dishes cooked in a '' siru'' ( ...

'' dish made with blackmouth angler, the fish known as ''agwi'' in Korean. The name of the dish is usually translated as "braised spicy angler". The dish is seasoned with hot

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

powder,

doenjang ''Doenjang'' * () or soybean paste is a type of fermented bean paste made entirely of soybean and brine used in Korean cuisine. It is also a byproduct of soup soy sauce production. It is sometimes used as a relish. History The earliest soyb ...

, ''ganjang'' (

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

), minced

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

, and chopped

scallion Scallions (also known as green onions and spring onions) are edible vegetables of various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions. Their close relatives include garlic, shallots, leeks, chive ...

s to make it spicy and hot. However, other ingredients such as ''

kongnamul Soybean sprout is a culinary vegetable grown by sprouting soybeans. It can be grown by placing and watering the sprouted soybeans in the shade until the roots grow long. Soybean sprouts are extensively cultivated and consumed in Asian countries. ...

'' (soybean sprouts), ''mideodeok'' (미더덕, ''

Styela clava ''Styela clava'' is a solitary, subtidal ascidian tunicate. It has a variety of common names such as the stalked sea squirt, clubbed tunicate, Asian tunicate, leathery sea squirt, or rough sea squirt. As its common names suggest, ''S. clava'' i ...

''), and ''minari'' (미나리, ''

Oenanthe javanica ''Oenanthe'' can refer to: Taxonomy *Oenanthe (bird), ''Oenanthe'' (bird), a genus of birds in the family Muscicapidae *Oenanthe (plant), ''Oenanthe'' (plant), a genus of plants in the family Apiaceae Persons

* Oenanthe of Egypt (flourished 3r ...

'') also play an important role in giving ''agujjim'' a refreshing and fragrant flavor. The fish is an excellent source of protein and has a rich taste as well as a palatable chewy texture.

History

Its origins are known to be a fish market in the city of

Masan Masan () is an administrative region of Changwon, a city of South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was formerly an independent city from 1949 until 30 June 2010, when it was absorbed to Changwon along with Jinhae District, Jinhae. Masan was ...

South Gyeongsang Province South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple tha ...

where local fishermen would ask cooks from the market eateries to create a tasty dish from the ugly fish. Until the 1940s, the fish was not eaten and was frequently discarded due to its ugly appearance and low commercial value. However, as fish began to become more scarce in the late 20th century, the newly found delicacy became popular. ''Agujjim'' is still considered a local specialty of Masan, especially around the Odong-dong district. In the traditional

''agujjim'', ''agwi'' dried for 15 days to 30 days is used and then marinated with seasonings, while other regions use fresh ''agwi'' after its internal organs have been taken out. Seoul has two famous ''agujjim'' streets, in Sinsa-dong and the

Jongno Jongno or Jong-ro () is a trunk road and one of the oldest major east–west thoroughfares in Seoul, South Korea. Jongno connects Gwanghwamun Plaza to Dongdaemun. The area surrounding Jongno is a part of Downtown Seoul and one of the most ...

district. The popular ''jjim'' dish is eaten with bowls of cooked rice, or sometimes restaurants will stir-fry the remaining sauce with rice and additional vegetables on the grill to make '' Bokkeumbap'' with a crispy charred crust. ''Agujjim'' is also a popular '' anju'', or dish associated with

alcoholic beverages Drinks containing alcohol are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—with alcohol content typically between 3% and 50%. Drinks with less than 0.5% are sometimes considered non-alcoholic. Many societies have a di ...

and is usually paired with

soju Soju (English pronunciation: ; ) is a clear and colorless distilled alcoholic beverage from Korea, traditionally made from rice, but later from other grains and has a flavor similar to vodka. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content ...

References

External links

Agujjim recipe

at the RGM {{Korean food and drink South Korean cuisine Korean fish dishes Culture of Changwon