Godeungeo Jorim — Korean Braised Mackerel with Radish

Other Fast With Fish Published June 13, 2026

Jorim is the Korean art of braising in a glossy, savory-sweet soy sauce until the protein soaks up everything around it. Here, oily mackerel fillets are layered over thick slabs of daikon radish and simmered in a chili-laced soy braise until the radish turns translucent and sweet and the fish is meltingly tender. The gochugaru gives it heat, the radish gives it body, and the whole pot smells like a winter kitchen. It is bold, deeply savory, and the kind of protein-rich fish dish that needs nothing more than a bowl of rice.

This is a fish-day recipe through and through. On stricter shellfish days you can build the same braise around clams or squid instead of mackerel; on no-fish days, firm tofu makes a worthy stand-in (see notes).

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Fish (adaptable — see notes)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 4 mackerel fillets (about 600g total), or 2 whole mackerel, cleaned and cut crosswise
- 1/2 large daikon radish (about 400g), peeled and cut into 2cm rounds
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- SAUCE:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon gochujang (check for non-fasting additives)
- 1 tablespoon sugar or rice syrup
- 1 tablespoon mirin or rice wine
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- Steamed short-grain rice, to serve

METHOD

1. Rinse the mackerel and pat dry. If using whole fish, score the skin lightly. Set aside.

2. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.

3. Lay the daikon rounds in a single layer across the bottom of a wide, heavy pot. Scatter the sliced onion over them and drizzle with the oil.

4. Pour in the water and spoon over about half the sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 12 minutes until the radish begins to soften.

5. Arrange the mackerel on top of the radish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the fish. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, occasionally basting the fish with the braising liquid using a spoon.

6. Add the spring onions, then cook uncovered for a final 5 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce, basting once more.

7. Serve hot, giving each bowl fish, a few rounds of radish, and plenty of sauce over rice.

NOTES

- Daikon is essential — it absorbs the braise and becomes the best part of the dish. Potato works in a pinch but stays firmer.
- For shellfish days, replace the mackerel with cleaned squid rings or clams; add them in the last 6-8 minutes so they do not toughen.
- No fish? Use thick slabs of pressed firm tofu, browned first, and treat the dish as fast-with-oil.
- Many gochujang brands are fasting-friendly, but some include fish or shellfish derivatives — read the label.