Agujjim
Encyclopedia
Agujjim or agwijjim is a Korean jjim
dish made with the fish agwi(아귀). It is usually translated as 'braised spicy angler
.
The dish is seasoned with hot chili pepper
powder, doenjang
, ganjang (soy sauce), minced garlic
, and chopped scallion
s to make it spicy and hot. However, other ingredients such as kongnamul
(soybean sprouts), mideodeok (미더덕, Styela clava
), and minari (미나리, water dropwort
) also play an important role in giving agujjim a refreshing and fragrant flavor.
Its origins are known to be a fish market in the city of Masan
, South Gyeongsang Province 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. The fish is an excellent source of protein and a has rich taste as well as a palatable chewy texture.
Agujjim is still considered a local specialty of Masan, especially around the Odong-dong district. In the traditional Masan
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
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 dishes associated with alcoholic beverages and is usually paired with soju
.
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 by steaming...
dish made with the fish agwi(아귀). It is usually translated as 'braised spicy angler
Goosefish
Monkfish are a family, Lophiidae, of anglerfishes. They are found in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans where they live on sandy and muddy bottoms of the continental shelf and continental slope, at depths in excess of ....
.
The dish is seasoned with hot chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
powder, doenjang
Doenjang
Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. Its name literally means "thick paste" in Korean.-Production:...
, ganjang (soy sauce), minced garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, and chopped scallion
Scallion
Scallions , are the edible plants of various Allium species, all of which are "onion-like", having hollow green leaves and lacking a fully developed root bulb.-Etymology:The words...
s to make it spicy and hot. However, other ingredients such as kongnamul
Kongnamul
Kongnamul, an example of Korean cuisine, refers to a seasoned banchan made from soybean sprouts, as well as being a term for the sprouts themselves in the Korean language...
(soybean sprouts), mideodeok (미더덕, Styela clava
Styela clava
The Stalked Sea Squirt, Styela clava, is a solitary, hermaphroditic, ascidian tunicate that is found off Australia and New Zealand, both coasts of North America, and Europe....
), and minari (미나리, water dropwort
Water dropwort
The water dropworts, Oenanthe , are a genus of plants in the family Apiaceae. Most of the species grow in damp ground, in marshes or in water....
) also play an important role in giving agujjim a refreshing and fragrant flavor.
Its origins are known to be a fish market in the city of Masan
Masan
Masan was a formerly a municipal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The city was situated on Masan Bay , approximately 35 km west of Busan. It was known for its textile industry, and it was the site of Hite Brewery's production facilities.During the control of the Mongolians, the...
, South Gyeongsang Province 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. The fish is an excellent source of protein and a has rich taste as well as a palatable chewy texture.
Agujjim is still considered a local specialty of Masan, especially around the Odong-dong district. In the traditional Masan
Masan
Masan was a formerly a municipal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The city was situated on Masan Bay , approximately 35 km west of Busan. It was known for its textile industry, and it was the site of Hite Brewery's production facilities.During the control of the Mongolians, the...
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
Sinsa-dong
Sinsa-dong is a ward of Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Sinsa Station on the Seoul Metro Line 3 or you can find route through .This district contains many department stores, hairshops, churches, boutiques, cafes and restaurants....
and the Jongno
Jongno
Jongno is one of the oldest major east-west thoroughfares in central Seoul, South Korea, connecting Sejongno to Dongdaemun. It remains one of Seoul's most important financial and cultural areas to this day...
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
Anju (food)
Anju is a general term for a Korean side dish consumed with alcohol . Some of these side dishes can also be ordered as an appetizer or a main dish. These side dishes are different from the banchan side dishes served with a regular Korean meal...
, or dishes associated with alcoholic beverages and is usually paired with soju
Soju
Soju is a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and more commonly consumed neat.Most brands of soju are made in South Korea...
.
External links
- Agujjim recipe Origin of Agujjim at the RGM