Entree: South Korea – Gangwon – 황태구이 ➤ Hwangtae-gui (Grilled Dried Pollock)

Serving Size: 2

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 8 min

Additional 15 min

Total 30 min

Ingredients

- 1 whole dried pollock (hwangtae), cleaned and split or filleted, approx. 10 oz (280 g) usable
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil (or neutral oil with high smoke point)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce (Korean ganjang preferred)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) mirin or rice cooking wine
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (2 g) gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), optional for a touch of heat
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (scallions)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) toasted sesame seeds
- 1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges (for serving)
- Salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Rehydrate and prep: Rinse the dried pollock briefly under cold water to remove surface dust. Soak the fillets in cold water for 10–15 minutes to slightly soften (do not fully rehydrate). Pat dry with paper towels; remove any large bones and cut into serving portions or leave whole if filleted.
2. Make the glaze and sauce: In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and minced garlic; stir until sugar dissolves. Reserve 1 tsp (5 ml) of this mixture for brushing while grilling and set the rest aside as a dipping sauce. If using, stir gochugaru into the dipping portion and adjust salt to taste.
3. Grill: Brush the pollock lightly with vegetable oil. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Grill the fillets 2–3 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until the edges crisp and the flesh flakes easily; during the last 30–45 seconds brush once more with the reserved sesame-soy glaze to caramelize.
4. Finish and serve: Transfer to a plate, drizzle a little extra sesame oil, and scatter sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over the fish. Serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges and the soy-garlic dipping sauce on the side.