Gomchi-guk

About the dish

An ugly fish that is unmatched for settling the stomach in winter. Gomchi (snailfish) was once scorned as trash fish for its soft flesh, but simmered clear with aged kimchi it turns refreshing and tender — a beloved hangover soup of East Coast fishermen, and a folk dish that warmed sailors through the cold.

Key ingredient

Snailfish (gomchi) — low in fat with soft, easily digested flesh; prized as a hangover-soup ingredient; rich in protein and collagen. In season winter; caught along the East and South coasts.

Ingredients

Main: gomchi (snailfish), sour kimchi, radish, scallion, tofu · Seasoning: minced garlic, soup soy sauce, chili powder, salt

Simple recipe

1. Gut the gomchi, cut into chunks, and rinse in salted water.
2. Add water and sliced aged kimchi to a pot and bring to a boil.
3. When boiling, add the gomchi and cook over medium heat so the flesh does not break apart.
4. Add minced garlic, scallion and chili powder, and season with soup soy sauce and salt.
5. Boil once more and serve refreshingly hot.

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A Glass · Traditional pairing