While other kids were eating toast and cereal for breakfast, I grew up eating spicy fish stew for breakfast and hating it! I just wanted cookie crisp like everyone else, but of course, now I love it. It’s spicy and funky and garlicky, and like most Korean food, it’s a taste explosion. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS FOR STOCK

1 liter of water
1 disposable tea bag
1 palm full / 2 tablespoons of bonito flakes (katsuobushi). My mom uses toasted anchovies for a fish stock, but I don’t have anchovies, and I don’t really like anchovies. Anchovies are a lot of work, you have to toast them and then gut them and they have eye balls. I find bonito makes a base that’s just as good. Additionally, if you don’t have bonito flakes, you can use fish sauce and if you don’t have that, use mushrooms and soy sauce! You’re trying to create an umami stock, so whatever gives you flavor.
3 inches of kombu (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR STOCK

Stuff the bonito flakes and kombu inside the disposable tea bag and tie it up so it doesn’t leak everywhere and throw into the pot of water. Remember to fish it out before serving.
Bring the water and bonito flakes to a boil

STEW INGREDIENTS

2 white fish fillets (I used haddock, but cod/ snapper/ etc would work great). About 1/4 Kilo
2 zucchinis
5 mushrooms
4 Thai peppers (spicy, so use your discretion)
10 g chili powder
Clams and oysters are common too, I just don’t like them, so if you do, throw’em in there
1 tofu (I didn’t have any cus corona, but it’s better with tofu)
20 g gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
20 g doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
40 g soy sauce
4 garlic cloves
Salt and Pepper to taste

STEW INSTRUCTIONS

Rip the skin off the fish
Rinse the fish under cold water, make sure there aren’t any scales or anything stuck to the fish
Cut each fillet into about 6 pieces. Like large bite size pieces, but things shrink and fall apart so not too small
Chop and add the zucchinis, mushrooms, Thai peppers, garlic to the boiling broth
Add the gochujang, doenjang, soy sauce, chili powder
Let everything get all bubbly
About ten minutes later, when things look done, add the fish last
Let it boil for just 2 more minutes. You’re essentially poaching the fish in the spicy broth. The fish will go from being translucent to opaque as it cooks
Serve hot with rice and fresh Korean cucumbers.

BONUS - QUICK KOREAN CUCUMBERS