Korean Glazed Swordfish

Gochujang glazed swordfish fillets with kimchi fried rice.

Sweet-spicy ginger, gochujang glazed swordfish with kimchi-cabbage and vegetable fried rice.

I don’t usually make a lot of spicy dishes, but my love for kimchi took over on this one. The fish and the rice in this dish both have spice. Some of which get balanced out by the sweetness in the sauce and vegetables. So, the heat is not overwhelming.

When making fried rice, I like to mix all the flavorings into the cooked rice before stir-frying it. I do this so that the flavors penetrate the rice, and each grain gets evenly coated. The finished dish will not have spots of unseasoned rice and will taste the same from the first bite to the last.

This recipe calls for swordfish, but really any kind will work. I would suggest a firmer fleshed fish such as ahi or marlin.

I used a locally made won bok cabbage kimchi in this recipe. I prefer this kimchi over others because it has a good amount of garlic and ginger, and the salt and spice are very well balanced. If the kimchi you are using does not have garlic or ginger, add two teaspoons of each when mixing the rice. If the kimchi is bland, add a couple of pinches of Korean chili flake or a teaspoon of gochujang to the rice.

Korean Glazed Swordfish

Course Dinner, Main Course
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 4

Ingredients

Swordfish

  • 4 fillets swordfish 5-6 ounces each
  • 1 tbsp gochujang paste
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp mirin
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp garlic grated on microplane
  • 1/2 tsp ginger grated on microplane
  • salt and pepper as needed
  • 2 tbsp oil

Fried Rice

  • 6 cups rice cooked and cooled
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 1/2 cup carrot diced
  • 2 cups kimchi chopped plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup green onion chopped plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • sesame seeds as needed for garnish
  • 1/4 cup oil

Instructions

Swordfish

  • Mix the gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Preheat the oven broiler on high. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Season the swordfish with salt and pepper. When the skillet is smoking hot, add the fish. Sear the fish until browned and flip over. Turn off the heat and divide the glaze among the fish. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Fried Rice

  • Mix the cooked rice with the kimchi, green onion, soy, and oyster sauce. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the oil to the wok. When it is smoking hot, add the onion. Cook for 1 minute, then add the carrot. Cook 1 more minute. Add the rice mixture. Spread the rice evenly around the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, browning the rice mixture, then stir. Repeat this process of browning and stirring for 8-10 minutes or until all the rice has been cooked.
  • Spoon the rice into 4 bowls. Top with fish, kimchi, green onions, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

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