Spicy Cod Fillets (Daegusal-jorim)

Thaw 1 pound of frozen cod fillets. You can do this by placing them in the refrigerator overnight.

Wash the thawed cod fillets under cold water and drain well.

Cut the cod fillets into bite-sized pieces.

Season the cod pieces evenly on all sides with salt and ground black pepper.

Place the seasoned cod in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.

After marinating, pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

In a bowl, gently toss the dried cod fillets with potato starch until they are evenly coated.

Thinly slice the onion and spread it evenly on the bottom of a shallow pan or pot.

Mince the garlic cloves and add them on top of the onions.

Cut a hand-sized piece of dried kelp into smaller, manageable pieces and add them to the pan.

Pour soy sauce, Korean hot pepper flakes, and water over the vegetables in the pan.

Cover the pan and bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, which should take about 3 minutes.

Once boiling, stir the sauce mixture and then arrange the starch-coated cod fillets in a single layer over the onions.

Cover the pan again and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

After 5 minutes, turn the heat down to medium-low. Gently flip each piece of cod and spoon some of the sauce over the top.

Add an additional 1/4 cup of water if the sauce has reduced too much.

Chop the green onion and green chili pepper, then sprinkle them over the fish.

Cover and let it simmer for another 5 minutes until the fish is fully cooked and the flavors have melded.

Turn off the heat. The spicy braised cod fillets are ready to serve.