Crispy Deep-Fried Flounder with Tangy Sauce (Yurin Gam-gajami)
How to Make Luxurious Yurin Gam-gajami, a Perfect Appetizer
Are you familiar with ‘Yurin-gi’, a popular Chinese restaurant dish? It’s a delightful combination of crispy fried chicken coated in starch and a sweet and sour sauce. Today, we’re recreating this popular dish with a twist, using tender flounder instead of chicken! White fish is wonderfully mild and pairs beautifully with various sauces. This ‘Yurin Gam-gajami’ recipe offers a simple yet elegant and delicious way to enjoy a special meal. It’s perfect for dinner parties or celebrating important occasions.
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole flounder (cleaned and prepared)
- 5 Tbsp cornstarch (for coating)
- 5 fresh lettuce leaves
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Sweet & Tangy Yurin Sauce
- 1/4 small onion
- 1/3 green bell pepper (or green chili)
- 1/3 red bell pepper
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbsp vinegar (rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar recommended)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/4 small onion
- 1/3 green bell pepper (or green chili)
- 1/3 red bell pepper
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbsp vinegar (rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar recommended)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, finely mince the vegetables for the sauce. Wash the onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper thoroughly, then chop them into very small pieces. This helps to release their flavors into the sauce.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the minced vegetables with soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, water, and red pepper flakes. Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning (soy sauce, vinegar, sugar) according to your preference. Remember, the signature of Yurin sauce is its tangy kick, so aim for a balanced flavor profile that isn’t too sweet or too salty. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can slightly increase the amount of vinegar.
Step 3
Rinse the flounder under cold running water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. This is crucial for getting a crispy coating. Evenly coat both sides of the flounder generously with cornstarch. Ensure the entire surface is covered for maximum crispiness.
Step 4
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot (you can test by dropping a tiny bit of cornstarch; it should sizzle immediately), carefully place the cornstarch-coated flounder into the oil. You don’t need a very deep pool of oil; enough to cover about halfway up the fish is fine. Fry the flounder until it’s golden brown and crispy on both sides. To check if it’s cooked through, gently insert a chopstick or knife into the thickest part of the fish; it should flake easily. Once cooked, remove the flounder and place it on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.
Step 5
Prepare a serving plate by tearing the fresh lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces and arranging them as a bed on the plate. The crisp lettuce provides a refreshing contrast to the fried fish.
Step 6
Carefully place the golden-brown, crispy fried flounder on top of the lettuce bed on the plate. Arrange it attractively for a beautiful presentation.
Step 7
Finally, generously drizzle the prepared sweet and tangy Yurin sauce over the fried flounder. Serve immediately and enjoy! The delightful combination of crispy fish and refreshing sauce is a truly appetizing dish.
