Next time Britain decides to chuck a heatwave at us, make like a Korean in summer and have some Jang Uh Gui for dinner. 장어구이 – broiled or grilled eel – is eaten year-round, but it’s a favourite summertime dish.
Freshwater eel is good for health nuts as it’s high in vitamin A, B1 and B2, protein and unsaturated fats. It’s also thought to increase stamina in men, which leads to many an amusing K-drama moment. If you’re in Korea, head out of Seoul as the southern coastal town of Yeosu is, by many accounts, the best place to get fresh eel.
If you want to make it at home, ordering freshwater eel in the UK is pretty easy – the Fish Society have got it here. Once you’ve got your hands on one of the slippery fish, here’s a simple recipe you can follow to broil or grill it with a spicy sauce. Some authentic gochugaru is well worth investing in as you can use it for other Korean dishes like kimchi and tteobokki.
You can eat the eel straight off the grill as it is, with the sauce or a marinade, or wrap it up in a lettuce leaf and shove it in your mouth just like Beast’s Yoon Dojoon, shown here filming the tasty food-based drama Let’s Eat.
