In Buddhist folklore, the agwi (餓鬼) is a ghost that fell into the realm of hungry spirits due to greed. Its belly is as big as a mountain, but its throat is like the eye of a needle, so it is always tormented by thirst and hunger.
There is a fish in the sea that borrows its name. It is the monkfish, with a mouth that makes up half its body. A predator of the sea, once it bites its prey with its sharp teeth, it never lets go. The teeth are so sharp and strong that once it bites, it does not release the prey until it dies. It naturally makes you say, "No wonder it's called an agwi."
Since old times, the monkfish has been a hapless "multumbeong." Because it lacked market value and was tricky to handle, fishermen would say it brought bad luck and "tumb" it back into the sea when it got caught in the net. But across the sea it was treated differently. In Japan, monkfish liver was prized as the "foie gras of the sea," and in the West, thanks to its chewy texture, it was known as the "lobster of the common people."
In Korea, the monkfish's rise in status began at Masan Port in the 1960s. In lean times, "Masan aguijjim," which piled on bean sprouts to bulk up inexpensive monkfish and mixed it with spicy seasoning, appeared. This cooking method spread along the routes east to Busan and west to Mokpo and Gunsan. The dialect word "agu" rolls off the tongue more easily than the standard "agwi" because it carries the rough-hewn feel of these port cities.
Winter monkfish is so nourishing it is called a "spoonable moisturizer." It is caught in large numbers from September to April of the following year. The tastiest season is considered to be from December to Feb.
It is high in protein and low in fat, and its skin is full of collagen, making it ideal for skin that gets dry in winter. It is rich in essential amino acids and is said to be excellent for restoring energy and supporting liver function.
However, eating it raw is strictly forbidden. Because of the risk of parasites such as anisakis, it must be cooked. Once discarded as multumbeong, it has now become a winter delicacy that soothes the bodies and minds of ordinary people in an era of high inflation.
☞ Aguijjim recipe
1) Remove the innards and gills from the monkfish, then wash thoroughly to drain the blood.
2) Add a little cheongju to boiling water and briefly blanch the monkfish to remove the fishy odor.
3) Line the bottom of a frying pan with bean sprouts, then place the monkfish and sea squirts on top.
4) Evenly sprinkle a sauce made by mixing red pepper flakes, soy sauce, minced garlic, and sugar, then simmer for about 15 minutes.
5) Add a starch slurry to adjust the thickness, then add water dropwort and cook once more to finish.