Red sea bream (domi / chamdom)

Domi (shortened to dom) covers the sea breams of the family Sparidae, and the name alone usually means the red sea bream, chamdom. It is a handsome fish, bright pinkish red with scattered blue spots and a blue streak above each eye, and it ranges from Korean waters through Japan, China and the East and South China Seas. Joseon writers knew it well: the Gyeongsangdo jiriji recorded it as domieo, Seo Yu-gu's fisheries writings called it dokmieo ("bald-tail fish") for its short, unforked-looking tail, and Jasan eobo named it ganghangeo ("strong-necked fish") because its head was hard enough to crack whatever it struck. Other Korean sea breams include the black sea bream gamseongdom, prized by anglers for its firm flesh; many fish with dom in their names, such as the rock bream doldom and the tilefish okdom, are not true sea breams at all.

Red sea bream winter south of Jeju and move north in spring to spawn, usually around May and June, and the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture says they taste best from January to May, as they fatten before spawning. Their long lifespan, reported at 20 years or more, made the fish a symbol of longevity. The folk encyclopedia notes that it has long been a fish for honored guests, appearing at weddings and family celebrations, on the jesa table, and on birthday and 60th-birthday tables (see life ritual foods). The saying eodu ilmi, "the fish head is the best bite," is traced to sea bream. The most lavish dish is seunggiak-tang, said to have been created in King Seongjong's reign to welcome the official Heo Jong and named because it was better than music and entertainers; it survives as domi-myeon, pan-fried sea bream simmered in broth with vegetables, garnishes and noodles.

Fast-growing and valuable, red sea bream was an early target for aquaculture, and farmed fish from Korea, China and Japan now fill the market. The folk encyclopedia explains how buyers tell them apart: wild fish are bright and clearly spotted, while net-pen fish raised in shallow water are darker and often have frayed tail fins. At home the fish is steamed whole (domi-jjim), grilled, simmered into a clear soup, or sliced raw (see preparing hoe).

• Lean, high-quality protein: Raw red sea bream provides about 18.4 g of protein per 100 g in the Korean table, with 270 mg of phosphorus and some B vitamins.
• Fish allergy: Fish is one of the nine major food allergens under U.S. law.
• Mercury: The FDA/EPA advice on eating fish does not rate sea bream, so it offers no specific mercury guidance for it.
• Raw fish: When eaten as sashimi, the FDA recommends fish that has been previously frozen to kill parasites, and advises at-risk groups (pregnant women, young children, older adults, people with weakened immunity) to avoid raw fish.