Top 3 Korean Side Dishes from a Banchan Store: Stir-fried An
This recipe guides you to recreate three popular Korean side dishes (banchan) from a banchan store at home: stir-fried anchovies (myeolchi-bokkeum), seasoned dried shredded squid (jinmi-chae-muchim), and stir-fried thin dried shredded squid (ojingeo-sil-chae-bokkeum).
📋 3 recipes — Select to view
Crispy, sweet, and savory stir-fried anchovies (myeolchi-bokkeum) are a popular Korean side dish that anyone can make without fail.
📝 Editor's Notes
Crispy, sweet, and savory myeolchi-bokkeum (stir-fried anchovies) is a beloved national side dish for all ages.
This recipe focuses on achieving a perfect crispy texture by thoroughly drying the anchovies over medium-low heat, and then mixing them with the sauce off the heat to prevent them from hardening.
The use of jocheong (Korean grain syrup) adds a beautiful glaze and a mellow sweetness, making this recipe even more appealing.
It's a foolproof dish that even beginner cooks can easily try.
Served over warm rice, it's a magical side dish that can rekindle lost appetites.
While delicious any time of year, it's especially perfect as a side dish for autumn meals.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
For myeolchi-bokkeum, choose medium anchovies that are uniform in size and have a silvery sheen.
Avoid anchovies that appear too yellow or reddish, as they may be old or improperly stored.
If you are sensitive to the fishy smell of anchovies, you can split them open, remove the innards, and then use them for a cleaner taste.
Select Cheongyang chili peppers (Cheongyang-gochu) that are firm, not too soft, and vibrant in color.
For minced garlic, freshly minced garlic will provide the best aroma and flavor.
Using traditional jocheong (Korean grain syrup) made from rice will give a deeper, mellower sweetness.
For soy sauce, we recommend using regular soy sauce (yangjo ganjang, 양조간장) rather than a very salty soup soy sauce (guk ganjang, 국간장).
🔄 Substitution Guide
If you prefer to use small anchovies instead of medium ones, the cooking method remains the same.
However, since small anchovies are smaller and thinner, reduce the stir-frying time by 1-2 minutes to prevent burning and ensure crispiness.
If jocheong (Korean grain syrup) is unavailable, you can substitute it with corn syrup or oligo syrup, though the unique deep sweetness and glossy finish of jocheong might be slightly less pronounced.
If using only sugar for sweetness, the anchovies might become tough, so it's important to use corn syrup or oligo syrup alongside it.
If Cheongyang chili pepper (Cheongyang-gochu) is too spicy for your taste, you can mince and add bell peppers or red chili peppers instead.
This will reduce the spiciness while adding a beautiful color.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
There are two crucial points for this myeolchi-bokkeum recipe.
First, when stir-frying the anchovies, always maintain medium-low heat and ensure all moisture is completely removed to make them crispy.
This step is essential to eliminate any fishy odor and enhance their savory flavor.
Stir-frying for approximately 5-7 minutes should be sufficient.
Second, after the sauce has simmered, you *must* turn off the heat before adding the anchovies.
Mixing the anchovies with the sauce over high heat will make them tough and prone to sticking together.
By turning off the heat and quickly tossing them with the residual heat from the pan, you can ensure the anchovies remain crispy while being evenly coated with the sauce.
Finally, add the jocheong (Korean grain syrup) just before turning off the heat after the sauce simmers, as this will best preserve its gloss and sweetness.
👨🍳 Directions
Add 120g of medium anchovies to a pan and stir-fry over medium-low heat until completely dry and crispy, ensuring all moisture is removed.
Sift the roasted anchovies to remove any fine powder.
Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil into the pan, then add 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin (cooking wine), 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds, a small amount of minced green onion, 1-2 minced Cheongyang chili peppers (Cheongyang-gochu), and 0.5 tbsp minced garlic. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
Once the sauce simmers, add 2 tbsp jocheong (Korean grain syrup) and mix well.
Turn off the heat, add the anchovies, and quickly toss them with the residual heat.
Allow the stir-fried anchovies (myeolchi-bokkeum) to cool completely.
Once completely cooled, transfer the anchovies to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
💡 Tips
When stir-frying anchovies, use medium-low heat to thoroughly dry them and make them crispy.
After simmering the sauce, turn off the heat before adding the anchovies to prevent them from becoming hard or clumping together.
Adding jocheong (Korean grain syrup) provides sweetness and a glossy finish, and helps prevent the anchovies from sticking.
To maintain the crispiness of myeolchi-bokkeum, it must be stored only after it has cooled completely.
📦 Storage & Reuse
To maintain the crispiness of your finished myeolchi-bokkeum, it's crucial to let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator.
Storing it while still warm can create condensation, making it soggy.
When refrigerated, it can be enjoyed for about a week.
While freezing is possible, the texture may become slightly tougher upon thawing, so it's best to refrigerate and consume it quickly.
If you have leftover myeolchi-bokkeum, a great way to enjoy it is by wrapping it in gim (김, dried seaweed) with warm rice, or adding it as a filling to gyeran-mari (계란말이, rolled omelet) for a unique flavor.
🥢 Who This Is For
This crispy, sweet, and savory myeolchi-bokkeum is a fantastic side dish for the whole family to enjoy.
It's especially great for providing calcium to growing children.
For busy working mothers or those who often eat alone, it acts as a reliable 'rice thief' (bap-doduk), making any meal more satisfying.
While most delicious served over warm white rice, it's also a delightful addition to kimbap (김밥, Korean seaweed rice rolls) fillings or incorporated into rice balls.
It pairs wonderfully with a spicy kimchi jjigae (김치찌개, kimchi stew) or a savory doenjang jjigae (된장찌개, soybean paste stew).
🔥 Nutrition Info
Based on an estimated serving size of 30g for this myeolchi-bokkeum recipe, it is expected to provide approximately 100-150 calories.
Using 120g of medium anchovies as a reference, you would consume about 10-15g of protein, 5-8g of fat, and 8-12g of carbohydrates.
Anchovies are rich in calcium, which is excellent for bone health, and also contain vitamin D to aid calcium absorption.
They are also abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which can have positive effects on cardiovascular health.
Minced garlic and Cheongyang chili peppers (Cheongyang-gochu) provide nutrients that support immune system enhancement and antibacterial activity.
While jocheong (Korean grain syrup) has a higher mineral content than sugar, it is still a form of sugar, so please consume it in moderation.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!