Yang Hee-kyung's Sea Squirt Bibim-jeot Rice Bowl: A Summer D
A summer delicacy made with 500g of Tongyeong peeled sea squirts (almengge), this recipe for sea squirt bibim-jeot and bibimbap creates a golden seasoning with minced garlic, ginger, gochugaru (고춧가루), maesil-cheong (매실청), myeolchi-aekjeot (멸치액젓), and lemon juice to enhance the fresh taste of the sea squirts. Served over rice with lettuce and an egg yolk, this dish is a perfect, nutritious meal that's truly a 'rice thief'.
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This is a recipe for Sea Squirt Bibimjeot (멍게 비빔젓), a summer delicacy made with Tongyeong sea squirt flesh. Fresh sea squirt is mixed with a 'golden' seasoning to create a 'rice thief' side dish that will make you crave more rice.
📝 Editor's Notes
Sea Squirt Bibimjeot (멍게 비빔젓), made quickly in under 20 minutes using Tongyeong sea squirt flesh, is an exceptional summer delicacy that stimulates the appetite.
The fresh aroma of sea squirt combined with the spicy and sweet seasoning creates a 'rice thief' side dish that will have you finishing a bowl of rice in no time.
It's especially refreshing to enjoy on hot days, and simply serving it over rice will help you regain any lost appetite.
We highly recommend this to seafood lovers looking for a unique flavor.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
Sea squirt is in season from May to August, and Tongyeong sea squirt, in particular, is renowned for its excellent aroma and taste.
When choosing good sea squirt, look for those with vibrant, elastic shells and a strong, distinctive aroma.
While cleaned sea squirt flesh (알멍게) is convenient, if you're selecting whole sea squirt yourself, it's important to choose fresh ones without damaged shells.
If Cheongyang chili pepper (청양고추) is too spicy for your preference, you can use regular chili peppers or kkari-gochu (꽈리고추, shishito peppers) instead.
For scallions (대파), choose ones with fresh roots and vibrant green leaves.
🔄 Substitution Guide
Instead of sea squirt flesh, finely chopped fresh sea cucumber or abalone can also be used for a unique delicacy.
Sea cucumber offers a chewy texture, while abalone provides a soft, rich flavor, both differing from sea squirt.
However, please note that sea cucumber and abalone may be more expensive than sea squirt.
If you don't have Maesil-cheong (매실청), you can substitute it with sugar or oligo syrup, though you won't get the unique aroma and digestive enzymes that Maesil-cheong (매실청) provides.
Instead of Myeolchi-aekjeot (멸치액젓), tuna sauce or guk-ganjang (국간장, Korean soup soy sauce) can be used, but the deep, savory umami flavor provided by Myeolchi-aekjeot (멸치액젓) might differ slightly.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most crucial point in this recipe is preparing the sea squirt.
The key is not to wash the flesh with water after removing it from the shell, as this can cause the sea squirt's unique aroma to disappear.
If you absolutely must wash it, rinse it lightly in saltwater.
The size you chop the sea squirt can be adjusted to your preference; if chopped too finely, the texture will be reduced, and if too large, the seasoning won't permeate well, so aim for an appropriate size.
Finally, when mixing the seasoning, do not knead too forcefully; gently mix to maintain the sea squirt's fresh texture.
👨🍳 Directions
Cut the sea squirt (flesh), removed from its shell, into bite-sized pieces and drain any excess moisture.
Mince the Cheongyang chili pepper (청양고추) and scallion (대파).
To the chopped and drained sea squirt, add 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ginger powder (or ginger syrup), gochugaru (고춧가루) (to taste), 1 tbsp Maesil-cheong (매실청), 1 tbsp Myeolchi-aekjeot (멸치액젓), and 1 tsp organic lemon juice.
Thoroughly mix the seasoning with the sea squirt, then add the minced Cheongyang chili pepper (청양고추) and scallion (대파) and mix well.
Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.
💡 Tips
When preparing sea squirt, do not wash the flesh with water after removing it from the shell, as this may cause its unique aroma to dissipate. If you absolutely must wash it, rinse it lightly in saltwater.
Cut the sea squirt into bite-sized pieces using scissors or a knife. The size can be adjusted according to your personal preference.
Making about 1 kg of Sea Squirt Bibimjeot (멍게 비빔젓) and freezing it allows you to enjoy it whenever you want. It's also delicious served over rice or dipped in wasabi soy sauce.
📦 Storage & Reuse
Sea Squirt Bibimjeot (멍게 비빔젓) is best enjoyed immediately after preparation for the freshest taste.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
For longer storage, portion it out and freeze it.
Making about 1 kg and freezing it is very convenient for enjoying it whenever needed.
When frozen, it is best consumed within about 1 month.
Before eating, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator or in lukewarm water.
After thawing, it's excellent mixed with rice or lightly dipped in wasabi soy sauce.
🥢 Who This Is For
Sea Squirt Bibimjeot (멍게 비빔젓) will be the best restorative when you've lost your appetite during summer.
Mixed heartily with warm rice, it's so delicious you won't need any other side dishes.
Serving it with a refreshing Miyeok-naengguk (미역냉국, cold seaweed soup) or Kongnamul-guk (콩나물국, soybean sprout soup) can make for an even richer meal.
It's also an excellent dish for entertaining guests, and any seafood lover will surely be satisfied.
It also makes a great simple accompaniment to drinks.
🔥 Nutrition Info
This Sea Squirt Bibimjeot (멍게 비빔젓) is estimated to contain approximately 150-200 kcal per serving.
It is expected to provide about 15-20g of protein, 5-10g of fat, and 10-15g of carbohydrates.
Sea squirt is a low-calorie, high-protein food rich in taurine, which is good for fatigue recovery, and plasmalogen, an antioxidant.
It is also abundant in B vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc, which can help boost immunity and prevent anemia.
The addition of Maesil-cheong (매실청) and lemon juice aids digestion and balances the flavors, making it an excellent dish nutritionally.
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