Photo: Eugene Kim · CC BY 2.0
Myeolchi-bokkeum (Stir-fried Anchovies)
A classic Korean side dish of small dried anchovies tossed in a soy-and-syrup glaze. Dry-toast them first and add the syrup off the heat, and you get a savory-sweet banchan that stays crisp when cooled.
Ingredients
- Dried small anchovies · stir-fry type100 g
- Cooking oil1 tbsp
- Minced garlic0.5 tsp
- Green chili · optional, sliced1
- Sesame seeds1 tsp
- Nuts (almonds/walnuts) · optional2 tbsp
- Sauce
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Mirin1 tbsp
- Oligo syrup (or corn syrup)1.5 tbsp
- Sugar0.5 tbsp
- Sesame oil1 tsp
Steps
- ⏲ 2 min
Toast the anchovies in a dry pan over low heat 1–2 minutes to drive off moisture and any fishy smell (no oil). Sift out crumbs for a cleaner result.
- ⏲ 1 min
Set the anchovies aside; add oil and garlic to the pan and gently bloom over low heat.
- ⏲ 1 min
Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar and let it bubble briefly into a sauce (hold the syrup).
- ⏲ 2 min
Lower the heat, add the anchovies (and nuts), and toss quickly to coat evenly.
- ⏲ 1 min
Off the heat, stir in the syrup, sesame oil, and sesame seeds (adding off-heat keeps them from hardening). Add chili now too.
- ⏲ 1 min
Spread out to cool — they crisp up as they cool. Store in an airtight container as a side dish.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- With nuts: Add almonds or walnuts for crunch and richness.
- Spicy: Add gochujang or chili flakes for heat.
- Kkwari-gochu: Use larger anchovies with shishito peppers for a different texture.
- Soy-only: Cut the sugar for a savory, less-sweet version.
Tips
- Dry-toast the anchovies first to remove moisture and fishy smell — this is key.
- Add the syrup and sesame oil off the heat so they don't harden when cooled.
- Reduce the sauce briefly before adding the anchovies so it coats evenly.
- Spread out to cool so they don't clump and turn crisp.
- Work fast over low heat — long cooking burns them.
The basics behind this dish
- Blanching: Keeping Vegetables GreenBlanched vegetables go dull because of acid and heat. Why the pot should be large, why the lid stays off, and what the ice bath is really for.
- Salt: When You Add It Matters More Than How MuchThe same amount of salt either draws water out or seasons all the way through, depending on when it goes in. Osmosis, seasoning in layers, and why salt types are not interchangeable by volume.
- Knife Skills: Grip, Cuts, and Why Size MattersHow you hold the knife matters more than how fast you cut. The pinch grip, the claw hand, and why uniform size is a cooking decision rather than a cosmetic one.
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