Kkomak Jjim (Steamed Cockles)
A winter delicacy side dish made by purging and boiling cockles until tender, then topping them with a spicy, savory seasoning sauce.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This side dish highlights in-season blood cockles by boiling them just right to keep them tender and clean-tasting. A splash of the boiling water is mixed into the sauce for extra umami, complemented with spicy heat from Cheongyang chili pepper and gochugaru. The key to keeping them tender is scooping them out as soon as one or two cockles open.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Blood cockles1 kg
- Salt
Seasoning
- Scallions (jjokpa) (or large green onion (daepa))2 tbsp (minced)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1 (minced)
- Red chili pepper1 (minced)
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)3 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Water from boiling cockles2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil0.5 tsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Submerge the cockles in light salt water, cover them to keep them in the dark, and let them purge in a cool spot for 3-4 hours.
- Make the salt water by dissolving 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt into 5 cups of water; place it on the veranda in winter or in the refrigerator in summer. Wearing rubber gloves, scrub them vigorously and rinse until the water runs clear.
Steps
1. This is 1 kg of blood cockles, which is more than 1 pack.
Living in mudflats, cockles are quite dirty, so you need to purge the grit out in light salt water.
Recreating an environment similar to the sea will prompt them to open and close their shells to spit out mud and sand.
First, prepare the salt water by dissolving 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt in 5 cups of water, then add the cockles once the salt dissolves.
Use enough salt water to submerge the cockles. Cover with a plate or newspaper to keep it dark, then let it sit in a cool place for 3-4 hours.
In winter like these days, you can leave it on the veranda, and in summer, keep it in the refrigerator.
By creating an environment like the sea, it will even keep well for around two days.
2. Put on rubber gloves, scrub the cockles vigorously, rinse with water, then scrub again and rinse.
Repeat this until the water runs clear.
3. Add enough water to a pot to submerge the cockles, add a little salt, and bring to a boil.
When the water begins to boil and one or two cockles open their shells, stir them around briefly and let them cook just a bit before scooping them out of the water.
Boiling them too long makes the flesh tough and ruins the flavor. Even if not all the shells have opened, they are already fully cooked, so go ahead and take them out.
Set aside about a cup of the boiling liquid.
4. For cockles that have not opened, place a spoon into the groove at the back hinge and twist to pop them open easily.
5. Remove one half of each boiled cockle's shell.
If there are any stray bits of dirt on the clam meat, rinse them off under running water.
6. Finely mince the scallions (or large green onion), and remove the seeds from the chili peppers before mincing them finely.
7. This is the reserved boiling liquid from the cockles; just ladle out the clear top layer and add it to the sauce.
8. Add all the measured ingredients and seasonings together and mix well.
Arrange the cockles on a plate and spoon a little sauce over each one.
It takes some effort, but making them like this feels so rewarding.
Ppunwife's tips
- Boiling them too long makes the meat tough and ruins the flavor. Even if they haven't all opened, they are already cooked, so scoop them out.
- For cockles that do not open, insert the tip of a spoon into the groove at the back hinge and twist to pry them open easily.
FAQ
How do I boil cockles so they do not become tough?
Once the water boils and one or two cockles begin to open, stir them gently and take them out right away. Boiling them too long waiting for every single one to open will make the meat rubbery and diminish the flavor.
How do you open boiled cockles that did not open on their own?
Place the tip of a spoon into the groove on the back hinge of the shell and twist; it will pop open easily.
What is the right salt water ratio and purging time?
Dissolve 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt into 5 cups of water, pour it over the cockles so they are submerged, cover them to keep it dark, and leave them in a cool spot for 3 to 4 hours.
Why do you add the cockle boiling liquid to the seasoning sauce? AI-generated
Using the clear top layer of the boiling water adds rich umami and helps achieve the right consistency for the sauce.
