Sweet and Spicy Myeolchi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Anchovies)
A side dish of tiny dried anchovies stir-fried over gentle heat and tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang 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 stir-fried side dish sifts tiny dried anchovies through a strainer to remove dust and crumbs, then roasts them gently over low heat for a crisp, clean finish. Quickly tossed in a bubbling gochujang sauce, it makes a wonderfully spicy and appetizing everyday banchan.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Tiny dried anchovies1 cup (50 g)
Seasoning
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1/2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1/2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Toasted sesame oil
- Pick out any stray debris and shake the anchovies in a fine strainer to sift out fine crumbs.
- Chew on a piece of anchovy first; depending on how salty it is, adjust the gochujang between 1/2 tbsp and 1 tbsp.
- For extra heat, add about 1 tbsp of chili oil with the sauce ingredients. If you want to include nuts like peanuts or walnuts, add them at this stage.
Steps
1. Prepare 1 cup of tiny dried anchovies.
These are very small dried anchovies, often called jiri-myeolchi.
2. Pick out any stray debris and shake them in a fine strainer to sift out fine crumbs.
This keeps your stir-fry neat and clean.
3. Heat a little oil in a heated pan and stir-fry the anchovies.
Do not use high heat; roast them gently over low heat until crisp.
Stir-frying thoroughly like this gets rid of the fishy smell and keeps the anchovies from clumping once sauced.
Transfer the stir-fried anchovies to a plate.
4. In the same pan, add all sauce ingredients except the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, let it bubble briefly, then add the anchovies and toss quickly.
My anchovies tasted quite mild on their own, so I used 1 tbsp of gochujang;
the recipe above gives the amount based on typical store-bought anchovies that already have a bit of saltiness.
Chew on a piece of anchovy first; depending on how salty it is, adjust the gochujang between 1/2 tbsp and 1 tbsp.
For extra heat, add about 1 tbsp of chili oil with the sauce ingredients;
if you want to include nuts like peanuts or walnuts, add them at this stage.
5. Once the anchovies are well coated with sauce, turn off the heat...
6. Finish by adding the toasted sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil, then tossing evenly.
Ppunwife's tips
- Do not cook over high heat; stir-fry gently over low heat until the anchovies become crisp. Stir-frying well like this removes the fishy smell and keeps them from sticking together in clumps.
- Pick out any debris and shake the anchovies in a fine strainer to sift away crumbs. This ensures a clean, neat stir-fry.
FAQ
How do I get rid of the fishy odor and keep the anchovies from turning soggy?
Stir-fry them in an oiled pan over gentle heat rather than high heat until crisp. This drives off any fishy odor and keeps the anchovies from sticking together in clumps.
How should I adjust the amount of gochujang depending on the saltiness of the anchovies?
Taste an anchovy first. If it tastes mild, increase the gochujang up to 1 tbsp; if it is noticeably salty, reduce it to about 1/2 tbsp.
How can I make it spicier or add nuts?
Add 1 tbsp of chili oil when simmering the sauce for extra heat. If adding nuts like peanuts or walnuts, toss them in along with the anchovies once the sauce begins to bubble.
