Spicy Myeolchi Muchim (Seasoned Anchovies)
A 5-minute seasoned anchovy side dish made by microwaving large anchovies to remove fishiness and tossing them with a warm, spicy 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 simple dried anchovy side dish comes together in just 5 minutes using the microwave instead of the stove. Cleaned dried soup anchovies are microwaved to drive off moisture and unpleasant odors, then tossed with a warm sauce mixed with cooking oil and chili flakes for a savory, crisp texture just like pan-fried anchovies.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 1 plate
- Cook time
- 5 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Dried soup anchovies1 handful, 60 g
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Cooking oil2 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
- Take about 50 dried soup anchovies (dasi myeolchi), remove the heads and innards, and split them in half.
- If using medium anchovies, you can use a heaping cup.
- If you prefer it less sweet, cut the corn syrup or sugar in half.
Steps
These are dried soup anchovies (dasi myeolchi).
There are about 50 of them; remove the heads and innards, then split them in half lengthwise.
Once cleaned, the volume is about a handful.
If using medium anchovies, a heaping cup will do.
Spread the anchovies out on a wide plate and microwave for 1 minute...
If they are not crisp yet, microwave for about 30 seconds more.
Microwaving once like this drives off moisture, and running it once more adds crispness while eliminating unpleasant odors.
This does the same job as toasting them in an unoiled pan.
Just like being pan-roasted, they turn slightly golden compared to before microwaving.
They are lightly crisp and nutty when you bite into them.
Mix all the sauce ingredients together except for the toasted sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil (if you dislike sweetness, reduce the corn syrup or sugar by half).
Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for about 1 minute. (The sauce can bubble over, so use a generously sized bowl and do not microwave too long.
When making stir-fried anchovies, adding chili oil usually gives great flavor.
Mixing gochugaru and cooking oil into the sauce and microwaving it until it bubbles softens the sharp seasonings and creates a flavor just like pan-frying.
Place the anchovies and sauce into a bowl, add the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, and toss everything evenly to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- The sauce can boil over, so use a generously sized bowl and do not microwave it for too long.
- Mixing gochugaru and cooking oil into the sauce and microwaving it until it bubbles softens the strong seasonings and gives it a pan-fried flavor.
FAQ
Can I use a different size of anchovies instead of soup anchovies?
If cooking with medium anchovies, prepare about a heaping cup.
How can I reduce the sweetness?
If you prefer less sweetness, cut the amount of corn syrup or sugar in the sauce in half.
Is there anything to watch out for when heating the sauce in the microwave?
The sauce can boil over, so place it in a generously sized bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave it briefly for around 1 minute.
