Kkoari Gochu Myeolchi Bokkeum (Stir Fried Anchovies with Peppers)
A summer banchan of dried anchovies and shishito peppers stir-fried in chili oil for a spicy, sweet, and savory balance.
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 →
The dried anchovies are toasted first in a dry pan to remove any fishy smell and add crispness, then simmered together with shishito peppers. Stir-frying in chili oil gives a subtle kick of heat, creating a savory and sweet side dish that really whets the appetite.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Medium dried anchovies1 cup
- Shishito peppers (kkwari-gochu)20
- Chili oil (or 3 tbsp cooking oil)3 tbsp
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))3 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- Use medium dried anchovies with only the heads removed.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
You need 1 cup of medium dried anchovies with only the heads removed, and about 20 shishito peppers. The ingredients are very simple.
Prepare the ingredients
Pierce the shishito peppers with a fork to make holes. Cut large ones in half.
This helps the sauce absorb all the way inside.
Add the anchovies to a dry pan and stir-fry until golden and crispy.
This brings out their savory, nutty flavor and eliminates any off-smells.
Lots of crumbs will come off, so sift them through a strainer.
Stir-fry
Add 3 tbsp of chili oil to the pan and stir-fry 1/2 tbsp of minced garlic until fragrant.
Instead of chili oil, you can swirl in cooking oil and fry the minced garlic with 1 tbsp of gochugaru to make chili oil.
If you want a mild version, simply swirl in cooking oil and stir-fry the garlic alone.
Add the shishito peppers and stir-fry so they are evenly coated in the oil.
Add 3 tbsp of regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp of mirin, and 1/2 tbsp of sugar from the seasoning ingredients, then let it bubble briskly so the sauce absorbs and the shishito peppers soften.
Add the anchovies and 2 tbsp of corn syrup, stir-fry until glossy while reducing the liquid down completely, and finish by adding 1/2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
With the fragrance and pleasant heat of shishito peppers paired with the sweet and salty anchovies, this is a side dish that goes wonderfully with rice.
This amount was supposed to last for two meals, but it was so delicious that I finished it all in one sitting.
Try making this appetizing stir-fried anchovies and shishito peppers to revive your appetite in the hot summer.
Ppunwife's tips
- Pierce the shishito peppers with a fork to make holes or cut large ones in half so the sauce absorbs thoroughly inside.
- Toasting the anchovies first in a dry pan brings out their savory flavor and removes off-smells; sift them through a strainer after toasting to get rid of crumbs.
- Instead of chili oil, you can heat cooking oil and stir-fry minced garlic with 1 tbsp of gochugaru to make chili oil, or simply use cooking oil with garlic for a non-spicy version.
FAQ
Why do you poke holes in the shishito peppers?
Poking holes with a fork or cutting large peppers in half allows the seasoning to penetrate evenly all the way into the inside.
How can I substitute if I do not have chili oil?
You can stir-fry minced garlic and 1 tbsp of gochugaru in cooking oil to make your own chili oil, or for a mild version, simply stir-fry the garlic in cooking oil.
Is there a reason to toast the anchovies first without oil?
Toasting the anchovies first in a dry pan until crispy removes their characteristic fishy smell and brings out their nutty, savory flavor even more.
