Sweet and Sour Golbaengi Muchim (Spicy Sea Snail Salad) with Noodles
A popular pub dish of sea snails and vegetables tossed in a sweet, spicy, and tangy aged dressing, served with thin wheat noodles.
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 one-plate dish features sea snails and a variety of vegetables tossed in a sweet and sour dressing, served alongside thin wheat noodles. Ginger syrup helps eliminate any fishy taste, and letting the sauce age beforehand brings out rich umami flavors. It makes a generous 3 to 4 servings, perfect as an accompaniment for drinks.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Sea snails (golbaengi)1 can, 400 g (large size)
- Cucumber1/2
- Carrot1/4
- Cabbage4 leaves
- Soybean sprouts50 g
- Thin wheat noodles (somyeon)100 g
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Vinegar3 tbsp
- Ginger syrup (saenggang-cheong)1 tbsp
- Juice or fruit juice3 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- You can use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge in small amounts; onion, perilla leaves, lettuce, or shredded scallions are all great additions.
- Instead of ginger syrup, you can substitute 1 tsp of ginger juice and 1 tbsp of corn syrup.
- Adding soaked dried shredded squid (jinmichae) or shredded dried pollack (hwangtaechae) to this sea snail salad is also delicious.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Drain the liquid from 1 large can of sea snails, and prepare small portions of whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
Onion, perilla leaves, lettuce, or shredded scallions are all great choices.
Cut the ingredients
Cut the sea snails into bite-sized pieces.
Blanch the soybean sprouts, rinse them in cold water, and drain well; thinly shred the rest of the vegetables.
Make the dressing
Combine all the dressing ingredients: 2 tbsp gochugaru, 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp corn syrup, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp ginger syrup, 3 tbsp juice or fruit juice, and a little ground black pepper, then mix well and let it age.
Because this salad uses bold seasonings, aging the sauce overnight gives the best flavor, but letting it sit for at least 2 to 3 hours blends the flavors nicely into a deeper, smoother, and richer taste.
I added ginger syrup to remove any fishiness from the sea snails, but you can substitute 1 tsp of ginger juice and 1 tbsp of corn syrup.
Boil the noodles
Cook the thin wheat noodles according to the package instructions.
Drop the noodles into rapidly boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds, then rinse thoroughly in cold water and drain in a strainer.
When boiling thicker medium wheat noodles (jungmyeon), splashing in cold water every so often balances the cooking time between the inside and outside of the noodles, making them chewier.
Toss with the dressing
Add the vegetables, sea snails, dressing, toasted sesame seeds, and toasted sesame oil, then toss gently.
The dressing flavor is strong because it is meant to be mixed with the noodles. Feel free to adjust the seasoning with extra vinegar or sugar to taste.
If you want to enjoy it without noodles, add only about 1/2 of the dressing first and add more as you mix.
Serve
It is also delicious to add soaked dried shredded squid or shredded dried pollack to the sea snail salad.
With plenty of vegetables, the portion is generous, and mixing in the noodles little by little as you eat will have the plate empty in no time.
Ppunwife's tips
- Because this dish uses bold seasonings, aging the sauce overnight makes it taste best, but resting it for at least 2 to 3 hours allows the flavors to meld together into a deeper, smoother, and more savory profile.
- When boiling thicker medium wheat noodles (jungmyeon), pouring in cold water occasionally equalizes the cooking rate between the core and the surface, resulting in chewier noodles.
- If enjoying without noodles, add only about 1/2 of the dressing at first, tasting and adding more gradually.
FAQ
How can I substitute ginger syrup if I do not have it?
You can replace it by mixing 1 tsp of ginger juice with 1 tbsp of corn syrup.
Do I need to age the dressing in advance?
Letting it age for at least 2 to 3 hours, or overnight, allows the sharp seasoning flavors to meld into a deeper, smoother taste.
What should I do if I am eating the salad without noodles?
The dressing is seasoned bold enough to mix with noodles, so if you are eating it alone, it is best to add only about half of the dressing first and adjust to taste.
Are there other ingredients that go well beyond the vegetables listed in the recipe?
Adding onion, perilla leaves, lettuce, or shredded scallions works wonderfully, as does mixing in soaked dried shredded squid or shredded dried pollack.
