Geonsaeu Maneuljjong Bokkeum (Stir Fried Garlic Scapes and Shrimp)
A garlic scape side dish simmered cleanly in a soy sauce seasoning with dried shrimp to bring out a savory flavor.
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 →
A savory side dish packed with umami, made by stir-frying crisp garlic scapes and nutty dried shrimp in soy sauce seasoning. Seasoning and stir-frying the garlic scapes with salt first before adding the sauce, and adding the dried shrimp later, keeps the flavors balanced. Simmered cleanly without excess moisture, it makes a great lunchbox side dish or a light snack with beer.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes200 g (after cleaning)
- Dried shrimp1/2 cup (20 g)
Seasoning
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oilas needed
- Toasted sesame seedsas needed
- Prepare 200g of trimmed garlic scapes cut into 3–4cm lengths, and 1/2 cup of small headless dried shrimp.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
I bought tender garlic scapes 2 weeks ago to stir-fry and kept them carefully saved.
Here are 200g of trimmed garlic scapes cut into 3–4cm lengths, and 1/2 cup of small headless dried shrimp.
Toast the dried shrimp until crisp
Stir-frying dried shrimp in a dry pan until crisp removes any stale odor and brings out its nutty flavor.
Transfer the toasted dried shrimp to another plate.
Stir-fry the garlic scapes
In an oiled pan, add the garlic scapes along with a little 1/2 tsp salt, and stir-fry lightly until the color turns vibrant.
Seasoning with salt and stir-frying first before adding the sauce keeps the final color neat and preserves the crisp texture since you do not need to simmer it for long.
Simmer in seasoning
Add 2 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) and 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), then stir-fry as if simmering until the seasoning permeates evenly.
Once the garlic scapes have absorbed all the seasoning...
Add 1/2 cup of the toasted dried shrimp and 2 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), mix well so everything becomes glossy, and turn off the heat.
Finish by adding toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds at the end.
Finished
Garlic scapes are often stir-fried with dried seafood (anchovies, dried shrimp).
In cases like this, you should season and stir-fry the garlic scapes first, then add the dried seafood just for the finishing sauce.
If you stir-fry them together, the naturally salty dried seafood absorbs the seasoning, leaving one side too salty and the other under-seasoned, throwing off the flavor balance.
When properly seasoned with salt and soy sauce as you stir-fry, it keeps its green color like this and has a great texture.
The flavor combination of tender yet crisp garlic scapes and nutty dried shrimp is so good.
With prices so high these days, it is a happy moment to generously fill two side dish containers for less than ten thousand won.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying dried shrimp in a dry pan until crisp removes any stale odor and brings out its nutty flavor.
- Seasoning with salt and stir-frying first before adding the sauce keeps the final color neat and preserves the crisp texture since you do not need to simmer it for long.
- When stir-frying garlic scapes with dried seafood, season and stir-fry the garlic scapes first, then add the dried seafood for the finishing touch to balance the flavor.
FAQ
Why do you stir-fry the dried shrimp in a dry pan first?
Toasting it beforehand in a dry pan removes its characteristic stale odor and enhances its nutty, savory aroma.
Is there a reason not to stir-fry the garlic scapes and dried shrimp together from the start?
If the naturally salty dried seafood absorbs the sauce first, it can turn overly salty while the garlic scapes remain under-seasoned. Simmering the garlic scapes first before adding the dried shrimp keeps the seasoning well balanced.
Why is salt added first when stir-frying the garlic scapes?
Stir-frying the scapes in an oiled pan with a base seasoning of salt helps maintain their bright green color and crisp texture.
Can brewed soy sauce be used instead of regular soy sauce?
You can substitute brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang) in the same amount.
