Spicy Chewy Al Gamja Jorim (Braised Baby Potatoes)
A rice side dish of baby potatoes braised in their skins until chewy, with gochugaru added for a touch of heat.
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 →
Baby potatoes cooked in their skins to bring out a chewy texture. Fine gochugaru is added to the sweet and salty seasoning to give a subtle kick and a lovely color. Parboiling them briefly before braising and then sautéing in oil produces appetizingly wrinkled braised potatoes for your table.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Baby potatoes500 g
- Salt1 tsp
- Cooking oil1 tbsp
Seasoning
- Water2 cups
- Broth tablet1 tablet
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)3 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)4 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tsp
- Perilla oil (or toasted sesame oil)1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- Choose baby potatoes of similar size without too much variation.
- Rinse in water to remove dirt, then soak for about 10 minutes to loosen any stubborn soil.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
This is about 30 baby potatoes.
Choose ones that are similar in size without too much variation.
Wash the baby potatoes
Rinse in water to remove dirt, then soak for about 10 minutes to loosen any stubborn soil.
Roll them around with your hands so the dirt on the surface comes off, and rinse several times until the water runs clear.
Parboil
Add 1 tsp salt to rolling boiling water, add the baby potatoes, and blanch for about 3 minutes.
This is to remove the astringent taste from the skins, so you do not need to cook them all the way through.
Drain in a colander to remove the water.
Braise
Drizzle with 1 tbsp cooking oil, add the baby potatoes, and stir-fry so the surface cooks evenly.
Just stir-frying them will cook the skins and they will start to wrinkle slightly.
Add 2 cups water, 1 broth tablet, 3 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 4 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), and 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine).
Once it starts boiling vigorously, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and cook for about 15 minutes so the insides cook through.
Simmer while stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced by more than half.
Add 1 tsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) and braise uncovered, stirring so the color absorbs evenly.
Once gochugaru goes in, the liquid reduces faster and the bottom can scorch, so stir frequently.
The liquid at the bottom will become shallow, the potato surfaces will turn glossy, and they will begin to wrinkle all over.
Bite into one to taste; if it is bland or lacks sweetness, add a little more soy sauce, corn syrup, or water and braise further.
Now turn off the heat and finish by adding 1 tbsp perilla oil and the toasted sesame seeds.
Complete
I plated them right after braising.
As the heat cools, they will wrinkle even more.
Adding a bit of gochugaru to coat them red gave them such a pretty color.
The sweet and salty seasoning has a slight kick to it, which really stimulates the appetite.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you want to enjoy it spicier, you can add Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili) at the very end and braise together.
- This is to remove the astringent taste from the skins, so you do not need to cook them all the way through.
- Once gochugaru goes in, the liquid reduces faster and the bottom can scorch, so stir frequently.
- As the heat cools, they will wrinkle even more.
FAQ
Why do you blanch the baby potatoes in boiling water before braising?
This step removes the unique astringency of potato skins, so blanching for about 3 minutes without cooking them all the way through is plenty.
What should I do if I want a spicier flavor?
If you prefer more heat, it is great to add Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili) during the final braising step and braise them together.
Is there anything to keep in mind when braising after adding gochugaru?
Once gochugaru is added, the sauce reduces quickly and can easily scorch on the bottom of the pot, so stir frequently with a spatula while braising.
Can I use toasted sesame oil instead of perilla oil?
You can certainly substitute toasted sesame oil for perilla oil in the finishing step.
