Spicy Miyeok Julgi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Seaweed Stems)
A crunchy seaweed stem side dish stir-fried with Korean chili flakes for a spicy flavor with no fishy smell.
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 side dish is made by soaking salted seaweed stems to remove the excess salt, then stir-frying them with green onion oil and Korean chili flakes for a spicy kick. Mirin and tuna extract sauce eliminate any fishy aroma while enhancing umami, giving the seaweed stems a wonderfully crunchy texture. It is a fantastic spicy banchan to enjoy with rice or pack in lunch boxes.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Salted seaweed stems250 g (after cleaning)
- Onion1/4
- Carrot1/4
- White part of large green onion (daepa)a little
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Anchovy broth (or water)2–3 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Rinse several times in water and soak in water for about 30 minutes to draw out the remaining salt in the seaweed stems.
- Split any thick stem portions and remove any seaweed leaf pieces attached to the stems.
Steps
Prepare the seaweed stems
Salted seaweed stems have a lot of salt on them, and when you soak and lift them out of the water, you can see the settled salt like this.
Rinse several times in water, then soak in water to draw out the remaining salt in the seaweed stems.
Keep them soaked for about 30 minutes, chew a piece to check the saltiness, and once the salt has drawn out enough to taste mildly seasoned, drain the water.
Split any thick stem portions and remove any seaweed leaf pieces attached to the stems. (This recipe uses 250 g of seaweed stems prepped this way.)
Cut the ingredients
Cut the trimmed seaweed stems into bite-sized lengths, and julienne the onion and carrot to similar lengths.
Finely chop the large green onion.
Stir-fry
Heat 2 to 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a heated pan, add 1 tbsp minced garlic and the chopped green onion, and stir-fry briefly to release their aroma.
Add 1 tbsp gochugaru and the seaweed stems into the green onion oil...
Mix so the color of the gochugaru spreads evenly, then stir-fry with 2 tbsp mirin and 1 tbsp tuna extract sauce to remove any fishy smell and add savory seasoning.
Adjust the amount of seasoning depending on how much salt remains in the seaweed stems so it does not become too salty.
Once the seaweed stems seem tenderly stir-fried...
Add the carrot and onion and stir-fry until lightly cooked.
If it feels too dry, add 2 to 3 tbsp of anchovy broth or water to stir-fry it moistly.
Taste and adjust with salt if it is bland, then finish by tossing in toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
Stir-frying gochugaru and seaweed stems in chopped green onion and garlic oil gives it a spicy kick along with rich aroma and deep flavor.
A mild, clean stir-fried seaweed stem dish made without gochugaru is delicious too, but this makes a spicy, appealing side dish for rice.
Stir-fried seaweed stems are always a favorite.
Related post on the blog (Korean)blog.naver.com/ppunwife/223864645671
Ppunwife's tips
- Adjust the amount of seasoning depending on how much salt remains in the seaweed stems so it does not become too salty.
- If it feels too dry, add 2 to 3 tbsp of anchovy broth or water to stir-fry it moistly.
- Stir-frying gochugaru and seaweed stems in chopped green onion and garlic oil gives it a spicy kick along with rich aroma and deep flavor.
FAQ
How much salt should I remove from the seaweed stems?
Rinse them several times in water and soak them in cold water for about 30 minutes; taste a small piece by chewing it, and drain once it tastes mild.
Can I use soup soy sauce instead of tuna extract sauce?
It is completely fine to substitute soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) for tuna extract sauce.
What should I do if the seaweed stems feel dry while stir-frying?
When there is not enough moisture, adding 2 to 3 tbsp of anchovy broth or water allows you to stir-fry them soft and moist.
