Kkwarigochu Myeolchi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Anchovies and Shishito Peppers)

Ingredients

• Shake them in a sieve to remove any loose flakes.
• Instead of medium dried anchovies, you can use soup broth anchovies with the heads and innards removed.

Steps

1. Prepare the ingredients

   

   Here are the shishito peppers, with stems removed, washed, and dried thoroughly.

   The dried anchovies are 2 cups, sized somewhere between medium and small.

   The weight varies depending on the size of the anchovies, so check the weight, then place them in a sieve and shake to remove any loose flakes.

   Instead of medium dried anchovies, you can use soup broth anchovies with the heads and innards removed.

2. Cut the ingredients

   

   Since the anchovies are small, cut the shishito peppers so the size difference is not too large.

   Cut large peppers into 3 pieces and small ones into 2 pieces.

3. Stir-fry the anchovies in garlic oil

   

   

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   Pour about 3 tbsp of cooking oil generously into a pan, add 1 tbsp of minced garlic, and once the garlic aroma rises, add the anchovies and stir-fry thoroughly over medium-low heat.

   

   Stir-frying the anchovies until crisp in garlic oil this way removes the fishiness and brings out a nutty aroma.

   My anchovies were not salty, so I omitted sugar.

   Taste your anchovies first, and if they seem salty, add 1/2 to 1 tbsp of sugar as you stir-fry to neutralize the saltiness.

   Transfer the anchovies to a plate.

4. Simmer the shishito peppers in seasoning

   

   

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   In the pan, add 3 tbsp of regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 2 tbsp of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 2 tbsp of mirin (cooking rice wine), 2 tbsp of corn syrup (mulyeot), and 3 tbsp of water, and once it bubbles vigorously, add the shishito peppers.

   

   Stir-fry thoroughly until the seasoning coats the shishito peppers evenly and they become tender.

   Adjust the simmering time depending on your preferred pepper texture.

   If you want to braise them until completely wilted and tender, add more water so they do not burn...

   Because the anchovies added later will also absorb some moisture, it is best not to reduce the sauce down completely.

5. Add the anchovies and toss

   

   

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   Add the stir-fried anchovies and mix evenly, then pick up an anchovy and a shishito pepper together to taste, adjusting any lacking sweetness with corn syrup or seasoning with soy sauce.

   

   

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   Turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds, mix together, and finish.

6. Complete

   

   Kkwarigochu myeolchi bokkeum is truly a side dish for grown-ups.

   Because gochugaru was used instead of gochujang for a clean kick, it serves wonderfully as a rice-stealer and even as a drinking snack...

   

   When stir-frying the shishito peppers, adding water as you cook allows the peppers to soften thoroughly and results in this deliciously moist stir-fried anchovy dish.

   

   

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   Cutting the shishito peppers to match the size of the anchovies makes them easy to pick up together, too.

   Shishito peppers pair best with stir-fried anchovies; keep a batch stocked as a side dish, and you will be hooked on it at mealtime for quite a while.

Ppunwife's tips

• Stir-frying the anchovies until crisp in garlic oil this way removes the fishiness and brings out a nutty aroma.
• Because the anchovies added later will also absorb some moisture, it is best not to reduce the sauce down completely.
• When stir-frying the shishito peppers, adding water as you cook allows the peppers to soften thoroughly and results in this deliciously moist stir-fried anchovy dish.

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