Korean Oyster Water Parsley Stir-fry
Quick answer
Gul-minari-bokkeum is a quick stir-fry of plump raw oysters and fragrant water parsley (minari) seasoned with gochugaru and light soy sauce over high heat.
What makes this special
- Winter oysters are flash-cooked with water parsley to preserve their briny, oceanic essence.
- Peak-season winter oysters cooked under 90 seconds to seal in brine
- Briny umami of oyster set against the fresh herbal lift of water parsley
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Rinse 250 g shucked oysters gently in salted water, moving them with your fingertips so they do not break.
- 2 Trim any tough ends from 120 g water parsley, then cut it into 5 cm pieces.
- 3 Heat a pan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
Gul-minari-bokkeum is a quick stir-fry of plump raw oysters and fragrant water parsley (minari) seasoned with gochugaru and light soy sauce over high heat. The oysters cook only until they just firm around the edges, retaining their briny interior juices while contracting slightly, and the minari stays crisp with its herbal freshness intact. The salty, sweet umami of the oysters meets the clean grassy quality of the minari, and the two flavors balance without either overpowering the other. Winter is the prime season for this dish, when cold-water oysters reach peak plumpness and flavor. Cooking the oysters too long drives out their moisture and makes them rubbery, so the stir-fry must stay brief.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Rinse 250 g shucked oysters gently in salted water, moving them with your fingertips so they do not break.
Drain them in a sieve for about 10 minutes to reduce excess liquid during stir-frying.
- 2Prep
Trim any tough ends from 120 g water parsley, then cut it into 5 cm pieces.
Slice 80 g onion thinly and cut 40 g green onion on a bias so it releases aroma quickly in the pan.
- 3Control
Heat a pan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and the green onion, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, lowering the heat if the garlic starts browning.
- 4Heat
Add the onion and stir-fry for about 1 minute, just until the edges turn slightly translucent.
Raise the heat to high, spread in the oysters, and cook only 1 minute 30 seconds so they stay plump.
- 5Season
Add 1 tablespoon gochugaru and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then toss quickly so the seasoning coats the oysters without sticking to the pan. Add the water parsley and turn it for only 40 seconds, just until slightly wilted.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat when the oyster edges curl slightly but the centers still look plump.
Drizzle with 1 teaspoon sesame oil, toss lightly to avoid breaking the oysters, and serve immediately while hot.
After the steps
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