Braised Dried Pollock (Hwangtae-po Jorim)

Cut 140 g of dried pollock strips into 5 cm pieces, mist all sides evenly with water, and leave them to rehydrate for exactly 3 minutes to keep the chewy bite.

Combine 2.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp gochujang, 1.5 tbsp oligosaccharide syrup, 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tsp minced garlic, and 80 ml water in a bowl, whisking until the gochujang fully dissolves.

Pour the sauce into a wide pan over medium heat and watch for small bubbles rising steadily from the edges, then hold the temperature at that point without turning up the flame.

Add all the pollock pieces at once and turn them frequently with chopsticks so the sauce coats every surface evenly; braise for 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid reduces by about half.

Once the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze that clings to each piece, pull off the heat and drizzle in 1 tsp sesame oil, then scatter 1 tsp sesame seeds over the top.

Cool just until the steam stops, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Serve chilled or after briefly taking the chill off. Refrigerate within 2 hours, keep at 4°C or below, and eat within 3 to 4 days.