Korean Seasoned Dried Pollock Strips

Quick answer

Total time: 13 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Hwangtaechae-muchim dresses shredded dried pollock strips in a no-cook gochujang sauce - sharing the same core ingredient as hwangtae-po jorim but taking a completely different approach.

While the braised version simmers the strips in liquid for a moist finish, this muchim keeps them closer to their original dry state, preserving a chewy, almost jerky-like bite. If the strips are too stiff, a light mist of water followed by a two-minute rest softens them just enough without losing that chew. The dressing combines gochujang, gochugaru, oligosaccharide syrup, and vinegar into a sweet-sour-spicy trio that earns this dish its bap-doduk (rice thief) reputation. A small addition of mayonnaise coats the surfaces with a thin fat layer, preventing the rough texture that dried fish can have. Start to finish, this banchan takes under fifteen minutes.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dried pollock strips120 gg

gochujang1½ tbsptbsp

gochugaru1 tsptsp

oligosaccharide syrup1½ tbsptbsp

vinegar1 tbsptbsp

minced garlic½ tsptsp

sesame oil1 tsptsp

sesame seeds1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Pick through 120 g dried pollock strips and remove any hard tips or coarse bones by hand.

Cut the strips into 4 to 5 cm lengths with kitchen scissors so they mix evenly and are easy to eat.
2

Step

If the strips are so stiff that they do not bend when pressed, mist them very lightly with water.

Rest for only 2 minutes, just until the surface softens while the chewy center remains intact.
3

Season

In a large bowl, stir together 1.5 tbsp gochujang, 1 tsp gochugaru, 1.5 tbsp oligosaccharide syrup, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 0.5 tsp minced garlic. Mix until the sauce looks glossy and no thick paste remains.
4

Season

Add the pollock strips to the sauce and loosen them first with chopsticks or tongs.

Then press and turn gently with your fingertips so the seasoning reaches between the fibers without crushing the strips.
5

Prep

Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil around the edge of the bowl and toss lightly.

Stop when the color is evenly red and the surface no longer looks dry, since overmixing can fray the pollock strips.
6

Finish

Sprinkle 1 tsp sesame seeds over the seasoned strips and rest for 10 to 30 minutes so the sauce settles.

If serving right away, toss once more just before placing it over rice or on a side dish plate.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Dried pollock softened two minutes with water, coated in gochujang sauce without heat to keep the snap.
Finish cue: Mix until the sauce looks glossy and no thick paste remains.
Avoid this: If the strips are so stiff that they do not bend when pressed, mist them very lightly with water.