Korean Spicy Stir-Fried Anchovies
Quick answer
- Total time
- 15 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Spicy stir-fried anchovies (maeun myeolchi-bokkeum) toss medium-sized dried anchovies in a gochujang-gochugaru glaze, occupying the opposite end of the flavor spectrum from the sweet jiri-myeolchi version and targeting adult palates.
Read more
Medium anchovies are larger and thicker than the tiny variety, requiring individual head-and-gut removal to eliminate bitterness - a tedious prep step that nonetheless determines the dish's clean finish. After dry-toasting to drive off moisture, the anchovies simmer in a sauce of gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, oligosaccharide, and minced garlic until each piece is coated in a rust-colored glaze. The gochujang's fermented heat combines with gochugaru's vivid red to create both flavor depth and visual appeal. The larger anchovy size delivers a satisfying crunch that lingers alongside a lasting savory umami. Heat intensity is adjustable via gochugaru quantity - adding chopped cheongyang chili ratchets it up another notch. This banchan doubles as a soju drinking snack, appearing as frequently on bar tables as on dinner tables.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Remove the heads and guts from 100 g medium dried anchovies by hand.
Shake off large crumbs before cooking, since loose bits scorch quickly and can make the finished glaze taste bitter.
- 2Control
Heat a dry pan over medium heat, then toast the anchovies for about 3 minutes.
Stir often and remove them when the fishy smell fades and the surfaces feel lightly crisp, not browned.
- 3Heat
Wipe the pan, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil, and lower the heat.
Add 1 tablespoon gochujang and 1 teaspoon gochugaru, then stir for 1 minute until the paste loosens into red oil.
- 4Season
Stir in 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon corn syrup.
Once the sauce bubbles, keep the heat low so the sugars do not scorch or tighten before the anchovies are coated.
- 5Season
Return the toasted anchovies to the pan and toss for about 2 minutes.
Stop once each piece is coated in the red glossy sauce, because longer frying can make the glaze hard.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds over the anchovies.
Spread them out on a wide plate to cool briefly, which lets steam escape and keeps the texture crisp for serving.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Medium anchovies are tossed in a spicy gochujang glaze to create a savory adult banchan.
- Finish cue
- Stop once each piece is coated in the red glossy sauce, because longer frying can make the glaze hard.
- Avoid this
- Once the sauce bubbles, keep the heat low so the sugars do not scorch or tighten before the anchovies are coated.
- Substitution
- Honey instead of corn syrup gives a richer sweetness.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
15min, 7 ingredients
Category median
22min, 7 ingredients
Based on 261 recipes
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