Korean Braised Anchovy Side Dish
Quick answer
- Total time
- 23 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Myeolchi-jorim simmers tiny dried anchovies in soy sauce, rice syrup, and garlic into a moist, glazed banchan that contrasts fundamentally with stir-fried anchovy preparations.
Read more
Where bokkeum chases crispness by cooking over high heat with minimal liquid, jorim pursues the opposite - anchovies braise in a seasoned liquid on low heat until they absorb it from the inside out, becoming pliant and saturated with sweet-salty flavor all the way through their flesh. A one-minute dry toast in a bare pan removes any residual fishiness before soy sauce, syrup, minced garlic, and water go in together, simmering uncovered for ten minutes while the liquid steadily reduces. As the sauce thickens, a sticky dark glaze wraps around each anchovy; biting one releases a rush of seasoned juice from within rather than the crunch of a dehydrated fish. Sesame seeds and sesame oil stirred in off heat add a final layer of warmth and nuttiness. Once fully cooled, the reduced sauce thickens further into an almost jelly-like coating that holds the anchovies together in a satisfying cluster. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, myeolchi-jorim keeps well for over a week and the flavor continues to deepen as the anchovies sit in the congealed glaze.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Shake 120 g small dried anchovies lightly in a sieve to remove large crumbs, but do not rinse them.
Slice 1 green chili on the diagonal and keep it ready so it can go in near the end without overcooking.
- 2Control
Heat a dry pan over medium heat, add the anchovies, and stir constantly for 1 minute.
Stop once the sharp fishy smell fades and a light toasted aroma appears, before the anchovies darken or turn brittle.
- 3Control
In a pot, combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 150 ml water, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp cooking wine, and 1 tsp minced garlic.
Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves fully.
- 4Control
When the sauce boils, add the toasted anchovies and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes so steam can escape, then fold gently from the bottom as the anchovies darken and soften.
- 5Control
Keep simmering until only 1 to 2 tbsp liquid remains and a glossy syrup coats the anchovies.
If the pan looks nearly dry, lower the heat further immediately so the glaze thickens without making the anchovies tough.
- 6Prep
Add the sliced green chili and 1 tsp sesame oil, then stir gently for just 1 minute and turn off the heat.
Transfer the anchovies out of the hot pan, because the glaze thickens more as it cools.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Dried anchovies are simmered in a soy-garlic sauce to produce a moist, glazed side dish.
- Finish cue
- Keep simmering until only 1 to 2 tbsp liquid remains and a glossy syrup coats the anchovies.
- Avoid this
- Over-braising can make anchovies tough.
- Storage and reheating
- Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, myeolchi-jorim keeps well for over a week and the flavor continues to deepen as the anchovies sit in the congealed glaze.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
23min, 8 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 183 recipes
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