Korean Anchovy & Shishito Braise

Quick answer

Total time: 22 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Myeolchi kkwari jorim is a Korean side dish of dry-toasted small anchovies and shishito peppers glazed in a sweet soy sauce with corn syrup and cooking wine.

Toasting the anchovies first drives off any fishy smell and brings out their nuttiness, while the peppers are stir-fried in oil to release a mild, lingering heat. The glaze coats everything in a shiny, sweet-salty finish, and sesame oil with sesame seeds add a final toasted aroma. This banchan tastes even better the next day after the sauce has fully settled in, making it one of the most reliable lunchbox staples in Korean home cooking.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

small dried anchovies90 gg

shishito peppers140 gg

soy sauce2 tbsptbsp

cooking wine1½ tbsptbsp

corn syrup1½ tbsptbsp

sugar1 tsptsp

neutral oil1 tbsptbsp

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

Step

Rinse 140 g shishito peppers, dry them well, and remove the stems.

Prick each pepper 1-2 times with a fork so steam can escape and the peppers do not burst while braising.
2

Control

Heat a dry pan over medium-low heat, add 90 g small dried anchovies, and toast for about 1 minute.

Stir constantly, then remove them as soon as they smell nutty so they do not turn hard.
3

Control

Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the same pan and stir-fry the peppers over medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Stop when the skins look glossy and lightly wrinkled, before the peppers collapse.
4

Control

Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons cooking wine, 1.5 tablespoons corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon sugar.

Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce bubbles around the edges.
5

Control

Return the toasted anchovies and toss quickly over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

When the glaze clings and looks shiny, stop reducing so the anchovies stay pleasantly crisp instead of tough.
6

Season

Turn off the heat, then mix in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.

Spread the braise out to cool before storing; the seasoning settles in better after cooling.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Myeolchi kkwari jorim coats dry-toasted anchovies and shishito peppers in a glossy soy glaze for a nutty, savory side dish.
Finish cue: Stop when the skins look glossy and lightly wrinkled, before the peppers collapse.
Avoid this: Add anchovies late; over-braising makes them tough.
Storage and reheating: It tastes better the next day as the sauce settles in after cooling.