Tot Muchim
Quick answer
- Total time
- 15 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Tot muchim combines 250 grams of fresh hijiki seaweed and 50 grams of thinly sliced onion with a gochujang and vinegar dressing.
Read more
Rinse the hijiki three or four times in cold water, gently loosening the fine strands to remove sand and debris. Blanch it in boiling water for 30 seconds, transfer it directly to cold water, and squeeze gently enough to keep the strands intact. Slice the onion thinly and keep it submerged for 5 minutes in cold water, then drain it thoroughly in a colander. For the dressing, stir together 1.5 tablespoons gochujang, 1.5 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil until the paste is smooth. Add the drained seaweed and onion, then use chopsticks to lift and fold from the bottom rather than pressing down. Finish with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Draining the hijiki and onion separately keeps their water from thinning the sauce, while the lifting motion distributes the dressing without breaking the slender strands.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Place 250 g of fresh hijiki in a bowl, rinse under cold running water three or four times, and rub the strands gently to remove any hidden sand or debris.
- 2Heat
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, add hijiki, and blanch for exactly 30 seconds.
Transfer immediately to cold water, then squeeze out moisture very gently so the thin strands stay intact.
- 3Prep
Slice 50 g of onion as thinly as possible and soak in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow its sharpness.
Drain thoroughly in a colander and pat dry so the onion does not water down the dressing.
- 4Season
Stir together 1.5 tablespoons each of gochujang and vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil until the paste fully dissolves into a smooth sauce.
- 5Season
Add the drained hijiki and onion to the sauce and fold using chopsticks with a gentle upward lifting motion until every strand glistens with dressing. Avoid pressing down, which snaps the delicate stems.
- 6Finish
Spoon onto a serving plate and scatter 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds evenly across the top.
Dress the hijiki just before eating to minimize pooling liquid and preserve its characteristic springy crunch.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- 250 grams of fresh hijiki rinsed three or four times to remove sand
- Finish cue
- Spoon onto a serving plate and scatter 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds evenly across the top.
- Avoid this
- Avoid pressing down, which snaps the delicate stems.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
15min, 8 ingredients
Category median
17min, 7 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
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