Myeolchi Bokkeum. It's a classic Korean banchan - dried anchovies that are stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce glaze. This is the go-to banchan for many young mothers because its easy to make in bulk and keeps for a long time in the refrigerator. All you need is a fried egg on the side, maybe one other banchan and you got yourself a nice balanced meal. ☺️
When I was young, I wasn't a big fan of myeolchi bokkeum - mostly because it was made with anchovies. I knew it tasted good but my chopsticks never reached for it. But as I grew up, I started to appreciate the taste more. Especially when I tasted the banchan at restaurants that served it with sliced almonds and aromatics like garlic and chili peppers. So today, we're excited to share with your (upgraded) version - we think it's the best recipe out there!
Cooking tips:
- Make sure to toast your nuts before using them in this recipe - it brings out the natural flavors of the nuts
- Don't skip on the honey - we need the sweetness and its stickiness to make the anchovies clump together. Otherwise, very cumbersome to eat with chopsticks!
- The chili pepper and garlic are essential. They add aromatic notes to the entire dish
The recipe below will make a 2-person serving size. You can always multiple the ingredients by 2 or 3 to make a larger batch. Store any leftovers in a Tupperware and place in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
If you don't have a Korean mart nearby, you can also purchase great quality mini-anchovies from Gochujar.
Let us know how you like it! Perhaps we do a few more basic banchans (mit-banchan) in the near future 🙂🙃
Danyul out!! 🕺

Ingredients
- 1 cup of Dried Anchovy (small-sized)
- ¾ cup of Mixed Nuts
- 6-7 cloves of Garlic
- 1 whole Cheongyang Chili Pepper (or substitute with ½ Jalapeno Pepper)
- 1 stalk of Spring Onion (forearm length)
Sticky Soy Glaze
- ½ Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- ½ Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Mirim
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
Garnish
- ½ Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
- Measure 1 cup of small dried anchovies. Set it aside. Give a rough chop to the mixed nuts (¾ cup). Cut garlic (6-7 cloves) into bite-sized chunks. Then dice the chili pepper into small pieces. And dice the spring onion stalk into small chunks as well.
Cook Anchovies
- Place frying-pan on a medium-low heat. Do NOT place any oil into the frying pan. Once the pan is hot, placed the mixed nuts in. Stir it around in the pan for 1-2 minutes or until the nuts get slightly toasted. Set aside and wipe out the pan.
- Now raise the frying pan to a MEDIUM heat. Place in some vegetable oil (~2 Tablespoons). Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic pieces. Stir the garlic pieces until they get a slight browning. Then add in the dried anchovies. Stir the anchovy around with the garlic for 2-3 minutes.
- After 2-3 minutes, quickly add in Soy Sauce (½ Tablespoon), Sugar (½ Tablespoon) and Mirim (1 Tablespoon). Stir everything together well so that its evenly mixed. Then add the nuts, diced spring onion and chili pepper pieces. Stir everything together for another 1-2 minutes.
- After 1-2 minutes, finish by adding-in Honey (2 Tablespoons). Give it a final stir and mix everything evenly. This honey will turn the dish nice and sticky. Now turn off the heat and garnish with Sesame Seeds (½ Tablespoon).
- Serve with a bowl of hot rice. Save leftovers in Tupperware and place in the refrigerator. It should stay good for up to 2-3 weeks.
Nghiem says
I made this and it's awesome.