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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!! 🕺

Myeolchi Bokkeum - Stir-fried Dried Anchovies

5 from 3 votes

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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.