Myeolchi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Anchovies with Shishito Peppers)

Tiny dried anchovies toasted until crisp, then stir-fried with garlic and blistered shishito peppers in a sweet soy and honey glaze with a pinch of gochugaru. A classic banchan; serves 4 to 6.

Stir-fried anchovies with shishito peppers, garlic and sesame seeds in a white bowl
  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 12 min
  • Total 22 min
  • Yield 4 to 6 servings as a side

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Myeolchi bokkeum is a fixture of the Korean lunchbox and dinner table: crunchy little dried anchovies coated in a glossy, sweet and salty glaze. It sounds unusual, but the anchovies taste more toasty than fishy, a little like a savory caramel-coated snack.

Shishito peppers and sliced garlic make it a heartier side dish. It keeps for a week in the refrigerator and is served cold or at room temperature, so a batch goes a long way.

Ingredients

Anchovies and vegetables

  • 1 cup (about 2 ounces) small dried anchovies (jiri myeolchi)
  • 6 ounces shishito peppers, stems removed, large ones halved
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon honey

To finish

  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Toast the anchovies. Put the anchovies in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and crisp. Tip them into a fine strainer and shake to remove the dust and loose bits.
  2. Mix the glaze. Stir together the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, water and gochugaru. Keep the honey separate.
  3. Cook the garlic and peppers. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the shishito peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until they are bright green and lightly blistered.
  4. Glaze. Return the anchovies to the pan and pour in the glaze. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the liquid is almost gone and everything is glossy.
  5. Finish. Turn off the heat and stir in the honey, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Spread on a plate to cool so the anchovies stay separate and crisp.

Tips

  • Adding the honey off the heat keeps the anchovies crunchy; cooking it hardens the glaze into clumps.
  • Look for the smallest dried anchovies, about 1 inch long, sold in the refrigerated or freezer section of Korean markets.
  • Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Questions about this recipe

Do I need to clean the dried anchovies?
The small ones used here do not need cleaning. Larger anchovies, the kind used for soup stock, should have their heads and dark innards removed.
What can I use instead of shishito peppers?
Thinly sliced jalapenos with the seeds removed, or sliced green bell pepper for no heat at all.

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