Dried Anchovies Recipe

Intense Dried Anchovies Recipe

This next dish that I want to share with you all, is a dried anchovy recipe. Wait, don’t click off yet. I promise you this recipe is worth it!

Anchovies are an acquired taste. You either love them, or you hate them, but before you decide to try something else, you should learn about Myulchi Bokkeum.

Myulchi Bokkeum is a fantastic Korean dish that uses the salty taste of anchovies and combines it with sweet, tantalizing flavors like honey, and the real kicker is the texture and deep flavor of the shishito peppers!

To some of you, that mixture of flavors might sound like a recipe for disaster, but this traditional Korean delicacy transcends how most western home cooks think about anchovies. 

Myulchi Bokkeum is just a side dish, so I suggest you make some for the table the next time you cook an Asian dish. Test the waters with this rich and healthy snack. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised. 

What Is Myulchi Bokkeum?

To give you an idea of what we are about to make, Myulchi Bokkeum is a stir-fried dried anchovies side dish that is so popular in Korea that you would find it on every restaurant’s menu.

Myulchi Bokkeum might be written as Mitbanchan or 멸치볶음, so watch out for this change in name whenever you head to a Korean restaurant.

This dried anchovies dish isn’t just popular in restaurants, but it is also a common side dish a Korean friend might give you if you were to eat at their home. This is because it lasts for a super long time, can go with most meals, and is easy to store.

In fact, this side is so great that some families will add it to their children’s lunch boxes!

Myulchi Bokkeum Recipe

This side dish can serve 8 people, but after you’ve had your first bite, you’ll have wished that you made more! Because Myulchi Bokkeum lasts for so long, I suggest that you make as much of it as you can. You’ll thank me later!

Ingredients:

  • Dried Anchovies – 70 g
  • Honey – 1 Tbsp
  • Ground Black Pepper – A Pinch
  • Dark Brown Sugar – 2 Tbsp
  • Vegetable Oil – 1 Tbsp
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds – ½ Tbsp
  • Garlic Clove – 1 – Minced
  • Rice Wine – 3 Tbsp
  • Shishito Peppers – 140 g
  • Soy Sauce – 3 Tbsp
  • Sesame Seed Oil – 1 Tbsp

Method:

  1. Wash the shishito peppers and cut off their ends.
  2. Wash the dried anchovies.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, add the soy sauce, black pepper, rice wine, toasted sesame seeds, dark brown sugar, sesame seed oil, honey, and minced garlic together and mix them well.
  4. Keep this sauce to one side.
  5. Put a Wok on a medium to high heat and dry fry the anchovies. 
  6. Cook for 2 minutes or until all the moisture has gone.
  7. Take the anchovies out and leave them to one side.
  8. Spread the vegetable oil around the wok.
  9. Once the oil is hot enough, add the shishito peppers and fry them for 2 minutes.
  10. Add in the anchovies, stir and continue to cook for another 2 minutes
  11. Slowly add in the sauce, which you had made earlier.
  12. Stir the wok and let the dish simmer for 3 minutes.
  13. Let the Myulchi Bokkeum cool.
  14. Serve and Enjoy!

After you’ve eaten this delicious side dish, you might be wondering if Anchovies are as healthy as most other fish? Well, I’ve done the research and can tell you that they are even more beneficial than the classic salmon or haddock you might generally shop for!

Health Benefits of Anchovies

Like most fish, Anchovies are super rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Despite the name, Omega-3 is actually an amazing acid that promotes the healthy working nature of both your heart and your brain. But unlike many fish, Anchovies also have selenium.

Selenium is a regulator. This means that if you eat anchovies often, the amount of selenium in your body can help reduce the risk of cancer. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a perfect excuse to add Myulchi Bokkeum as a side dish to every meal!

Let’s have a look at a more specific way in which Anchovies are good for you.

Reducing The Risk of a Stroke

Let’s look back at those Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids are known to reduce your levels of triglyceride. Triglyceride is the slow build up of plaque that can cover your arteries.

With your arteries covered in plaque, your blood pressure rises. High blood pressure means your heart has to work harder to pump your blood around your body. High blood pressure leads to blood clots, and blood clots lead to strokes.

Eating more omega-3 rich foods, like anchovies, means there is less triglyceride and less plaque. Keeping your blood pressure low and your heart healthy, so your likelihood of a stroke will be massively reduced.

Why are my Anchovies so Salty?

No matter if you use canned anchovies, brine anchovies, or dried anchovies, they are all caught, cleaned, and cured in the same manner. The process includes brine and tight tins, and it is done in this way to make sure the anchovies keep their flavor and stay fresh.

The downside to the brine preservative mixture is that the salt seeps into the anchovies. To get past this, all you need to do is wash the anchovies before you cook with them. This is the same if you are using canned, brined, or dried anchovies.  

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