Geonsaeu-bokkeum (Stir-Fried Dried Shrimp)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Wide 10-inch skillet
• •Small bowl for mixing the glaze
• •Wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Sift and taste

   Pour the dried shrimp into a fine-mesh sieve and shake over the sink or a bowl until the powder and tiny shell crumbs fall away. Pick out any dark bits. Taste one shrimp. If it is clean and lightly salty, do not rinse it; water steals the crispness. If it tastes harshly salty or dusty, rinse for 5 seconds under cold water, drain hard, and spread on a towel for 10 minutes before you cook.

   Use tiny dried shrimp for this banchan, not the larger soup shrimp. The small ones crisp quickly and coat evenly in a little glaze.
2. 2

   Mix the glaze

   In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice syrup, cooking wine, and water. Keep it beside the stove. This pan moves fast, and if you measure over heat you will either burn the garlic or drown the shrimp.

3. 3

   Toast the shrimp

   Set a wide dry skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes, or 1 minute longer if you rinsed them, until they smell nutty, sound lighter against the pan, and one snaps cleanly under your teeth. Pour them onto a plate. This dry toast drives off stale moisture and keeps the finished banchan crisp instead of leathery.

   Keep the heat at medium. High heat browns the outside before the inside dries, and then the shrimp taste scorched instead of clean.
4. 4

   Blister the peppers

   Add the neutral oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shishito peppers, if using, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until blistered in spots but still green. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds, just until fragrant. If you are making the plain version, warm the oil and garlic for only those 20 seconds before moving on. The peppers give bitterness and color; they are not there to fill the pan with water.

5. 5

   Glaze quickly

   Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the glaze and let it bubble for 15 to 20 seconds, just until the syrup loosens and the raw soy smell softens. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss for 45 to 60 seconds, until every piece shines and no sauce pools on the bottom. Stop there. Keep cooking and the syrup hardens, the sweetness takes over, and the shrimp turn tough.

   If the sauce disappears before the shrimp are coated, add 1 teaspoon water, not more syrup. Shine is enough. Sticky is too far.
6. 6

   Finish and cool

   Turn off the heat. Stir in the sesame oil and sesame seeds. Spread the banchan on a plate in a shallow layer and let it cool for 10 minutes before packing. Closing it hot makes condensation, and condensation steals the crispness you just worked for. Serve at room temperature with rice.

Chef Tips

• •Buy tiny dried shrimp that are dry, pale pink to beige, and clean-smelling. If they smell of ammonia or damp storage, send them back without drama and cook another banchan.
• •Taste before you add soy sauce. Dried shrimp saltiness changes from bag to bag. One tablespoon soy is right for a mild batch; 2 teaspoons is enough for a salty one.
• •Kkwari-gochu are best in summer through early autumn. If the peppers are tired, skip them; a plain shrimp bokkeum is better than a watery one with poor vegetables. Cook the month you're standing in.
• •Do not double this in a small pan. The shrimp need contact with dry heat first and quick coating later. If you want twice as much, toast and glaze in two batches.

Advance Preparation

• •The dried shrimp can be picked over and sifted several days ahead. Keep them airtight in a cool pantry until cooking.
• •The soy and rice-syrup glaze can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Stir before using, because the syrup settles.
• •Finished geonsaeu-bokkeum keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cool it fully before closing the lid, and use a clean spoon each time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 31g)