Chef Jeong Ho-young’s Super Simple Soy-Marinated Shrimp (Ganjang Saeu-Jang)
Make Chef Jeong Ho-young’s Soy-Marinated Shrimp at Home – Ultimate Flavor, Incredibly Easy!
Discover Chef Jeong Ho-young’s incredibly simple and delicious recipe for Soy-Marinated Shrimp (Ganjang Saeu-Jang). Using minimal ingredients and straightforward steps, this recipe yields an explosion of flavor that will impress everyone. Perfect for everyday meals or special occasions, this dish is a true ‘rice thief’! Let’s create this culinary delight together.
Shrimp Marinade Ingredients- Fresh raw shrimp
- 1/2 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Korean green chili peppers (Cheongyang peppers)
Soy Marinade Sauce Ingredients- 200cc water
- 150cc soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 50g sugar
- 50cc cooking wine (cheongju)
- 50cc mirin (mat-sul)
- 200cc water
- 150cc soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 50g sugar
- 50cc cooking wine (cheongju)
- 50cc mirin (mat-sul)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by selecting fresh, plump raw shrimp. The quality of your shrimp is crucial for the final taste of the marinated shrimp.
Step 2
Start by trimming the shrimp’s whiskers for a neat presentation.
Step 3
Carefully devein the shrimp by inserting a skewer into the second or third segment from the head on the back. Gently pull out the dark digestive tract. Removing this ensures a cleaner, less bitter taste. You can choose to remove the heads and shells entirely for easier eating, or leave them on for a more visually appealing presentation when serving. For family meals, peeling is convenient, while for guests, leaving the shells on can be more elegant.
Step 4
To remove any fishy odor, rinse the cleaned shrimp with a little salt. Instead of rubbing directly (which can be hazardous due to sharp shells), place the shrimp in a bowl and gently shake it to wash them thoroughly.
Step 5
Continue shaking the bowl to ensure the salt is evenly distributed, then rinse the shrimp multiple times under cold running water until clean.
Step 6
Drain the washed shrimp well in a sieve, allowing excess water to drip away. While the shrimp are draining, prepare the soy marinade sauce.
Step 7
In a pot, combine 200cc of water and 150cc of soy sauce.
Step 8
Add 50g of sugar, 50cc of cooking wine (cheongju), and 50cc of mirin (mat-sul). Stir the mixture while heating it gently until the sugar is fully dissolved. You only need to bring it to a brief boil; the goal is to dissolve the sugar and allow the alcohol from the wines to evaporate, enhancing the flavor and sweetness.
Step 9
It’s important to cool the soy sauce mixture quickly. Ideally, immerse the pot in an ice bath. If an ice bath isn’t available, simply cooling it in cold water works effectively, especially with this quantity. I found it cooled down quite rapidly in plain cold water.
Step 10
While the sauce is cooling, prepare the aromatics. Thinly slice half an onion. Cut the garlic cloves into thirds. Slice the Korean green chili peppers diagonally. (Optional tip: Add some sliced red chili peppers for a vibrant splash of color.)
Step 11
Add the prepared vegetables to the soy sauce mixture when it’s still slightly warm, not piping hot. This allows the flavors of the garlic, onion, and chilies to infuse into the sauce beautifully. Adding them when the sauce is too hot will cook the vegetables, altering their texture and flavor. Aim for a lukewarm temperature for optimal infusion.
Step 12
Arrange the drained shrimp neatly in a serving container.
Step 13
Once the soy sauce mixture has cooled completely, pour it over the shrimp in the container. Chef Jeong Ho-young’s recipe is balanced and not overly sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter taste, feel free to add a little more sugar when making the sauce.
Step 14
Ensure the shrimp are fully submerged in the soy sauce for even marination. Cover the container and refrigerate. During cold winter months, you can even store it on a balcony. The shrimp will be ready to enjoy after about 6 hours, but for best results, I marinated mine overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 15
Transfer the marinated shrimp to a serving dish, and drizzle a little of the soy marinade sauce over them.
Step 16
Look at the plump, succulent shrimp meat! The soy sauce has beautifully penetrated, creating an incredibly appetizing visual.
Step 17
The Korean green chilies add a subtle spicy kick, complementing the sweet and savory notes of the soy sauce perfectly. The shrimp are delicious on their own without rice, but paired with warm rice, they are an absolute delight – a true ‘rice thief’!
Step 18
This is hands-down one of the simplest and most delicious soy-marinated shrimp recipes available. Thanks to Chef Jeong Ho-young, creating such a fantastic dish with readily available ingredients is a joy!
