Addictive Soy-Braised Eggs (Mayak Gyeran)
Back-to-School Prep: Our Family’s Week of Essential Side Dishes
Summer vacation is over and school is about to start! I thought it would be great to prepare some side dishes in advance, so I whipped up a week’s worth of banchan using ingredients I had in the fridge. Perfect for busy mornings!
Napa Cabbage Kimchi (Fresh Style)- 1/2 head Napa cabbage
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Anchovy sauce (Myeolchi Aekjeot)
- Sanzae pepper powder (optional)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- A pinch of sesame oil
Stir-fried Cucumbers- 1 cucumber
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Seasoned Dried Seaweed (Gim Muchim)- 8 sheets Gim (dried seaweed)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Spicy Stir-fried Anchovies and Pumpkin Seeds- 100g dried anchovies
- 30g pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- 1/2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Oligodang (corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
The Ultimate Side Dish: Addictive Soy-Braised Eggs- 10 eggs
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 1/4 medium onion
- 2 red chili peppers
- 2/3 cup soy sauce (130ml)
- 2/3 cup water (130ml)
- 2/3 cup Oligodang (corn syrup) (130ml)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 cucumber
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Seasoned Dried Seaweed (Gim Muchim)- 8 sheets Gim (dried seaweed)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Spicy Stir-fried Anchovies and Pumpkin Seeds- 100g dried anchovies
- 30g pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- 1/2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Oligodang (corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
The Ultimate Side Dish: Addictive Soy-Braised Eggs- 10 eggs
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 1/4 medium onion
- 2 red chili peppers
- 2/3 cup soy sauce (130ml)
- 2/3 cup water (130ml)
- 2/3 cup Oligodang (corn syrup) (130ml)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 100g dried anchovies
- 30g pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup water (100ml)
- 1/2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Oligodang (corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
The Ultimate Side Dish: Addictive Soy-Braised Eggs- 10 eggs
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 1/4 medium onion
- 2 red chili peppers
- 2/3 cup soy sauce (130ml)
- 2/3 cup water (130ml)
- 2/3 cup Oligodang (corn syrup) (130ml)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. [Napa Cabbage Kimchi] Prepare the Napa cabbage, blanch it in boiling water briefly, then rinse with cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Mix Gochugaru, anchovy sauce, minced garlic, Sanzae pepper powder (if using), sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Gently toss to combine for a fresh and flavorful kimchi.
Step 2
2. [Stir-fried Cucumbers] Slice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with 1/2 Tbsp salt. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Squeeze out the water thoroughly (twice if needed). Heat cooking oil and minced garlic in a pan, then stir-fry the cucumbers. Season lightly with salt and finish with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil for a nutty aroma.
Step 3
3. [Seasoned Dried Seaweed] If your Gim (dried seaweed) is a bit soft, cut it into pieces and microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds until crisp. In a bowl, combine finely chopped green onion, red chili pepper, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and sesame oil to make the seasoning sauce. Crumble the crispy Gim and toss gently with the sauce. This is a great way to revive stale Gim!
Step 4
4. [Spicy Stir-fried Anchovies and Pumpkin Seeds] Toast the dried anchovies in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant to remove any fishy smell. In a separate bowl, mix water, Gochujang, Oligodang, and minced garlic to create the sauce. Add the toasted anchovies to the sauce and simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens and coats the anchovies. Stir in the pumpkin seeds quickly, then finish with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil for a delicious sweet and savory crunch.
Step 5
5. [Addictive Soy-Braised Eggs] Remove eggs from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for a bit to prevent cracking. In a pot, combine 2/3 cup water, 1 Tbsp salt, and 2 Tbsp vinegar. Bring to a boil, then carefully add the eggs. Cook for 6 minutes for soft-boiled (runny yolk) or 12 minutes for hard-boiled (fully set yolk). Immediately transfer the boiled eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking. While still warm, peel the eggs; they should come off easily. (Tip: Adding vinegar and salt to the boiling water helps the shells peel more smoothly and prevents them from breaking.)
Step 6
6. Finely chop the green onion and red chili peppers. Dice the onion into small cubes. In a bowl, combine 2/3 cup soy sauce, 2/3 cup water, and 2/3 cup Oligodang to make the braising liquid for the eggs.
Step 7
7. Place the peeled boiled eggs into the prepared braising liquid. For immediate serving, cut the eggs in half, arrange them on a plate, and spoon the sauce over them. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight to allow the eggs to absorb the savory marinade. These are truly ‘Mayak’ (addictive) eggs that go perfectly with rice!
