Crispy and Delicious Stir-Fried Anchovies
How to Make Nutritious Golden Recipe Stir-Fried Anchovies
I’ve been meaning to try the anchovy stir-fry recipe from ‘Saengsaengjeongbotong Golden Recipe’ for ages, and I finally made it! This version is packed with nutrition thanks to the addition of mixed nuts. It’s a perfect side dish for rice that’s both delicious and healthy.
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups anchovies (for broth or small anchovies)
- 1 handful mixed nuts
- A few Cheongyang peppers or Korean green chili peppers (Ggwari peppers)
Seasoning Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar (leveled off, not heaped)
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (cheongju)
- 4 Tbsp ginger syrup (can substitute with corn syrup or mulyeot)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar (leveled off, not heaped)
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (cheongju)
- 4 Tbsp ginger syrup (can substitute with corn syrup or mulyeot)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
To ensure your anchovy stir-fry is crispy and doesn’t have a fishy smell, it’s important to get the oil temperature right. Heat about 1/2 cup of cooking oil in a pan. To test the temperature, drop a single anchovy into the oil. If it immediately bubbles and floats to the surface, the oil is ready. Add the anchovies to the hot oil and fry them until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Once fried, remove the anchovies with a slotted spoon and drain off excess oil on a wire rack. This step is crucial for achieving maximum crispiness.
Step 2
Now, let’s add the seasonings. Pour 1 tablespoon of rice wine (cheongju) and 1 tablespoon of sugar into the pan. Make sure the sugar is a leveled tablespoon, not a heaping one. As the mixture begins to bubble slightly, add the drained anchovies back into the pan. Stir-fry them with the seasoning. Since anchovies are naturally salty, you won’t need to add any extra soy sauce. The saltiness from the anchovies themselves will be sufficient.
Step 3
Once the anchovies are simmering in the seasoning, add your chopped Korean green chili peppers (or Cheongyang peppers). I found the peppers I used this time were quite spicy, almost as hot as Cheongyang peppers! If you prefer less heat, it’s a good idea to remove the seeds from the peppers before chopping them finely. Stir-frying the peppers with the anchovies adds a lovely spicy and sweet dimension to the dish.
Step 4
Finally, let’s add the nuts for extra flavor and nutrition! I used a mix of seeds called ‘Kapayfuku’, which includes sunflower seeds, flax seeds, amaranth, and buckwheat seeds. This combination goes wonderfully with the anchovies! After adding the nuts, turn off the heat. To prevent the stir-fried anchovies from becoming too hard, instead of using corn syrup (mulyeot), I used the ginger syrup I had prepared earlier in the final stage. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to finish and add a nutty aroma. Your delicious stir-fried anchovies are now ready! Let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container for a tasty snack or side dish.
