Spicy Cockle Salad (Kokomuchim)
Super Easy Cockle Salad: A Generous Feast for the Whole Family for Just 7,900 Won
Fresh cockles are in season! We ordered some directly from the source and they arrived alive and incredibly fresh. We got 2kg of fresh cockles for an unbelievable price of 7,900 won! Although they might not be completely filled with roe yet since it’s early in the season, they exceeded our expectations. They aren’t as small as we thought they might be for new-season cockles, and while not fully plump, they were perfectly edible. I remember eating cockle salad at Yeonyeon Sikdang with a friend, and the portion size wasn’t satisfying at all, and the taste was just so-so. So I always thought about making it myself when cockle season arrived, but I didn’t expect to be making it this early! Mixing this spicy cockle salad with rice or wrapping it in dried seaweed (gim) is pure bliss. Enjoy this incredibly delicious cockle salad! Have a wonderful and fun Friday!
Ingredients for Cockle Salad- Fresh Cockles, 2kg
- 1/2 Onion
- 1 bunch Perilla leaves (깻잎)
- 4 Korean Green Chili Peppers (Cheongyang chili)
- 1/4 bunch Chives (부추)
Seasoning Sauce- Soy Sauce (for seasoning), 8 Tbsp
- Red Pepper Flakes, 2 Tbsp
- Cooking Wine (Mirin), 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic, 1 Tsp
- Honey, 3 Tbsp
- Sesame Seeds, to taste
- Chopped Green Onion, to taste
- Sesame Oil, to taste
- Soy Sauce (for seasoning), 8 Tbsp
- Red Pepper Flakes, 2 Tbsp
- Cooking Wine (Mirin), 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic, 1 Tsp
- Honey, 3 Tbsp
- Sesame Seeds, to taste
- Chopped Green Onion, to taste
- Sesame Oil, to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Thoroughly rinse the fresh cockles multiple times under running water to remove any dirt or impurities.
Step 2
Boil the cleaned cockles in plenty of water. They are ready when they open their shells or start to open shortly after being added to the boiling water. Remove them promptly.
Step 3
Rinse the boiled cockles in cold water and let them cool slightly. Then, use a spoon or your fingers to carefully extract the cockle meat from the shells. Discard the shells and prepare only the meat.
Step 4
Prepare the vegetables: thinly slice the onion, roll the perilla leaves and slice them thinly, and finely chop the Korean green chili peppers to add a spicy kick. Cut the chives into 3-4 cm lengths.
Step 5
In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, red pepper flakes, cooking wine, minced garlic, and honey. Mix well to create the delicious seasoning sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning ratios according to your preference for the perfect flavor.
Step 6
Add the extracted cockle meat and all the prepared vegetables (onion, perilla leaves, green chilies, chives) to the seasoning sauce. Gently toss everything together, ensuring the sauce evenly coats the cockles and vegetables.
Step 7
Finally, add sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toss once more. This adds a wonderful nutty aroma and enhances the flavor. Be careful not to overmix after adding the sesame oil, as it can affect the freshness of the flavor.
Step 8
Arrange the beautifully seasoned cockle salad on a serving plate. Enjoy this delicious dish with freshly steamed rice, a fried egg, or fresh dried seaweed (gim) for a more complete and satisfying meal.