Flavorful Scallion Gim-Muchim (Seasoned Seaweed)
Altolan’s Secret: 5-Minute Scallion Gim-Muchim, a Quick Banchan
Gim-muchim is a fantastic side dish that’s incredibly easy to make, even with leftover or aged seaweed! This recipe utilizes leftover ‘Gopchang Gim’ (a type of thick, crispy seaweed) from the freezer. While roasted Gopchang Gim with soy sauce is a winter delight, in the summer, aged gim can be tricky to use up. Gim-muchim is the perfect solution! It’s a savory and fragrant dish that pairs wonderfully with rice. You can whip this up in just 5 minutes, so give it a try!
Main Ingredients- 10 sheets of Gopchang Gim (thick, crispy seaweed)
- 3 scallions
- 1 red chili pepper
Seaweed Seasoning- 2 Tbsp soup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake)
Key Seasoning Mix- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 4 Tbsp regular soy sauce
- 4 Tbsp maesilcheong (plum extract)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted perilla seeds (optional, for extra nutty flavor)
- 2 Tbsp soup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake)
Key Seasoning Mix- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 4 Tbsp regular soy sauce
- 4 Tbsp maesilcheong (plum extract)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted perilla seeds (optional, for extra nutty flavor)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by toasting the gim (seaweed) until it’s fragrant and slightly crispy. Use a dry, non-stick pan over low heat – no oil needed! Gently roast both sides until they turn a light golden brown. Be careful as the gim can be brittle and might crumble. Toasting it slowly over low heat enhances its nutty aroma and flavor.
Step 2
To prepare the gim for mixing, break it into bite-sized pieces. To prevent seaweed flakes from scattering everywhere, place the toasted gim inside a zip-top bag or a clean plastic bag and crumble it with your hands. Meanwhile, finely chop the scallions and mince the red chili pepper (removing seeds if you prefer less heat). While scallions alone are great, the red chili adds a lovely color and a hint of spice.
Step 3
Now, let’s season the crumbled gim. Following the Altolan method, we’ll add the seasoning directly to the gim. Add 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of cooking wine to the gim. Gently mix and massage the seasoning into the gim with your hands. The soup soy sauce provides a foundational savory flavor, while the cooking wine helps tenderize the gim and reduce any potential fishy smell.
Step 4
To the seasoned gim, add the chopped scallions and minced red chili pepper. Now, it’s time to incorporate the main seasoning mix. Add the gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), regular soy sauce, maesilcheong (plum extract), and the secret ingredient from the Altolan recipe – minced garlic. These ingredients will elevate the flavor profile of your gim-muchim.
Step 5
Finally, sprinkle in the toasted perilla seeds (if using) and toasted sesame seeds for an extra nutty dimension, followed by the sesame oil for its rich aroma. Gently toss and mix everything together with your hands, ensuring the seasoning coats the gim evenly. Avoid over-mixing; a gentle toss will maintain the gim’s texture. Once everything is well combined, your delicious Altolan-style scallion gim-muchim is ready to be served!
