Spicy and Sweet Stir-Fried Dried Pollack Strips
Easy Homemade Dried Pollack Strips: A Delicious Side Dish!
Have dried pollack strips lying around? Instead of just making soup, transform them into a special side dish! This stir-fried dried pollack, made simply without any batter, is a magical side that will make you devour a bowl of rice with its spicy and sweet flavor. It’s easy for anyone to follow without complicated cooking steps, and once made, it becomes a satisfying side dish that the whole family will love. The harmony of its crispy yet chewy texture and appetite-stimulating sauce is exquisite. Make this delicious specialty with dried pollack strips right now!
Main Ingredients- 2 handfuls dried pollack strips
- 3 Tbsp perilla oil
Spicy & Sweet Sauce- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil (for finishing)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (for sweetness and flavor UP!)
- 3 Tbsp cooking wine (or mirin/cheongju)
- 0.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oligosaccharide (for shine and sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp mayonnaise (optional, for a softer texture)
- A pinch of sesame seeds (for added nuttiness)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil (for finishing)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (for sweetness and flavor UP!)
- 3 Tbsp cooking wine (or mirin/cheongju)
- 0.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oligosaccharide (for shine and sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp mayonnaise (optional, for a softer texture)
- A pinch of sesame seeds (for added nuttiness)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 2 handfuls of dried pollack strips. If they are too long, they might be difficult to eat, so cut them into pieces about two finger-widths long. Lightly rinse the cut pollack strips under running water, then drain them thoroughly in a sieve. This is important to prevent the strips from clumping and help them absorb the sauce well.
Step 2
Take a deep pan and add 3 tablespoons of perilla oil. Heat the pan over medium-low heat, add the prepared dried pollack strips, and stir gently with a spatula to prevent sticking, until the oil is no longer visible. The key here is to stir-fry them for about 2-3 minutes until the moisture evaporates and they become slightly softened. Stir-frying slowly over low heat prevents burning and brings out the pollack’s flavor.
Step 3
Turn off the heat under the pan where the pollack strips were stir-fried. Now it’s time to add the sauce ingredients. First, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of gochujang, and 0.5 tablespoon of gochugaru to the pan. Mixing the sauce while the heat is off prevents it from burning and ensures it blends well with the ingredients.
Step 4
Next, add 1 tablespoon of plum extract for sweetness and flavor, 0.5 tablespoon of soy sauce for umami, and 1 tablespoon of oligosaccharide for shine and sweetness.
Step 5
Finally, add 3 tablespoons of cooking wine. Cooking wine helps to remove any fishy smell from the pollack and makes it tender. Once all the sauce ingredients are in, return the pan to low heat and stir until the mixture starts to bubble. When the sauce is evenly mixed and slightly thickened, proceed to the next step.
Step 6
Add the dried pollack strips, which were pre-stir-fried in perilla oil, back into the pan. Stir and mix well, ensuring the sauce coats every strand of pollack evenly. It’s important to keep stirring to prevent the sauce from burning, maintaining a medium-low heat. As the pollack strips absorb the sauce, they will become moist and develop a appetizing color.
Step 7
Once the sauce has sufficiently coated the pollack strips, add 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise to add a creamy texture and stir-fry for about 30 seconds more. If you don’t have mayonnaise or prefer not to use it, feel free to omit it. Mayonnaise will provide a softer texture. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds after adding it.
Step 8
When the pollack strips are well-coated with the sauce and look appetizing, turn off the heat. Finally, sprinkle with sesame seeds to your liking for a nutty aroma and drizzle with 0.5 tablespoon of sesame oil. Give it a quick final mix. This completes your delicious stir-fried dried pollack strips, perfect as a side dish. It’s delicious when hot, but it tastes even better after cooling and refrigerating, allowing the flavors to deepen.
