Glossy and Delicious Braised Mussels (Honghapcho)
Korean Cuisine Certification Practical Exam Menu: Honghapcho (Mussels Braised in Soy Sauce) in 20 Minutes
The key tip is to cook the mussels until they have a beautiful, glossy sheen! Be very careful as the soy sauce can burn quickly. Recipe courtesy of ‘Man-gae Recipe’ with recipes from around the world.
Provided Ingredients- Fresh Mussels 100g
- Green Onion 1 section (approx. 1/4 stalk)
- Black Peppercorns 2g (approx. 1/4 tsp)
- Sesame Oil 5ml (approx. 1 tsp)
- Soy Sauce 40ml (approx. 2.5 Tbsp)
- Ginger 15g (about 1-2 thumb-sized pieces)
- Sugar 10g (approx. 1 Tbsp)
- Pine Nuts 5
- A4 Paper 1 sheet (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Boil a generous amount of water in a pot for blanching the mussels.
Step 2
Peel the garlic and ginger, then slice them thinly into rounds. Ensure you have approximately 15g of ginger, adjusting based on its thickness.
Step 3
Cut the green onion into approximately 2cm lengths. Cutting them too small might cause them to break apart during stir-frying.
Step 4
Thoroughly clean the fresh mussels by scrubbing the shells with a brush. Rinse them multiple times in clean water. Carefully remove any attached beard-like byssus threads and sharp debris from the mussel meat to ensure a clean dish.
Step 5
Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the cleaned mussels and blanch them quickly for 10 to a maximum of 20 seconds. Overcooking will make the mussel meat tough, so be mindful of the time.
Step 6
Immediately remove the blanched mussels and rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process. After rinsing, drain them thoroughly in a colander to remove all excess water.
Step 7
In a small saucepan, combine 3 Tbsp of water, 2 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of sugar, and a pinch of black peppercorns. Add the sliced garlic and ginger. Simmer over medium to medium-low heat until the sauce is reduced to about 2 to 2.5 Tbsp. Keep a close eye on it to prevent the soy sauce from burning.
Step 8
Place the pine nuts on a sheet of A4 paper and finely chop them using a knife or a mortar and pestle. Aim for a fluffy texture, like rice grains, for an appealing garnish.
Step 9
Heat the reduced soy sauce mixture in a wide pan or wok. Add the chopped green onion and the drained mussels. Stir-fry over high heat (gang bul) to coat the mussels evenly with the sauce. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
Step 10
When the sauce has reduced to about 1 to 1.5 Tbsp remaining, immediately turn off the heat. Drizzle in 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil and quickly toss to coat the mussels, giving them a glossy finish. Be sure the heat is off to prevent the sauce from burning at this stage.
Step 11
Arrange the finished Honghapcho attractively on a serving plate. Spoon any remaining sauce from the pan over the mussels to keep them moist. Sprinkle the finely chopped pine nuts generously over the top as a garnish to complete the dish.
