Nutty Anchovy Stir-Fry: A Delicious & Nutritious Side Dish
How to Make a Sweet and Salty Anchovy and Nut Stir-Fry
One of those popular side dishes that always feels like a staple in the refrigerator – that’s anchovy stir-fry! This is a simple banchan (side dish) that takes about 10 minutes to make. I’m sharing the recipe now! : )
Ingredients- Anchovies 3 cups
- Mixed Nuts 1/2 cup
- Grapeseed Oil 1 Tbsp
- Mirin (or Rice Wine) 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 0.5 Tbsp
- Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp
- Oligosaccharide (or Corn Syrup) 2 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds a pinch
- Cheongyang Pepper (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, to remove any fishy smell from the anchovies, preheat a clean, dry pan (no oil or water) over low heat and stir-fry the anchovies for 2-3 minutes. This step helps make them crispier and tastier.
Step 2
Be careful! If you cook over high heat, the anchovies can burn. Always use low heat to prevent burning and enhance the anchovies’ flavor.
Step 3
After stir-frying, place the anchovies in a sieve and gently shake to remove any crumbs or dust. This will result in a cleaner finished dish.
Step 4
Now, let’s start making the anchovy stir-fry. Add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil to the pan and stir-fry the prepared anchovies over medium heat.
Step 5
Add 1 tablespoon of mirin, 0.5 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and continue to stir-fry. Keep the heat on medium and ensure the sauce coats the anchovies evenly.
Step 6
Next, it’s time to add the nuts. Once the anchovies seem to have absorbed some of the seasoning, add about 0.5 to 1 cup of your chosen nuts (adjust to your preference). You can pre-roast the nuts for extra flavor, but adding them directly at this stage is also fine.
Step 7
Now, we’ll add the oligosaccharide for sweetness and shine. Before adding it, turn off the gas stove or reduce the heat to very low (1-2 levels).
Step 8
If you add oligosaccharide over high heat, the anchovies can become hard and clump together. So, I reduced the heat to level 1 and stirred in 2 tablespoons of oligosaccharide, letting the residual heat cook it through. : )
Step 9
We’re almost done with the final touches! Turn off the heat completely, then add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and a pinch of sesame seeds to finish. This creates a perfectly sweet and savory anchovy stir-fry, made even more delicious and nutty with the addition of the nuts. Enjoy!
