Spicy and Refreshing Seaweed Salad (Miyeok Muchim) Recipe
Quick and Delicious Spicy Seaweed Salad with Fresh Season Seaweed
Spring’s fresh seaweed is tender and packed with nutrients, making it perfect for any dish. Instead of letting any leftover fresh seaweed from your Seaweed and Cucumber Cold Soup go to waste, try this vibrant seaweed salad. Seasoned with the pungent kick of Korean chili peppers (cheongyang gochu) and the savory depth of anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot), this spicy seaweed salad is a delightful side dish. It’s perfect to enjoy with rice or as a light, palate-cleansing accompaniment when you’re not feeling very hungry. This recipe is especially wonderful when using traditional, naturally dried seaweed, which can sometimes be tricky for even seasoned home cooks to portion correctly. If you’ve accidentally rehydrated too much dried seaweed, this flavorful salad is the perfect way to use it all up!
Main Ingredients
- Rehydrated seaweed: 3 handfuls (approx. 150g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, place the dried traditional seaweed in a bowl. Add enough cold water to fully submerge the seaweed. This step is for rehydrating the seaweed until it becomes tender.
Step 2
Once the seaweed has become tender and pliable, drain it in a colander. Then, gently rub the seaweed with your hands as if you were washing clothes. This process helps to thoroughly clean off any impurities from the surface of the seaweed. Ensure you rub the seaweed evenly all over. Afterward, rinse the seaweed under running water, agitate it, and drain well.
Step 3
Now, carefully add the cleaned and drained seaweed to a pot of boiling water. This is the blanching step.
Step 4
After adding the seaweed, stir it gently with a spatula or spoon until the water returns to a rolling boil. Continue to stir gently to ensure the seaweed is blanched evenly throughout. This process helps to retain the seaweed’s fresh flavor while making it tender.
Step 5
Immediately after blanching, pour the seaweed into a colander and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water until it cools down completely. This step will make the seaweed crisp and pleasantly chewy. Rinse by agitating the seaweed in the cold water to remove any remaining debris, then squeeze out as much water as possible.
Step 6
With the excess water removed, finely chop the seaweed into bite-sized pieces. Avoid cutting it too long, as it can be difficult to mix.
Step 7
Measure out the chopped seaweed by hand, with one full handful being a standard portion. You will need a total of 3 handfuls of prepared seaweed. (Approximately 150g)
Step 8
Place the 3 handfuls of prepared seaweed in a mixing bowl. Add all the seasoning ingredients: 3 Tbsp clear anchovy sauce, 2 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and the 2 finely chopped cheongyang chili peppers.
Step 9
Gently toss and mix the seaweed with your hands to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, as this could mash the seaweed. Your delicious spicy seaweed salad is now ready!
