Spicy Cockle Salad (Ggomak Muchim): A Refreshing and Flavorful Seasonal Dish
How to Make Spicy Cockle Salad, Preparing, Boiling, and Seasoning Tips for November’s Seasonal Seafood
Let’s make a delicious seasonal cockle salad. This dish is perfect as a side dish, bursting with fresh, briny flavors.
Ingredients for Cockle Salad
- 1 pack Fresh Cockles (approx. 500g)
- 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Pinch of Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 1 handful Scallions or Green Onions (finely chopped)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
We’re going to make a delightful cockle salad that will awaken your taste buds, using the best seasonal cockles. The chewy texture and savory flavor of this dish are sure to be a hit at any meal.
Step 2
Here’s how to prepare the cockles! First, place the cockles in a bowl and add about 1-2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt. Gently rub the cockles with your hands to clean them thoroughly, being careful not to break the shells. Rinse them several times under clean water until no more mud or impurities come out – that’s the preparation done! Now, fill a pot with cold water and add all the cleaned cockles. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to subtly season the water, and then we’ll boil them together.
Step 3
The cockle boiling time is crucial! Boil them only until about 5 to 6 cockles start to open their shells. Boiling for too long can make the cockles tough, so it’s important to watch them and adjust the time. Typically, 3 to 5 minutes should be sufficient.
Step 4
Once boiled, immediately rinse the cockles under cold water to cool them down. This makes separating the shells much easier. Carefully open each shell and extract only the cockle meat, setting it aside.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the star dressing for the cockle salad! In a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix them well. Add the finely chopped scallions (or green onions) and a pinch of toasted sesame seeds. Gently add the prepared cockle meat to the bowl. Using a spatula, carefully toss the cockles with the seasoning, ensuring everything is evenly coated without mashing the cockles.
Step 6
By combining all the dressing ingredients and tossing them with the cockles like this, you can easily make a delicious and impressive dish, even with a large quantity of cockles, without any worries.
Step 7
Voilà! Your chewy and flavorful cockle salad, made with seasonal cockles full of plump meat, is ready. The spicy and sweet seasoning perfectly coats the savory cockle meat, making it irresistible enough to finish a whole bowl of rice!
