Spicy Cockle Salad (Kkomak Muchim): A Delicious and Chewy Delicacy
How to Boil Cockles, Best Seasoning Recipe for Cockle Salad, Perfect Cockle Purging Guide
The best season for cockles is from November to March! With their sweet and chewy texture, cockles are truly a delightful seafood. Cockle bibimbap was once very popular, and for good reason! Cockles served as a side dish at restaurants always felt insufficient in quantity. So, I’ve prepared a delicious cockle salad recipe you can easily make at home.
Main Ingredients- 1 pack fresh cockles (approx. 300-400g)
- 1 Tbsp coarse salt (for purging)
Flavorful Seasoning Ingredients- 6 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or oligosaccharide (sweetness adjustable)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes (spiciness adjustable)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (for nutty aroma!)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for nuttiness and texture)
- 1/2 stalk green onion, finely chopped (focus on white parts)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (for flavor!)
- 1/4 small onion, finely chopped (for sweetness and umami)
- 1/8 small carrot, finely chopped (for color and slight sweetness)
- 2 green chili peppers, finely chopped (for spiciness control)
- 6 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or oligosaccharide (sweetness adjustable)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes (spiciness adjustable)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (for nutty aroma!)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for nuttiness and texture)
- 1/2 stalk green onion, finely chopped (focus on white parts)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (for flavor!)
- 1/4 small onion, finely chopped (for sweetness and umami)
- 1/8 small carrot, finely chopped (for color and slight sweetness)
- 2 green chili peppers, finely chopped (for spiciness control)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Purge and Boil Cockles: First, dissolve 1 tablespoon of coarse salt in enough cold water to cover the cockles. Add the cockles to the salted water and shake gently for about 30 minutes to purge them. If the water becomes cloudy, change it to clean water and repeat until it runs clear. Once purged, drain the cockles. In a pot, bring plenty of water to a boil. When the water boils, add the cockles and stir them in one direction for 2-3 minutes. As soon as the shells start to slightly open, turn off the heat immediately and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Step 2
Extract Cockle Meat: While you can serve cockles in their shells, it’s much easier to eat them as a salad if you extract the meat. Carefully use a spoon or a dedicated cockle tool to separate the meat from the shells. This step can be a bit tedious, but it’s essential for enjoying your delicious cockle salad.
Step 3
Rinse Cockle Meat: The extracted cockle meat might still have some residual mud or impurities. Place the cockle meat in cold water and gently swish it around to rinse. Be careful not to rinse too vigorously, as this could break apart the cockle meat. Rinse 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
Step 4
Make the Flavorful Seasoning: Now it’s time to make the delicious seasoning that will define your cockle salad. In a bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup, 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds. Add the finely chopped green onion, minced garlic, chopped onion, chopped carrot, and finely chopped green chili peppers. Stir well to combine all the seasoning ingredients. (Tip: Adjust the amounts of soy sauce, corn syrup, and red pepper flakes according to the quantity of cockles and your personal preference.)
Step 5
Toss the Cockle Salad: Add the clean cockle meat to a bowl and pour the prepared seasoning over it. Gently toss the ingredients using a spatula or spoon to avoid breaking the cockle meat. Mix until the seasoning is evenly distributed. Your delicious cockle salad is now ready! While it’s tasty right away, chilling it in the refrigerator for a while will allow the flavors to meld, resulting in an even richer taste.
