Crispy Pickled Onions: The All-Purpose Sauce for Meat
Korean BBQ Style Pickled Onions! This sauce alone makes meat irresistible, no ssamjang needed.
A perfect harmony of fresh spring onions and fragrant chives! Introducing restaurant-style pickled onions that you can easily make at home. This dish offers a sweet and sour taste with a zesty mustard kick that cuts through richness and awakens your palate, making it the perfect accompaniment to any meat dish. You won’t be able to stop at just one bite!
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 medium onion
- 5 stalks fresh chives
Special Soy Sauce Mustard Dressing
- 6 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1.3 Tbsp mustard powder (adjust to taste)
- 4 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp cider or sparkling water
- 2 Tbsp cooking sake
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 6 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1.3 Tbsp mustard powder (adjust to taste)
- 4 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp cider or sparkling water
- 2 Tbsp cooking sake
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch fine salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the special soy sauce mustard dressing for an amazing flavor! In a bowl, combine 6 Tbsp of deep-flavored soy sauce, 2 Tbsp of granulated sugar for sweetness, 1.3 Tbsp of mustard powder for its delightful zest (you can add more if you like it spicier), 4 Tbsp of rice vinegar for a refreshing tang, 2 Tbsp of cider for effervescence, 2 Tbsp of cooking sake to remove any gamey odors and add umami, 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice for a bright finish, and a pinch of fine salt to season. Whisk everything together with a whisk or chopsticks until the sugar is dissolved. It’s important to stir until all ingredients are smoothly combined.
Step 2
Let the special dressing you’ve made rest for a bit so the flavors can meld beautifully. Tightly cover the container with the dressing and store it in the refrigerator to chill. A cold dressing will enhance the flavors of the ingredients even more.
Step 3
Now it’s time to prepare the main ingredient, the onion. Peel and thoroughly wash the fresh onion. Slicing it as thinly as possible is the secret to a great texture and for the dressing to penetrate well. Using a mandoline slicer will allow you to cut it very thin and uniformly. If using a knife, be careful and slice it thinly. Lightly pat dry the thinly sliced onions.
Step 4
Prepare the chives for a fragrant touch. Trim any unsightly parts and wash them thoroughly under running water. Once drained, cut the chives into approximately 2 cm lengths for easy eating. If they’re too long, they can be difficult to handle, so cut them into a suitable size.
Step 5
There, we’re almost done! Place the thinly sliced onions and the 2 cm cut chives into a bowl. Pour the chilled special soy sauce mustard dressing generously over them to your liking. After adding the dressing, gently mix the onions and chives so they don’t break apart. Mix carefully so the seasoning distributes evenly. Congratulations, your crispy, sweet, and sour pickled onions are ready! They taste great immediately, but for an even better flavor, chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the flavors deepen. Try serving them with grilled meats, chicken, or sashimi!
