Fresh Cockle Salad (Ggomak Muchim)
Fresh Cockle Salad (Ggomak Muchim)
How to Steam Cockles and Make Delicious Cockle Salad
Enjoy the fresh, seasonal cockles with this easy recipe for both a flavorful side dish and a hearty meal! We’ll show you how to perfectly steam plump cockles. Half will be prepared as a vibrant cockle salad (Ggomak Muchim) with a savory-sweet, spicy dressing, and the other half will be shelled and mixed with rice to create a delicious cockle bibimbap. Since cockles are harvested from tidal flats, thorough purging and washing are essential to remove any grit. Properly cleaning them ensures a pleasant eating experience. Pre-steaming and shelling a batch makes them convenient for future meals, and any leftovers can be frozen for easy incorporation into other dishes. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with these fresh seafood delights!
Main Ingredients- Fresh Cockles 2kg
For Washing- Coarse Salt 2 Tbsp
For Purging (Desanding)- Water 2L
- Coarse Salt (generous amount) 4 Tbsp
For Steaming- Water 2L
- Cooking Wine or Mirin 50ml
For the Seasoning Sauce- Red Pepper Flakes (Gochugaru) 2 Tbsp
- Soy Sauce (Brewed) 3 Tbsp
- Fish Sauce (Anchovy or Sand Lance) 15ml (1 Tbsp)
- Minced Garlic 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp
- Toasted Sesame Seeds 1 Tbsp
- Korean Green Chili Pepper 1 (finely chopped)
- Scallions 3 stalks (thinly sliced)
- Coarse Salt 2 Tbsp
For Purging (Desanding)- Water 2L
- Coarse Salt (generous amount) 4 Tbsp
For Steaming- Water 2L
- Cooking Wine or Mirin 50ml
For the Seasoning Sauce- Red Pepper Flakes (Gochugaru) 2 Tbsp
- Soy Sauce (Brewed) 3 Tbsp
- Fish Sauce (Anchovy or Sand Lance) 15ml (1 Tbsp)
- Minced Garlic 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp
- Toasted Sesame Seeds 1 Tbsp
- Korean Green Chili Pepper 1 (finely chopped)
- Scallions 3 stalks (thinly sliced)
- Water 2L
- Cooking Wine or Mirin 50ml
For the Seasoning Sauce- Red Pepper Flakes (Gochugaru) 2 Tbsp
- Soy Sauce (Brewed) 3 Tbsp
- Fish Sauce (Anchovy or Sand Lance) 15ml (1 Tbsp)
- Minced Garlic 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp
- Toasted Sesame Seeds 1 Tbsp
- Korean Green Chili Pepper 1 (finely chopped)
- Scallions 3 stalks (thinly sliced)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Place the cockles in a bowl with cold water and add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt. Rub them vigorously with your hands to remove dirt and impurities. You can also use an old toothbrush or a vegetable brush to gently scrub the outer shells for a deeper clean. (I used a clean disposable toothbrush for this.)
Step 2
Rinse the cockles, changing the water several times until it runs clear. Repeat the vigorous rubbing and rinsing process to ensure all mud and grit are removed.
Step 3
To purge the cockles (remove sand), dissolve 4 generous tablespoons of coarse salt in 2 liters of cold water in a bowl. Ensure the salt is fully dissolved to create a saline solution.
Step 4
Add the cleaned cockles to the saltwater solution. Make sure the cockles are fully submerged. This process encourages them to expel any remaining sand or grit.
Step 5
Float a spoon in the saltwater. The spoon helps collect the purged sand. Cover the bowl with a dark cloth or lid to create darkness, and let the cockles purge in a cool, dark place for about 2 hours. Darkness helps them relax and release their contents more effectively.
Step 6
After 2 hours, rinse the purged cockles again in clean cold water, two to three times. Even after purging, you might still find some residual grit, so this rinsing step is crucial.
Step 7
The purging and cleaning of the cockles are now complete! They are ready to be steamed.
Step 8
In a pot, bring 2 liters of water to a boil and add 50ml of cooking wine or mirin. The wine helps to eliminate any potential fishy odor and tenderizes the cockle meat.
Step 9
Avoid adding cockles to rapidly boiling water, as this can make them tough. Instead, when small bubbles start to form at the bottom of the pot (around 80-90°C or 175-195°F), carefully add the cockles. Don’t overcrowd the pot.
Step 10
Once the cockles are in the pot, stir them gently in one direction with chopsticks. This motion helps the meat to clump on one side, making it easier to shell them later.
Step 11
When the water returns to a gentle simmer and about 30-40% of the cockles have slightly opened their shells, immediately remove them from the heat. Overcooking them until all shells are wide open will result in tough meat. They will continue to cook slightly from residual heat.
Step 12
Do not rinse the steamed cockles under cold water. Instead, drain them in a colander and let them cool slightly, just enough so you can handle them. Steaming them to this point and then shelling them while still warm makes the process easier.
Step 13
Cockles that have already opened slightly can be easily shelled by gently twisting the top shell off. If some cockles still have grit or are tightly closed, you can briefly rinse them in a little of the reserved cockle steaming water to loosen any remaining dirt. (Using the steaming water helps retain the cockle’s flavor.)
Step 14
For tightly closed cockles, insert the tip of a teaspoon into the gap at the back of the shell and twist gently. They should pop open easily. With a little practice, you’ll be able to shell them quickly.
Step 15
All the cockle meat has been successfully extracted! Now, let’s prepare a delicious cockle salad with these plump morsels.
Step 16
Let’s make the savory-sweet seasoning sauce. Finely chop 1 Korean green chili pepper and 3 scallions. (If you prefer less heat, you can omit the chili pepper or use less.) In a bowl, combine the chopped chili pepper, scallions, 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 15ml fish sauce, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix well to create the sauce.
Step 17
Spoon a moderate amount of the prepared seasoning sauce over the shelled cockles. It’s best to add the sauce gradually and taste as you go, to avoid making them too salty. Gently toss everything together to coat the cockles evenly. Your delicious Cockle Salad is ready to be enjoyed!
