Spicy & Sweet Rice Thief Kim Jang Ajji (Pickled Seaweed)
New Rice Stealer! How to Make Kim Jang Ajji (Pickled Seaweed) That Disappears Instantly
Introducing our family’s new favorite rice thief, Kim Jang Ajji! Seaweed is delicious no matter how you eat it, but serving Kim Jang Ajji as a side dish makes a bowl of rice disappear without you even noticing. This recipe is easy to store and packed with umami. Let’s make some delicious Kim Jang Ajji!
Main Ingredients
- 30 sheets of Gimbap seaweed (dried laver)
- 3 sheets of dried kelp for broth (approx. 10x10cm)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Prepare the Seaweed: Cut the Gimbap-sized dried seaweed sheets into 6 equal portions. Cutting them into bite-sized pieces beforehand will make it much easier to toss with the sauce later.
Step 2
2. Make the Broth: In a pot, combine 1 and 1/2 cups of water, 3 sheets of kelp, half an onion cut into large pieces, 5 cloves of garlic, and the white part of half a green onion stalk. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, remove the kelp, and continue to simmer the remaining vegetables for about 20 minutes to extract their flavors.
Step 3
3. Strain the Vegetables: After simmering for 20 minutes, remove all the vegetables (onion, garlic, green onion) from the broth, leaving only the clear liquid.
Step 4
4. Cook the Seasoning Liquid: Add 2/3 cup of soy sauce, 2 Tbsp of mirin, 1/2 cup of rice syrup (or corn syrup), 2 slices of ginger, and 2-3 chopped Cheongyang chili peppers to the strained broth. Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the rice syrup dissolves completely.
Step 5
5. Flavor and Cool: Stir in 1 Tbsp of sugar into the seasoning liquid from step 4. Mix well, then let it cool completely. It’s crucial to let the liquid cool down to room temperature before pouring it over the seaweed, as hot liquid can make the seaweed soggy.
Step 6
6. First Pickling: Arrange the cut seaweed sheets in a clean container or a wide bowl. Pour half of the cooled seasoning liquid over the seaweed. It’s okay if the seaweed isn’t fully submerged at this stage.
Step 7
7. Second Pickling and Maturation: Flip the seaweed to ensure the other side also gets coated with the sauce. Pour the remaining seasoning liquid over the seaweed, ensuring all pieces are submerged. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half a day (minimum 6 hours) to allow it to pickle and mature. The longer it pickles, the deeper the flavor will become.