Stir-fried Anchovies with Whole Garlic: A Flavorful Side Dish
Stir-fried Anchovies with Whole Garlic: A Flavorful Side Dish
Whole Garlic Anchovy Stir-fry: Garlic is Surprisingly Delicious! Make a Lunchbox Side Dish That Calls for Rice.
Garlic is incredibly delicious! I find myself picking out and eating just the garlic! A side dish that makes you want more rice, featuring plenty of whole garlic in stir-fried anchovies.
Ingredients- Anchovies (for broth) 250g
- Whole garlic, to your liking
- Cooking oil 5 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, we’ll remove any stray bits and pieces from the anchovies. You can use a sieve to shake off the dust, or if the anchovies are in a bag, stand the bag upright and tap it several times. The powder will fall to the bottom, allowing you to carefully scoop out the cleaner anchovies from the top. While it’s okay to include the dust, it can make the final dish look a bit messy.
Step 2
Place the anchovies in a dry pan and stir-fry over medium heat. This step helps to evaporate any moisture, resulting in crispy anchovy stir-fry, and also removes any fishy odor, making it more delicious. Continue stir-frying until the anchovies are crisp.
Step 3
Once the anchovies are well-fried, set them aside in a separate bowl. Then, wipe the pan clean with a dry kitchen towel.
Step 4
Add about 5 Tbsp of cooking oil to the pan and add the whole garlic. Stir-fry over medium-low heat until the garlic is golden brown and cooked. You can fry the whole garlic in oil like this, or you can blanch it in boiling water before adding it. I personally find frying it in oil makes it more nutty and delicious. Plus, the garlic flavor infuses the oil, which helps reduce any fishy smell in the anchovy stir-fry.
Step 5
Once the garlic is cooked, add the anchovies back to the pan and stir-fry. Keep stir-frying until the anchovies are nice and crispy. The anchovies are already seasoned, so they’re delicious even when stir-fried like this. They’re great on their own as a snack! This is seriously perfect with beer. LOL. Witnessing the transformation into a perfect snack.
Step 6
Add 1 Tbsp of soy sauce and 1/3 Tbsp of sugar, and stir-fry. Since the anchovies are already salty, adding too much soy sauce will make it overly salty. The soy sauce is mainly for adding its aroma and a subtle savory depth.
Step 7
I’ve added one chopped chili pepper and one sliced red bell pepper for a hint of spice. I thought a little spiciness would make it even more delicious. If you have young children, please omit the peppers.
Step 8
Turn off the heat, then add 3 Tbsp of oligosaccharide and mix well. This is what will give it a glossy finish and a pleasant sweetness. ^^ If you use corn syrup or sugar and keep the heat on, the anchovies can clump together, making them difficult to eat. Even if you mix it with the heat on, it can clump. Always make sure to turn off the heat before adding the oligosaccharide.
Step 9
Finally, add sesame seeds and mix to complete the dish!
Step 10
The stir-fried anchovies with whole garlic, featuring its appealing nutty garlic, are now complete. The anchovies are deliciously nutty and crispy, but the real star is the whole garlic, which becomes wonderfully sweet and fragrant when stir-fried. I find myself constantly picking out the garlic! ^^
