Stir-fried Dried Pollack (Buk-eo-chae)
Baek Jong-won’s Easy Stir-fried Dried Pollack Recipe: A Rice-Stealing Side Dish
Here’s Baek Jong-won’s simple recipe for stir-fried dried pollack, perfect for when you have no other side dishes and want to finish a bowl of rice quickly. It’s a delicious dish that will make your rice disappear in no time!
Main Ingredients
- Dried pollack (prepared), 2 handfuls (approx. 100g)
- Cheongyang peppers (or Korean green chili peppers), 1 handful (approx. 50g)
- Scallions, 2 stalks (approx. 100g)
- Cooking oil, 2 Tbsp
Seasoning
- Soy sauce, 2 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp
- Sugar, 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp (approx. 7g)
- Soy sauce, 2 Tbsp
- Oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp
- Sugar, 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp (approx. 7g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables. Chop the scallions into large pieces. Remove the stems from the Cheongyang peppers and chop them into large pieces as well. The dried pollack might be tough, so briefly dip it in lukewarm water (for about 30 seconds) and immediately take it out. Squeeze out the excess water thoroughly. Be careful not to soak it for too long, or it will become mushy. Cut the dried pollack into 2-3 bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
Mixing the sauce ingredients beforehand will make cooking much smoother. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Stir well until blended and set aside. (Note: 3 Tbsp soy sauce might be a bit salty, so we’ve adjusted it to 2 Tbsp in this recipe).
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped scallions and stir-fry until fragrant. Once the scallions start to turn golden and release their sweetness, add 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it can turn bitter.
Step 4
Add the prepared dried pollack to the pan with the fragrant scallions and garlic oil. Stir-fry them together, tossing gently to prevent sticking. Once the dried pollack starts to shrink slightly, add 1 Tbsp of sugar and stir-fry until the sugar is well incorporated with the pollack. The sugar will help soften the pollack and allow it to absorb the flavors better.
Step 5
Now, add the chopped Cheongyang peppers to the pan and stir-fry them with the dried pollack. Don’t overcook the peppers; stir-fry for just 1-2 minutes until they are slightly softened but still retain some crispness. This crunch is key to the dish’s deliciousness.
Step 6
Finally, pour the pre-mixed sauce (soy sauce + oyster sauce) around the edges of the pan. Turn up the heat to high and quickly stir-fry everything for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, ensuring the sauce coats all the ingredients evenly. Stir briskly to prevent the sauce from burning and to achieve a glossy finish. You’re done!
Step 7
Ta-da! Your Baek Jong-won style stir-fried dried pollack, a true rice-stealer that’s perfect for those times you have no appetite, is ready! It’s absolutely delicious served over warm rice.
Step 8
Taking a bite, the perfectly balanced sweet and savory sauce is deeply infused into the dried pollack, making it incredibly tasty. The crisp texture and mild spiciness of the Cheongyang peppers cut through any richness, creating a harmonious flavor profile. It’s the ultimate side dish for rice!
