Anchovy Banchan
Banchan are the myriad of wonderful sides that you get with your meal when you go to a Korean restaurant. In this recipe, we make an anchovy banchan that is the perfect topping for a fried rice.
Banchan Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon soy
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 (or more!) tablespoons gochujang (our new fav. spice for 2021!)
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup dried baby anchovies (avail at most Asian markets, get the frozen ones!)
Fried Rice Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rice, cool in the fridge for an hour or two
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 carrots diced very small
- 1 onion diced small
- 1 cup frozen peas (we leave em out, we hates them forever)
- 2-3 eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional, for extra kick)
- scallions (if you’d like something green)
Banchan Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together water, soy sauce, and fish sauce, gochujang, and garlic.
In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium until shimmering. Add baby anchovies and stir to coat them all in oil. Cook until anchovies absorb oil, dry up, and smell aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle sugar over anchovies and stir frequently until sugar melts and evenly coats the fish. (~2 minutes). (Don’t let that sugar burn! It’s hell to get off the pan and will ruin your anchovies. If sugar begins to scorch, move the pan off the heat while stirring!)
Add gochujang mixture to skillet, and stir to evenly coat anchovies; return pan to medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any sticky bits on the bottom of the pan, until everything reduces a bit and evenly glazes anchovies, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil and stir to combine.
Fired Rice Directions
Heat 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet, add eggs and lightly scramble. Remove and set aside.
Heat the rest of the butter in the pan and add carrots, onions, and any other veg bits. (we sometimes add kale and/or mushrooms), Saute 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 min.
Add the cold rice to the skillet and let it sit for a bit 93-4 min). it should start to dry out. Then add the frozen peas on top. Saute it all for another minute or two until the rice just begins to brown a bit.
Now add the eggs in and stir in the soy, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Cook 1-2 minutes.
Finally, add in the scallions and sriracha to give it a little extra color. then top with the anchovies.
(modified from https://www.seriouseats.com/stir-fried-anchovy-banchan-myeolchi-bokkeum)
