Korean · Authentic-ish Korean
Myeolchi Bokkeum
99 kcal a serving, against 132 for the traditional version. That is 33 kcal off, or 25%, with 13.9g of protein. Serves 8. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Dried baby anchovies, fried in a splash of oil until just golden, then tossed in a glaze of soy sauce, rice syrup, sugar, garlic, and a hint of gochugaru. Finished with toasted sesame seeds and sometimes a little sesame oil. Chewy, crunchy, sweet and umami - both side dish and bar snack.
What changed, and what each change costs
Rice syrup down from 40g to 10g, sugar down from 25g to 8g
Sugar and syrup make the glaze sticky and lush, but together they're the difference between snack and sweet shop. Cut them right back and let the anchovies' own savouriness come through.
What it costs you. You lose that shiny, glass-like coating and some of the snap. The glaze is thinner, and the finish is more salty-savoury than sticky-sweet. If you're loyal to the real thing, keep the sugar and go wild once in a while.
Vegetable oil halved from 20g to 10g, sesame oil down from 8g to 4g
Oil helps the glaze stick and gives a silkier mouthfeel. Too much oil, though, and you're just greasing the pan.
What it costs you. You lose some gloss and the melt-in-the-mouth finish. The fish are a bit chewier and the sesame aroma is milder. If you're fussed, toast the sesame seeds extra well and double up on them for more punch.
Garlic up from 20g to 28g, gochugaru up from 4g to 6g
If you're cutting sugar, something else needs to do the heavy lifting. So I go in harder on the garlic and chilli for a bolder, more grown-up kick.
What it costs you. It's sharper and has a bit of a bite, not the mellow, caramelised thing. It might not win over the kids, but you'll thank me at the pub.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 132 | 99 |
| Protein | 13.8g | 13.9g |
| Fat | 4.6g | 2.9g |
| Saturated fat | 0.8g | 0.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.6g | 4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 10.4g | 14.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Korean prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. fish, gluten, sesame, soybeans.
The method is in the book
You're still biting into whole fish, and you won't mistake this for crisps, but you get a decent snack that isn't cloying. The traditional is proper kid bait: sweet, shiny and begging for sticky fingers. This one's a grown-up move, with plenty of flavour and loads more bite. If you miss the old-school version, keep some extra syrup on hand and call it dessert.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Korean, along with 51 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.