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Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Seasoned dried pollock strips (hwangtaechae-muchim)

Softened dried pollock in a sweet, tangy gochujang dressing. The fish is briefly steamed before mixing, making the home method clear for a first-time cook.

25 min4 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Seasoned dried pollock strips (hwangtaechae-muchim)

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

4 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 4 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Essential

    Use plain dried pollock intended for cooking. Remove bones. This home version moistens and steams the fish before seasoning; it is not a raw fish salad.

  • Essential

    Sprinkle over the fish, not into hot oil. Water in the steamer is extra and does not enter the seasoning.

  • Substitute available

    If Gochujang is unavailable

    Use instead
    Mild gochujang
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 18 g

    Use the same amount for a less fiery sauce. Ordinary chilli sauce does not reproduce fermented gochujang flavour.

  • Optional

    May be omitted for less heat; the gochujang still contains chilli.

  • Substitute available

    If Regular soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Reduced-sodium soy sauce
    Substitute quantity
    1 small teaspoonReference quantity: 5 ml

    Use the same cooking method. It will be less salty; taste before deciding whether any extra salt is needed.

  • Substitute available

    If Rice vinegar is unavailable

    Use instead
    Apple cider vinegar
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml

    Use at the same mixing stage. The flavour will be slightly fruitier.

  • Optional

    May be reduced or omitted. The sauce will be less sweet; keep the vinegar amount unchanged.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition and keep the other amounts unchanged; the aroma will be milder.

  • Substitute available

    If Toasted sesame oil is unavailable

    Use instead
    Neutral cooking oil
    Substitute quantity
    1 small teaspoonReference quantity: 5 ml

    Add at the same stage. The toasted sesame aroma will be absent.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition and keep the other amounts unchanged; the aroma will be milder.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Check every dried pollock strip for bones and remove them. Cut long strips to about 4 cm. Sprinkle with 1 eating spoon of water, toss and leave for 5 minutes so the surface softens without becoming soaked.

    Check every dried pollock strip for bones and remove them. Cut long strips to about 4 cm. Sprinkle with 1 eating spoon of water, toss and leave for 5 minutes so the surface softens without becoming soaked.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Bring a little extra water to a full boil in a saucepan fitted with a steamer. Place the damp fish in the steamer above the water, cover and steam for 5 minutes until hot throughout. Do not let the fish sit in the boiling water.

    Bring a little extra water to a full boil in a saucepan fitted with a steamer. Place the damp fish in the steamer above the water, cover and steam for 5 minutes until hot throughout. Do not let the fish sit in the boiling water.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Spread the steamed fish on a clean plate and let excess steam escape for about 5 minutes, only until cool enough to handle. Keep the strips separate rather than squeezing them into a lump.

    Spread the steamed fish on a clean plate and let excess steam escape for about 5 minutes, only until cool enough to handle. Keep the strips separate rather than squeezing them into a lump.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: In a clean bowl, mix gochujang, gochugaru if using, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and minced garlic. Stir until the sugar dissolves into a smooth thick seasoning.

    In a clean bowl, mix gochujang, gochugaru if using, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and minced garlic. Stir until the sugar dissolves into a smooth thick seasoning.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Add the warm, no longer steaming fish to the sauce. Using clean utensils or food-safe gloves, gently lift and turn until every strip is thinly coated. Avoid crushing the softened fish.

    Add the warm, no longer steaming fish to the sauce. Using clean utensils or food-safe gloves, gently lift and turn until every strip is thinly coated. Avoid crushing the softened fish.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Fold in the sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Serve small portions as a side dish. Transfer the remainder to a clean covered container and refrigerate promptly.

    Fold in the sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Serve small portions as a side dish. Transfer the remainder to a clean covered container and refrigerate promptly.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Seasoned dried pollock strips (hwangtaechae-muchim)
Seasoned dried pollock strips (hwangtaechae-muchim)
Helpful tips

This dish contains fish and may contain soy, wheat and sesame depending on the sauces. Check for bones even in packaged strips. The vinegar dressing does not preserve the fish at room temperature. Refrigerate at 4°C or below within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Do not leave the seasoned fish out overnight.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Serve a small portion beside warm rice. Use a clean utensil for each dish and refrigerate the rest promptly.

Serve it with