This is a simple but delicious side dish that’s made with peanuts. Made similar to kongjang (soy braised soybeans), this braised peanut dish is sweet, sticky, savory and nutty with a pleasant chewy texture. It’s a popular basic side dish.

For this dish, use raw shelled peanuts with skins. Around here, we’re lucky to have good quality Virginia peanuts, one of the largest varieties. Raw peanuts retain the skins intact and absorb the sauce better with a softer texture as a result, but you can use roasted peanuts if you prefer.

The peanuts are first parboiled, before they are braised, and the brownish cooking liquid is discarded. This will remove the tartness of the skins and any impurities the skins might have.

These sweet, savory, and soft peanuts are quite addictive. I often find myself eating it as a snack. They are also great as a drinking snack.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw shelled peanuts with skins

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup (or Korean oligodang)

1 cup water or dashima broth

1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds


Add the peanuts and water (or dasima broth) to a small pot. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes.

Drain the peanuts.

Return the peanuts to the pot. Add the soy sauce, rice wine (or mirin), sugar, corn syrup, and water (or dasima broth).

Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until almost all the sauce has evaporated, for about 20 to 25 minutes. You can increase the heat to medium high during the last few minutes. Stir occasionally and keep your eyes on the pot to avoid burning the peanuts.

For more recipes, visit koreanbapsang.com. 

By Ro Hyo-sun