Dried anchovies are sold in plastic bags or boxes, sorted by size.
Smaller anchovies (mareun janmyeolchi 마른 잔멸치) are used in stir-fries and toasted whole with soy sauce and chili paste to serve, bones and all, as a side dish with rice or as a snack. Large anchovies (gukmulyong mareunmyeolchi 국물용 마른멸치), around 3½ inches long, are used to flavor soups and stews.
Store in a zipper-lock bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 year. Before using larger anchovies, remove the heads and guts (the black innards).

Personally I like to eat the larger dried anchovies by themselves (after removing the heads and intestines, or course : )). I dip them in hot pepper paste and eat them with rice. Very delicious! The tiny bones of myeolchi contain a lot of calcium and are really good for you.

Medium dried anchovies on the top shelf, and large anchovies on the lower shelf

Tiny little anchovies


Large dried anchovies

A Korean cook book I have says to get rid of dried anchovy heads and intestine. If I use large dried anchovies, do I get rid of heads and intestine or just intestine part?
Susan,
Large dried anchovies! That’s what you need. : ) I don’t know about price. Not expensive I guess.
Hi, I was wondering when you make ddukbokki, is it best to use the small or large anchovies? And also how much does it usually cost? Thanks!
Lisa,
Yes, I’m sure it’s available in any Korean grocery store.
your recipes and videos are xcellent.
Can I get the anchovies from any Korean store???
Portugalbear,
You asked the question here.
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/ddukbokkie
Hi Maangchi, I asked this question before but i forgot where. hope you can answer it again. I can only find powdered anchovies. can i used still use this?
mangichivi,
haha, no way! This recipe is for dried anchovies.
hey maangchi can i use fresh anchovies??
Hi, Anonymous,
You have small size dried anchovies to make stock?
I would use maybe 2 – 3 spoons.
No need to get rid of intestine part. It’s impossible! lol
Aditu,
Yes, I always keep dried anchovies in the freezer. Thanks!
Hi Maangchi!
Do I have to put the dried anchovies in the freezer? I bought them frozen at my korean supermarket (but that could be because, according to the food-law, you have to freeze almost any kind of fish here).
And I also wanted to say that I absolutely love your videos and recipies! I even got my mom to like Korean food :-)
Thanks a lot
Hi Maangchi,
If I use the small size dried anchovies for soon dubu soup, how many should I use?
I don’t have the larger size anchovies, just small ones. And do I still need to clean them?
Thanks!
mista,
Thank you for leaving a comment under a right category. Your question may be someone else’ question, soo.
Yes, it’s called Myul chi bokkeum.
I will post the side dish video someday, but meanwhile make your “myulchi bokkeum” with this reicpe.
Ingredients:
small size dried anchovies, hot pepper paste, green chili pepper, garlic, vegetable oil, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds.
1. Toast 3 cups of dried anchovies in a pan or wok for about 3-5 minutes under medium heat.
2. Add some vegetable oil and 1 sliced green chili pepper and keep stirring for 1 minute.
3. Add 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 or 2 TBS of hot pepper paste, 2 TBS sugar, 1 TBS corn syrup, keep stirring quickly.
4. Turn the heat off and add 1/2 TBS of sesame oil and sprinkle 1/2 TBS sesame seeds.
That’s all!
If you like to use soy sauce instead of hot pepper paste, 1 TBS of soy sauce is enough.
Good luck with your myul chi bokkeum!
hey maangchi,
i m from mongolia. i really liked your recipes and videos. since a decade, lots of koreans started to live here in mongolia. they opened korean restaurants and i loved korean food, but it was absolutely mystery for me how it was made. after watching your videos i can make at home the dishes i loved. it s amazing. thanks a lot!
by the way, my wife loves anchovies side dish and i m goin to try to make it with your recipe ;)
thanks again
cool! let me know how your anchovy side dish turns out!
Hi Maangchi!
I went to a Korean restaurant a few days ago, and one of the “banchan” was the small dried anchovies in some kind of sauce. I read this statement from the anchovie post:
“The small size dried anchovies are used for a side dish called “Myulchi bok keum”, toasted with soy sauce, sugar, and hot pepper paste.”
It sounds very much like the one I had. Would it be too much to post a short instructional on how to make this? Thanks a lot!