Seasoned fresh oysters

Korean Gulmuchim is a simple and easy recipe. Just mix some raw oysters with the seasonings and you’re done! It’s been one of my favorite side dishes ever since I was young. If you like freshly shucked oysters and Korean food, it will be a nice side dish for your rice!

The only real problem is that freshly shucked oysters are kind of pricey. I sometimes make this dish with packaged frozen oysters sold at a Korean grocery store. Check out the photo below.

The oysters are flash frozen, so it’s safe to eat them raw if you know how to thaw them out properly. Once I bring them home, I soak the unopened package in cold water to thaw them out. Then I open the package and put the oysters into salty water (about 3 cups water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt), and then rinse them off one by one to remove any sediment. Then I rinse them a couple more times and strain. Then they’re ready to mix with seasonings.

You can try it out. Gulmuchim is good with frozen oysters, but made with oysters freshly shucked right in front of you is much more refreshing and tastier.

Flash Frozen Oysters (sold in the freezer at a Korean grocery store.)

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 4 ounce fresh cleaned shucked oyster (about 2 dozen)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine oysters, garlic, green onion, soy sauce, hot pepper flakes, sugar, toasted sesame oil, and sesame seeds in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon.
2. Transfer to a plate and serve with rice.