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
- 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.
- Transfer to a plate and serve with rice.
Maangchi, thank you for this great recipe! We are lucky to have super fresh oysters here in Washington. These were grown in Hammersley Inlet, Puget Sound. I shucked them myself and only stabbed my hand once!
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Your gulmuchim made with fresh shucked oysters looks fantastic!
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What a fantastic recipe, Maangchi! I am fortunate to live in Washington State on Puget Sound, where we have fantastic oysters One Note: In your Ingredients above, it looks like part of the information was cut off. I think you meant to say that it took about 2 dozen oysters, but it only says “About 2”. Maybe it meant about 2 cups?
Keep these wonderful recipes coming! When is you next book coming out???
Thank you for letting me know! I updated it. Good luck with making delicious gulmuchim!
How long will this keep?
Can I use gochuchang instead of hot pepper flakes?