Sweet Dried Anchovies
It's quite possible that nothing has ever sounded worse to you, but believe me, nearly everyone who tries these crisp, salty, sweet tidbits falls in love with them. Best served as a little nibble, but hard to stop eating once you start, these rank as one of my favorite snacks to accompany an ice-cold beer or cold sake (or some soju, the deceptively mild Korean vodka). Buy the smallest dried anchovies you can find for this dish, preferably no more than an inch or so long.
- 1 cup dried baby anchovies
- 3 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon go chu jang (Korean chili paste) or
- Chinese chile-bean paste, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds , optional
Instructions:
-  Rinse the anchovies, then soak them in water to cover while you prepare the other ingredients.
-  Put the oil in a 10-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. A minute later, add the anchovies and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat so they brown and become crisp without burning, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, sugar, and sesame oil and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
- Add the go chu jang and soy sauce and cook for a minute more, stirring constantly. Taste and add more sesame oil, soy sauce, or go chu jang as you like. Remove the anchovies, drain on paper towels, and garnish with the sesame seeds. Serve immediately or within several hours.