This is a simple but delicious side dish that’s made with peanuts. Made similar to kongjang (soy braised soybeans), this braised peanut dish (ddang-kong jorim, 땅콩조림) is sweet, sticky, savory, and nutty with a pleasant chewy texture! It’s a popular basic side dish (mit-banchan, 밑반찬).
Did you know peanuts are legumes, not nuts, in the botanical sense? They are seeds in the pot like beans. Peanuts actually grow underground, unlike other nuts such as walnuts and almonds, which are fruit of the trees.
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 desired.
Before braising the peanuts, par-boil them, and discard the brownish cooking liquid. 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 picking at a few to eat as a snack. They are also great as a drinking snack (anju, 안주).
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw shelled peanuts with skins
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin (or white wine)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup or Korean oligodang
- 1 cup water or dasima broth
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the peanuts and 2 cups of water to a small pot, bring it to a boil, and boil for about 5 minutes.
- Drain the peanuts, discarding the cooking liquid.
- 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, 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. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
