Kkomak Muchim (Seasoned Blood Cockles)
- Korean Food Addict
- Aug 9, 2025
Kkomak Muchim (Seasoned Blood Cockles)
Kkomak Muchim is a beloved winter delicacy from Korea's Jeollanam-do province. Tender, chewy cockle meat is dressed in a sweet and spicy sauce, making it perfect as a rice side dish or drinking snack. The cockles from Boseong and Beolgyo regions are particularly famous, and they're at their best from November through March.
Characteristics of Cockles
Cockles are prized among shellfish for their satisfying chewy texture and rich, savory flavor. They're high in iron and protein, making them excellent winter nourishment. Fresh cockles have clear shell ridges and are tightly closed. When opened, they reveal plump, reddish meat.
Cooking Tips
The key to delicious boiled cockles is timing and stirring direction. Add cockles to rapidly boiling water and stir only in one direction - the centrifugal force causes the meat to stick to one shell, making shelling much easier. Remove them immediately when about 3 shells open to prevent the meat from becoming tough.
Never rinse boiled cockles in cold water as this shrinks the meat and washes away flavor. Instead, reserve the cooking water and use it to rinse away any remaining grit. Adding soup soy sauce and rice wine to the boiling water reduces fishiness and adds umami.
Storage and Serving
Refrigerate kkomak muchim and consume within 2-3 days. Don't discard leftover sauce - mix it with hot rice for a delicious treat. Adding dried seaweed makes it even better. For a sweeter, more tender flavor, add pear or apple juice to the sauce.
Instructions:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Select Cockles
- Prepare 500g of cockles
- Choose ones with clean shells and clear ridges
- Tightly closed shells indicate freshness
- Cockles from Boseong or Beolgyo regions are famous
- Select Cockles
- Prepare 500g of cockles
- Choose ones with clean shells and clear ridges
- Tightly closed shells indicate freshness
- Cockles from Boseong or Beolgyo regions are famous
- Purge Sand
- Wear rubber gloves and scrub cockles in salt water
- Repeat 3-4 times until water runs clear
- Soak in seawater-strength salt solution and cover with dark bag
- Let sit for 3+ hours to expel sand
- Boil Cockles
- Add cockles when water reaches rolling boil
- Stir in one direction about 15 times with chopsticks
- Add 1 tbsp soup soy sauce and 1 tbsp rice wine to reduce fishy smell and add umami
- Stirring in one direction makes the meat stick to one shell for easy shelling
- Remove Cockles
- Remove immediately when about 3 shells open
- Do not rinse with cold water
- Use reserved cooking water to rinse away any remaining grit
- Overcooking makes the meat tough
- Make Sauce
- Mix 2 tbsp red pepper flakes and 1 tbsp sugar
- Add 4 tbsp soy sauce and 0.5 tbsp mirin
- Add 0.5 tbsp sesame oil and 0.5 tbsp minced garlic
- Finish with 2 tbsp minced green onion and sesame seeds
- Shell Cockles
- When cooled, insert spoon at back of shell and twist to open
- Place with meat side down on the shell
- Can also separate meat completely
- Leaving on half-shell looks prettier
- Add Sauce
- Spoon sauce evenly over cockles
- Gently toss to coat
- Eat immediately or let marinate 30 minutes for better flavor
- Plate and Serve
- Arrange attractively on plate
- Garnish with sesame seeds
- Leftover sauce is delicious mixed with rice
- Refrigerate and consume within 2-3 days
Recipe Notes:
- Cockles are in season from November to March when they're plumpest and most flavorful.
- Stir in one direction so meat sticks to one shell for easy shelling.
- Don't rinse in cold water - it shrinks the meat and washes out flavor. Use cooking water instead.
- Remove immediately when about 3 shells open to prevent toughness.
- Adding soup soy sauce and rice wine reduces fishy smell and adds umami.
- Serving on half-shell looks elegant and is fun to eat.
- Adding pear juice to sauce makes it sweeter and more tender.
- Leftover sauce is delicious mixed with hot rice.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredient
- 500 g cockles
Sauce
- 2 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 0.5 tbsp mirin
- 0.5 tbsp sesame oil
- 0.5 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp minced green onion
- sesame seeds