Beondegi

Ingredients

The pot

• 1 tinsilkworm pupae (about 400 g), or 300 g frozen
• 600 mlwater
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspmirin or rice wine
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 1spring onion
• ½ tspsalt
• ¼ tspblack pepper

Optional

• 1dried chilli
• 1 tspgochugaru

Directions

1. Drain the tinned pupae and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water for a full minute. Tinned beondegi sits in a strong liquor and rinsing is what keeps the finished dish savoury rather than overwhelming.
2. Bring the water to a boil with the soy, mirin, sugar, garlic, spring onion, salt and pepper.
3. Add the pupae and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. They should absorb the seasoning and the liquid should reduce to a glossy few spoonfuls.
4. Add the chilli or gochugaru in the last 5 minutes if you want heat, which is common at street stalls.
5. Shake the pan rather than stirring hard — the pupae soften as they cook and break up easily.
6. Serve hot in small paper cups with a toothpick, the way they are sold from carts, with the remaining broth spooned over.
7. The texture is the point of contention rather than the flavour: a thin skin that pops, then a soft, nutty, faintly earthy interior.

Technique

• Rinse well. This is the single step that decides whether beondegi tastes savoury or aggressive.
• Do not overcook. Past about 25 minutes they collapse into mush.
• Insects are an allergen for people sensitive to shellfish and dust mites, since they share tropomyosin proteins. Anyone with a shellfish allergy should avoid them.

Substitutions

• Frozen pupae need no rinsing and 5 minutes less cooking.
• There is no substitute; this is a dish about the specific ingredient.

Variations

• A drier stir-fried version tossed with gochujang.
• Sold in tins ready to heat, which is how most Koreans eat them at home.

History

A by-product of Korea’s silk industry, the pupae became a cheap protein snack during postwar shortages and remain a nostalgic street food.

Frequently asked questions

What is Beondegi?

Beondegi is a street food from South Korea: steamed silkworm pupae sold in paper cups, nutty and startlingly earthy. A by-product of Korea’s silk industry, the pupae became a cheap protein snack during postwar shortages and remain a nostalgic street food.

How long does Beondegi take to make?

Beondegi takes 10 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 small cups. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Beondegi?

Yes, within limits. Frozen pupae need no rinsing and 5 minutes less cooking. There is no substitute; this is a dish about the specific ingredient.

What is the most important thing to get right in Beondegi?

Drain the tinned pupae and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water for a full minute. Tinned beondegi sits in a strong liquor and rinsing is what keeps the finished dish savoury rather than overwhelming.