Ojingeo bokkeum
오징어볶음: squid stir-fried in a fiery gochujang sauce with onion, cabbage and peppers
Around the harbours of the Chungcheong coast on the Yellow Sea, seafood restaurants fry freshly landed squid in a sticky red sauce, and the same dish turns up in lunch canteens and home kitchens all over Korea. Bright with chilli, it's on the table in about twenty minutes and is often piled straight onto rice as ojingeo deopbap. The sauce is gochujang and chilli flakes sweetened with a little sugar, and the vegetables stay crisp. Serve with rice and a bowl of light soup to cool things down. Chef's tip: mix the sauce before you light the hob, because the squid cooks so fast that there is no time to measure anything once it's in the pan.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the squid
For the sauce
For the stir-fry
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste), 1 ½ tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru), 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ginger and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil in a small bowl to a smooth sauce.
Step 2: Cut the squid bodies open along one side and lay them flat, inside up. Score the inside in a criss-cross pattern without cutting through, then cut into strips about 2 by 5 cm. Cut the tentacles into pairs. Pat everything dry with kitchen paper.
5 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat until it shimmers. Add 1 onion, ½ carrot and 5 ½ oz white cabbage and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges start to soften but the cabbage is still crisp.
3 minStep 4: Add 1 ⅛ lb squid and the sauce and toss constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until the squid turns opaque white, curls up and feels firm but springy.
3 minStep 5: Common mistake: cooking the squid for longer to be safe. Squid goes tough and rubbery after about 3 minutes of fast cooking, and only softens again after a long braise. Take the wok off the heat as soon as the pieces have curled and lost their glassy look.
Step 6: Toss in 1 long green chilli and 3 spring onions for the last 30 seconds, sprinkle with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and serve at once with 16 oz cooked short-grain rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ojingeo bokkeum take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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