Spicy Live Webfoot Octopus with Bean Sprouts

Name: Spicy Live Webfoot Octopus with Bean Sprouts
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Live webfoot octopus 600 g; Soybean sprouts 200 g; Green onion 0.5 stalk; Onion 0.5 ea; Cheongyang chili pepper 2 ea; Red chili powder 4 tbsp; Soy sauce 2 tbsp; Red chili paste 1 tbsp; Sugar 1 tbsp; Minced garlic 2 tbsp; Cooking wine 1 tbsp; Sesame oil 1 tbsp; Sesame seeds 1 tsp

Blanching is the step that keeps liquid from leaking into this stir-fry: 20 seconds in boiling water, an immediate cold rinse, and very thorough draining. Soften the onion, green onion and 200 g soybean sprouts first, then add the octopus and sauce and stir-fry over high heat for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat while the sprouts are still crisp, and do not simmer long if liquid gathers in the pan.

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 13

About this dish

One bite brings the springy head of webfoot octopus (jjukkumi), its chewy suckered legs and crunchy soybean sprouts.

With plenty of gochugaru and cheongyang chilies on top of that, it is properly hot.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

Green onion½ stalk

Onion½ ea

Cheongyang chili pepper2 ea

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Clean 600 g live webfoot octopus by removing the innards, eyes, and beak.

Rub thoroughly with flour or coarse sea salt, then rinse several times until the water runs clear and the surface no longer feels slippery.
2

Blanch the cleaned octopus in boiling water for only 20 seconds, then rinse it immediately in cold water.

Drain very well and cut it into bite-size pieces so it will stir-fry without releasing too much liquid.
3

Mix 4 tablespoons red chili powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon red chili paste, sugar, minced garlic, and cooking wine.

Let the sauce stand briefly so the chili powder hydrates and coats the octopus evenly.
4

Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat and stir-fry the sliced onion and green onion for about 1 minute.

When fragrant, add 200 g rinsed soybean sprouts and spread them out for even heating.
5

When the sprouts just start to soften, add the octopus and sauce, then stir-fry over high heat for about 2 minutes.

Keep everything moving, and do not simmer long if liquid gathers in the pan.
6

Add 2 diagonally sliced cheongyang chili peppers and toss once more, then turn off the heat.

Finish with 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, and serve while the sprouts are still crisp.