Korean Seasoned Dried Squid Strips

Quick answer

Total time: 12 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Jinmichae-muchim tosses dried shredded squid directly in a spicy-sweet sauce with no cooking involved.

The no-heat approach is what separates it from stir-fried jinmichae: without heat, the strands retain their characteristic jerky-like chew instead of softening. The sauce combines gochujang, gochugaru, and oligosaccharide syrup for the sweet-and-spicy base, with one tablespoon of mayonnaise added as the defining detail. The emulsified fat in the mayo coats each strand, preventing the rough, slightly scratchy texture that plain-dressed dry squid can have on the palate. After mixing, a ten-minute rest is necessary for the squid to absorb the seasoning evenly, so the flavor reaches all the way through each piece rather than sitting only on the surface. Because the finished dish contains virtually no liquid, it holds up well in lunchboxes without bleeding into neighboring banchan, and it keeps for several days refrigerated. Heat level adjusts simply by scaling gochugaru up or down, and the whole process from prep to finished dish takes about fifteen minutes.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dried squid strips180 gg

gochujang2 tbsptbsp

gochugaru1 tbsptbsp

oligodang syrup2 tbsptbsp

mayonnaise1 tbsptbsp

minced garlic1 tsptsp

sesame oil1 tsptsp

sesame seeds1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Spread out 180 g dried squid strips and loosen any hard clumps with your fingers.

Cut the strands into 5 to 6 cm lengths with kitchen scissors so the seasoning can coat them evenly instead of collecting on long tangled pieces.
2

Prep

In a large bowl, first combine 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, and 2 tablespoons oligosaccharide syrup.

Stir until the paste turns a smooth deep red with no dry pepper flakes or thick gochujang streaks left.
3

Season

Add 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon minced garlic to the sauce.

Stir until the mayonnaise is fully blended and the sauce looks glossy, since uneven mayo leaves pale spots and does not soften the squid evenly.
4

Season

Add the cut squid strips to the bowl and lift them through the sauce with your fingertips.

Knead gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the white dry surfaces disappear, but avoid crushing the strands into a sticky mass.
5

Season

Drizzle in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and toss once more with a light hand.

If the seasoning feels very thick, do not overwork it; just coat the outside evenly so the strands stay separate and chewy.
6

Season

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds over the seasoned squid and let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Toss again after the seasoning has soaked in, then pack it into a container and refrigerate before serving.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Gochujang and mayonnaise coat dried squid strips with no heat, preserving the snap the stir-fry loses.
Finish cue: If the seasoning feels very thick, do not overwork it; just coat the outside evenly so the strands stay separate and chewy.
Avoid this: Knead gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the white dry surfaces disappear, but avoid crushing the strands into a sticky mass.
Substitution: The no-heat approach is what separates it from stir-fried jinmichae: without heat, the strands retain their characteristic jerky-like chew instead of softening.
Storage and reheating: Because the finished dish contains virtually no liquid, it holds up well in lunchboxes without bleeding into neighboring banchan, and it keeps for several days refrigerated.