Korean Spicy Stir-fried Octopus
Quick answer
- Total time
- 25 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 11
About this dish
For this nakji-bokkeum, 300 g of small octopus cooks first under a cover and then finishes uncovered over high heat.
Read more
Rub the octopus with flour and salt until the slippery coating diminishes, rinse it several times, drain it well, and cut it into bite-size pieces. Make the sauce from 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 1/2 tablespoons of gochugaru, and 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic. Spread 100 g of bean sprouts across the bottom of a hot pan, then layer on the onion, carrot, and half of the sauce. Place the octopus above the vegetables, coat it with the remaining sauce, cover, and leave it at medium heat for 3 minutes. Moisture released by the sprouts helps keep the thick gochujang mixture from scorching too early. When the octopus begins to curl, uncover the pan, raise the heat, and toss from the bottom for 2 minutes. Stop when the liquid has tightened into a sauce and the curled pieces still feel springy. Add the green onion only long enough to soften slightly, then turn off the heat and mix in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Rub 300 g small octopus with flour and salt until the surface feels less slippery, then rinse several times.
Drain well, pat off excess moisture, and cut into bite-size pieces so it cooks quickly.
- 2Season
Slice 1 onion, 1/2 carrot, and 1 green onion so they soften evenly in the pan.
Mix 2 tbsp gochujang, 1.5 tbsp gochugaru, and 1 tbsp each soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic.
- 3Control
Heat the pan, then spread 100 g bean sprouts in an even layer across the bottom.
Add onion and carrot on top, scatter half of the sauce over them, and keep the sprouts underneath to release moisture and reduce scorching.
- 4Control
Place the octopus over the vegetables and coat the top with the remaining sauce.
Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, just until the octopus begins to curl and release juices.
- 5Control
Uncover, raise the heat to high, and stir-fry quickly for 2 minutes.
Toss from the bottom so the bean sprout moisture blends into the sauce, and stop when the sauce thickens and the octopus feels springy.
- 6Finish
Add the green onion and toss only until it softens slightly, then turn off the heat.
Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and serve before the octopus becomes tough.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Nakji-bokkeum layers tender small octopus over bean sprouts in a fiery gochujang-gochugaru sauce.
- Finish cue
- Place the octopus over the vegetables and coat the top with the remaining sauce.
- Avoid this
- Cook octopus quickly on high heat--overcooking makes it tough.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
25min, 11 ingredients
Category median
25min, 8 ingredients
Based on 220 recipes
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Tips
Estimated nutrition (per serving)
Variations
Spicy Octopus and Green Onion Stir-Fry
Baby octopus and green onions stir-fried in a spicy gochujang sauce. Tender, chewy octopus paired with sweet caramelized green onions.