Korean Spicy Salted Octopus Jeotgal
Quick answer
- Active time
- 45 min
- Waiting
- See the steps
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 12
About this dish
Raw nakji, a slender-armed octopus, gets a 30-minute salt cure and then goes straight into the red pepper seasoning and stays springy instead of turning soft like long-fermented jeotgal.
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Thin arms and the thick body are cut to different lengths so each piece makes a similar bite. Starch syrup makes the dressing glossy and sweet, slices of garlic give some bites a sharp edge, and sesame finishes it with a toasted note. Anyone who should avoid raw seafood should skip this dish, as salt curing does not replace cooking.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Thaw frozen nakji in the refrigerator overnight.
Rub the cleaned octopus with cleaning flour and cold water, rinse, then scrub with the separate cleaning salt and rinse again. Drain. Reserve all 3 tbsp curing salt.
- 2
Cut thin arms into 3 to 4 cm lengths and thick arms and body into roughly 1 cm pieces.
Mix with the 3 tbsp curing salt, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3
During curing, thinly slice the 4 garlic cloves, slice the scallion white and cut both chilies diagonally.
- 4
After 30 minutes, discard the released liquid and squeeze the octopus firmly.
Transfer to a fresh bowl and mix with 5 tbsp gochugaru, 5 tbsp starch syrup, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp sesame seeds and the sliced vegetables.
- 5
Serve a small portion after mixing, or keep covered at 4°C or below for one day to let the seasoning develop.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- 요리쿵조리쿵: 든든한 밑반찬 낙지젓갈 만들기
만개의레시피 · Checked: 2026-09-13
- FDA seafood handling
U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Checked: 2026-09-13
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