Korean Spicy Stir-fried Squid
Quick answer
Ojingeo-bokkeum is one of Korea's most popular spicy stir-fries, featuring scored squid bodies and tentacles tossed over high heat with onion, carrot, cabbage, and scalli...
What makes this special
- Scored squid bodies and cabbage hit high heat together with a gochujang sauce for a spicy stir-fry.
- Cross-hatch scoring on squid body increases marinade absorption surface
- Cabbage and carrot added in final minute to stay crunchy against chewy squid
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Pat 2 squid very dry, then score the inside of each body lightly in a crosshatch pattern.
- 2 Mix 2 tbsp gochujang with 1 tbsp each gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic until smooth.
- 3 Slice 1 onion thickly, slice half a carrot thinly, and tear 100 g cabbage into bite-size pieces.
Ojingeo-bokkeum is one of Korea's most popular spicy stir-fries, featuring scored squid bodies and tentacles tossed over high heat with onion, carrot, cabbage, and scallion in a gochujang-gochugaru-soy-sugar sauce. Crosshatch scoring on the squid allows the thick, spicy sauce to penetrate deeply, ensuring consistent flavor in every bite. The entire stir-fry takes only a few minutes on maximum heat - essential for keeping the squid springy rather than rubbery. Cabbage and carrot go in near the end to retain their crunch, and a final sesame oil drizzle ties the smoky wok char to the bold red seasoning.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Pat 2 squid very dry, then score the inside of each body lightly in a crosshatch pattern.
Cut the bodies and tentacles into bite-size pieces so they cook quickly and take the sauce evenly.
- 2Season
Mix 2 tbsp gochujang with 1 tbsp each gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic until smooth.
If the paste is too stiff to coat the squid, loosen it with the soy sauce already in the mixture.
- 3Prep
Slice 1 onion thickly, slice half a carrot thinly, and tear 100 g cabbage into bite-size pieces.
Keep the green onion separate because it goes in at the end and should stay fragrant.
- 4Control
Heat a wide pan over high heat until clearly hot, then coat it lightly with cooking oil.
Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry for about 1 minute, just until the onion edges turn slightly translucent.
- 5Season
Add the squid and stir-fry for only 1 minute, turning the pieces so the outside firms up.
Add the sauce, keep the heat high, and toss quickly for about 2 minutes to avoid rubbery squid.
- 6Finish
Add the cabbage and green onion and stir-fry for 1 more minute, just until the cabbage softens slightly but still crunches.
Turn off the heat, drizzle 1 tbsp sesame oil, and serve immediately while hot.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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