Korean Poached Squid Slices
Quick answer
Ojingeo-sukhoe is a Korean poached squid dish where cleaned whole squid is blanched for two to three minutes in boiling water seasoned with salt, cooking wine, and green...
What makes this special
- Blanching whole squid for three minutes gives Ojingeo-sukhoe its signature springy, tender texture.
- Two to three minutes of poaching preserves the smooth, springy cross-section
- Mirin in the poaching water catches any remaining fishy notes
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Clean the two whole squids by removing the innards, transparent backbone, and skin.
- 2 Add 900 ml water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, and half a green onion to a pot.
- 3 When the water is fully boiling, add the squid and poach for only 2 to 3 minutes.
Ojingeo-sukhoe is a Korean poached squid dish where cleaned whole squid is blanched for two to three minutes in boiling water seasoned with salt, cooking wine, and green onion, then sliced into pieces and served alongside vinegared gochujang. The most important step is thorough preparation: the innards are removed completely, the skin is peeled away, and the body is rinsed under cold running water until there is no trace of sliminess or off-odor remaining. Cooking wine in the blanching water neutralizes any residual fishiness, and the green onion infuses a mild aromatic note into the flesh. The squid goes into water that is already at a full boil so the surface seizes immediately and the interior moisture stays locked in rather than leaching out into the pot. Pulling the squid out the moment the flesh turns opaque and letting it rest briefly prevents carryover heat from tightening the protein any further, preserving the elastic, springy bite that defines good sukhoe. Slicing after cooling also produces a cleaner cut than slicing while still hot. The dipping sauce of gochujang, vinegar, garlic, and sugar provides a sharp, tangy contrast that cuts through the mild squid and makes the dish far more dynamic than its simple method would suggest.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Clean the two whole squids by removing the innards, transparent backbone, and skin.
Rinse under cold running water, rubbing away any slime, then drain well so the blanching water stays clean and the flavor remains mild.
- 2Control
Add 900 ml water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, and half a green onion to a pot.
Bring it to a full rolling boil over high heat so the squid surface cooks quickly.
- 3Heat
When the water is fully boiling, add the squid and poach for only 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove it as soon as the flesh turns opaque white and curls slightly, before the texture tightens.
- 4Heat
Set the poached squid in a strainer to drain, then cool it briefly at room temperature.
Spread the pieces out instead of piling them up, because trapped heat can keep cooking the flesh.
- 5Prep
Slice the body into 1 cm rings, keeping the round shape intact.
Cut only the larger tentacle sections into bite-size pieces, drawing the knife cleanly through so the tender surface is not crushed.
- 6Finish
Arrange the squid on a plate without crowding the slices, and serve with 3 tablespoons vinegared gochujang sauce.
Do not serve it icy cold. It tastes best while still springy and lightly cooled.
After the steps
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