Ojingeo Bokkeum (Spicy Korean Squid Stir-Fry)

Ojingeo bokkeum is a spicy, stir-fried squid dish made with a few basic Korean ingredients. Cooking it quickly over high heat ensures the squid remains tender and juicy. If you’re a fan of squid and spicy flavors, this simple recipe is a must-try.

Ojingeo is squid, and bokkeum refers to the dishes that are stir-fried. Ojingeo bokkeum ranks high among ways to savor squid, popular in Korean cuisine and often served over rice as a delicious rice bowl (or “dupbap”) meal.

Spicy squid stir-fry recipe involves cutting squid into bite-sized pieces and stir-frying them with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, along with vegetables like onions and carrots. The sauce adds a delicious kick, making the vegetables crisp and the squid tender and flavorful.

If you love squid, this Korean recipe offers a perfect balance of heat and flavor that won’t overwhelm your senses. Using pre-cleaned squid, you can prepare this dish in about 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• Squid: Fresh is best, but frozen whole squid is also suitable. Avoid pre-cut squid as it may not taste as good.
• Vegetables: Onion, Asian leek (optional), carrot, garlic, and fresh chili (optional but recommended).
• Oil: For stir-frying.
• Seasoning: Essential Korean pantry items such as soy sauce, gochujang, gochugaru, sugar, black pepper, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

How to Clean Squid

You can often find whole squid that’s already cleaned in the freezer section at Asian grocery stores or Korean markets. But if you can’t find it or prefer to do it yourself, cleaning fresh squid is easy.

Here’s how:

First, pull the head and tentacles away from the body to remove the innards. Cut off the tentacles just above the eyes and discard the head and guts. Remove the hard beak from the tentacles.

Pull out the clear, plastic-like quill from the body tube, and optionally peel off the skin. Rinse everything under cold water to remove any residue. Now your squid is ready to use!

How to Make Ojingeo Bokkeum

A common issue with many ojingeo bokkeum recipes is they tend to release a lot of liquid during the cooking process leading to a watery sauce that dilutes the flavors. However, by using the stir-frying techniques and tips in my tutorial, you’ll avoid this issue and create a delicious, flavorful Korean squid dish that tastes better than any others you’ve tried.

Preparing squid

First, let’s prep the squid. You have two choices:

1. Keep the squid tube whole and cut it into rings.
2. Or, do as I do for a slightly different approach.

Open up the squid body and remove any flexible bone inside. This step is optional, but it’s a common technique used by Korean cooks. Lightly score the squid in a diamond pattern (about 1/4-inch squares).

This not only makes the squid hold more sauce but also gives it a unique appearance. Then, slice the squid body into strips and cut the tentacles into pieces of your preferred size.

Make the Spicy Sauce

In a small bowl, mix together gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), gochujang (chili paste), soy sauce, minced garlic, and a pinch of black pepper. Set this sauce aside for later.

Stir-frying

Infuse Asian leek in oil. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add sliced Asian leek (or green onions) and stir-fry for 30-60 seconds, until the aroma is released and the leek is slightly caramelized. Toss in the onion and carrot, continuing to stir-fry for another minute.

Add the prepared squid and a sprinkle of sugar. Stir-fry everything together for about a minute. Then, push the squid mix to one side of the pan. Do not try to fully cook the squid at this point.

Stir-fry spicy sauce on the side. Pour the spicy sauce into the other side of the pan, tilting it so the sauce gathers in one spot. This method draws out moisture from the squid. Stir-fry the sauce until the moisture has almost evaporated, about 30 seconds, keeping the heat high.

Mix the squid mixture back with the sauce. Add fresh green chili if you like, and toss everything together for another 15-30 seconds. Take the skillet off the heat, drizzle sesame oil over the top, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serve your spicy squid stir-fry immediately with white rice for a delicious meal.

Best Cooking Method for Squid

Cooking squid so it’s tender and not rubbery is simpler than you might think. Quickly cooking at high heat, like stir-frying, prevents it from becoming tough. Alternatively, cooking it low and slow can also make it tender.

For even softer squid, soak it in milk for an hour before cooking; enzymes in the milk help soften it. Be sure to pat the squid dry before cooking. While not always necessary, this milk-soaking step can ensure tender results.

Cook’s Note: I first shared this recipe back in September 2014. Since then, I’ve updated it with new details, pictures, and a tutorial video to show you just how easy it is to make this dish.

More Spicy Korean Dishes

• Spicy Pork Bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum)
• Classic Tteokbokki: 20-Minute Korean Spicy Rice Cakes
• The Best Crispy Korean Fried Chicken
• Dakdoritang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew)
• Tuna Sundubu Jjigae: 10-Minute Korean Tofu Soup

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