Spicy Korean Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음) Stir-fry Recipe: Authentic Korean Food to Relieve Stress!
Spicy Stir-fried Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음): How about this for dinner? A stress-relieving home-cooked recipe! Hello!
Spicy Stir-fried Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음): How about this for dinner? A stress-relieving home-cooked recipe!
Hello! The weather has gotten quite chilly lately, hasn't it? In weather like this, I find myself constantly craving spicy food. On my way home from work, I suddenly thought of a spicy flavor that would blow away all my stress, so today I brought my highly cherished Spicy Stir-fried Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음) recipe. I used to think it was natural to just eat this at restaurants, but after making it at home, I found I could enjoy much plumper and fresher octopus to my heart's content. Now, I always cook it at home!
This dish specifically brightens up the dining table atmosphere when friends or family come over. When the chewy texture of the octopus meets the fiery seasoning, you really don't need any other side dishes. Today, I’ll generously share my secret tips for stir-frying it perfectly without it getting watery, along with the golden ratio for the sauce, so that even beginners can succeed 100%. Shall we get started?
Preparing Ingredients Better than a Restaurant (Serves 2)
First, let's get the ingredients ready. While the freshness of the octopus is most important, frozen small octopus is so high-quality these days that you can enjoy it deliciously as long as you thaw it properly!
- Essential Ingredients: 500g cleaned small octopus, 1/2 onion, 1 stalk of green onion, 1 handful of cabbage, 2 Korean green chili peppers (Cheongyang), 2 tablespoons flour (for cleaning)
- Sauce Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Korean red chili flakes (Gochugaru), 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon oligosaccharide (or corn syrup), 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon Korean red chili paste (Gochujang), 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, a pinch of black pepper
- Finishing Touches: 1 tablespoon sesame oil, a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds!
Pro-tip! Adding a little bit of oyster sauce to the seasoning creates an explosion of umami. This is the secret behind that deep flavor you get at restaurants. And if you really love spicy food, I recommend adding one or two crushed Thai bird's eye chilies instead of capsaicin!
Step-by-Step Cooking Process
Step 1. Cleaning the Octopus
Small octopus can have impurities stuck between the suckers. Place the octopus in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of flour and a bit of coarse salt, and knead it vigorously. Once foam appears and the impurities are washed away, rinse it several times in cold water and squeeze out the moisture tightly. This is the most basic yet crucial step in the making process!
Step 2. Blanching the Octopus (The key to preventing wateriness!)
Have you ever been frustrated by too much liquid coming out when you stir-fry at home? Add 1 teaspoon of salt to boiling water and blanch the octopus for just 30 seconds. This prevents moisture from leaking out and helps the seasoning stick perfectly later, making it much more delicious. After blanching, rinse immediately in cold water to keep it plump and firm.
Step 3. Making the Secret Sauce
Mix all the prepared sauce ingredients (chili flakes, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, etc.). If you let the sauce age for about 30 minutes, the chili flakes will hydrate, making the color more beautiful and the taste deeper. This is the famous golden ratio point for Spicy Stir-fried Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음)!
Step 4. Preparing the Vegetables
Slice the onion thickly and cut the green onion diagonally. The cabbage should be cut into large pieces (not too thin) to maintain its crunchy texture. Prepare the green chili peppers to your liking. I prepared 3 today just to blow away my stress!
Step 5. Stir-frying Quickly over High Heat
Heat some cooking oil in a pan and sauté the green onions first to make scallion oil. Once the aroma rises, add the hard vegetables like onion and cabbage and stir-fry. When the vegetables are halfway cooked, toss in the octopus and the sauce! The key here is high heat. Octopus becomes tough if overcooked, so the secret is to stir-fry it quickly for about 2–3 minutes just until the seasoning is evenly coated.
Step 6. Finishing with Sesame Oil and Toasted Sesame Seeds
Turn off the heat and drizzle 1 tablespoon of sesame oil at the end for a nutty aroma. Sprinkle plenty of toasted sesame seeds to finish, and your mouth-watering Spicy Stir-fried Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음) is complete!
Plating & Delicious Combinations
After plating it in a pretty dish, try serving it with perilla leaves (깻잎) and kelp noodles or mayonnaise on the side. Placing the spicy octopus on a fragrant perilla leaf with a dab of mayonnaise creates a flavor that is out of this world! I also recommend serving it with crunchy seasoned bean sprouts to mix together.
For a drink, a cold Korean fruit juice (like Kul-pis) is great, but for adults, a cold glass of beer makes it the ultimate "Anju" (drinking snack). It's also a true "rice thief" when served over a bowl of rice like a rice bowl dish.
Honest Review & Storage Tips
It’s been a while since I made this at home, and it’s definitely more generous and delicious than buying it! The octopus is so plump and the seasoning soaked in perfectly, so I finished two bowls of rice in no time. If it's too spicy for you, you can neutralize the heat by increasing the amount of cabbage, which adds natural sweetness.
If you have leftovers, make fried rice by adding rice, seaweed flakes, and kimchi to the remaining sauce. We all know that the true star of octopus stir-fry is this fried rice at the end, right? For storage, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat it within 1–2 days for maximum freshness. But honestly, it's so delicious you probably won't have any leftovers!
Why not enjoy a delicious home-cooked party with your family this weekend using the Spicy Stir-fried Small Octopus (매콤한 쭈꾸미볶음) recipe I shared today? I'll be back with an even more delicious recipe next time! Have a tasty day, everyone~
