Spicy Nakji Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Octopus) with a Chewy Texture
A special dish of chewy small octopus cleaned with flour and salt, stir-fried over high heat with Cheongyang chili pepper and spicy seasoning sauce.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Small octopus is cleaned with flour and coarse sea salt to remove any fishiness and bring out its chewy texture, then quickly stir-fried over high heat in a spicy seasoning. Adding Cheongyang chili pepper gives it a rich, fiery kick that is perfect for tossing with rice or enjoying with drinks. Letting the sauce rest for at least 2 hours brings out a vibrant color and deep umami flavor.
- Servings
- about 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Very spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Small octopus (nakji)300 g
- Onion1/2
- Korean zucchini (aehobak)a little (skin part)
- Carrot1/2
- Red chili pepper1
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Large green onion (daepa)1 stalk
Seasoning
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)3 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Garlic1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Ginger powder0.5 tsp
- Ground black pepper
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- If you let the sauce mature for at least 2 hours, it gets a vibrant color and deep umami flavor.
- You can use whatever vegetables you have at home.
- For households with children, you can substitute bell peppers for the red chili pepper and Cheongyang chili pepper.
- After removing the innards and beak, rub the octopus vigorously with flour about 2 times to remove the fishy smell. Rub it again with coarse sea salt about 2 times to remove debris from the suckers, then rinse thoroughly in clean water to wash out the saltiness.
Steps
First, make the seasoning sauce and let it rest before prepping the ingredients.
The color turns vibrant and it brings out deep umami. It is best to let it rest for at least 2 hours.
Mix together the seasoning amounts listed above.
If you are eating with children, reduce the gochujang and gochugaru and adjust with soy sauce instead.
You can use whatever vegetables you have at home.
If you have children at home, it is a good idea to use bell peppers instead of red chili pepper and Cheongyang chili pepper.
To clean the octopus, remove the innards and beak first, then rub vigorously with flour about 2 times
to get rid of the characteristic fishy odor of octopus.
Add coarse sea salt and rub vigorously, repeating about 2 times.
This removes debris from the octopus suckers and gives it an even chewier texture.
There should not be any leftover saltiness here, so rinse thoroughly in clean water to wash out the salt.
Just massage and rinse several times.
Cut the thoroughly cleaned octopus into bite-sized pieces.
Add the prepared seasoning sauce to the octopus and toss well.
If you want a stir-fry without much liquid, blanch it briefly in boiling water, rinse in cold water,
and drain well before tossing with the sauce. That way, less liquid will come out when you stir-fry.
Heat oil in a preheated pan and briefly stir-fry the carrot.
Add the onion and zucchini, and stir-fry briefly.
Do not cook them all the way through; just stir-fry briefly.
Add the seasoned octopus and stir-fry quickly over high heat.
When the octopus is nearly cooked through,
Add the chili peppers and large green onion, and stir-fry quickly.
Once the green onion and chili peppers wilt slightly, it is done.
Ppunwife's tips
- Rub the octopus with flour and coarse sea salt to remove debris from the suckers and get rid of the fishy smell.
- If you want a stir-fry without much liquid, blanch the octopus briefly in boiling water, rinse in cold water, drain well, and toss with the seasoning before stir-frying to minimize excess liquid.
FAQ
How can I prevent excess liquid from forming while stir-frying?
Blanch the octopus briefly in boiling water, rinse it in cold water, drain the water thoroughly, and toss it in the seasoning before stir-frying to reduce the amount of liquid that forms.
How can I adjust the spiciness to eat with children?
Reduce the amounts of gochujang and gochugaru, adjust the seasoning with soy sauce, and use bell peppers instead of Cheongyang chili pepper and red chili pepper to make it less spicy.
Why do you use both flour and salt when cleaning the octopus?
Flour is effective at removing the distinct fishy smell, while coarse sea salt clears out impurities from the suckers and enhances the chewy texture.
Is it better to make the seasoning sauce in advance?
If you mix the seasoning ahead of prepping the ingredients and let it rest for at least 2 hours, the color deepens beautifully and the umami flavor becomes richer.
