Tender Jinmichae Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Dried Squid)
A dry side dish made tender by removing unwanted odors with soju and tossing the squid in a gently simmered 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 →
This jinmichae bokkeum stays tender without being washed in water; instead, tossing it with soju removes the distinctive odor and softens the texture. Tossing it once the simmered sauce has cooled to warm keeps it moist without turning stiff even after refrigeration. With its sweet and spicy seasoning, it makes a great everyday side dish or lunchbox banchan.
- Servings
- about 4–5 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Dried squid strips100 g
- Soju2 tbsp
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1/2 tsp
- Seasoned soy sauce (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp (mirim)
- Green plum syrup (maesil-cheong)1 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Do not rinse the dried squid strips; toss them evenly with soju and let them sit for about 5 minutes.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
This is 1 small bag of dried squid strips for stir-frying.
The original recipe calls for 200g of dried squid strips, but I prepared 100g and halved the seasoning.
Prepare the dried squid strips
Do not rinse the dried squid strips; add the soju, toss evenly, and let sit for about 5 minutes.
This removes the distinctive odor of the dried squid strips and turns the stiff strips wonderfully soft and tender.
Cut them into bite-sized lengths.
Simmer the seasoning sauce
In a pan, add 1/2 tsp gochugaru, 1 tbsp seasoned soy sauce (= brewed soy sauce), 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp green plum syrup, 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp corn syrup, and 1 tbsp sugar, and let it bubble gently for a short while.
Toss with the seasoning
Turn off the heat; do not toss right away while it is scorching hot...
You need to toss it when it has cooled down to warm.
Still, if the sauce cools down completely cold, it will stiffen and fail to coat well, so tossing it after it has cooled until it is no longer hot is the key point.
Toss evenly, then finish by simply sprinkling toasted sesame seeds at the end.
Finished
Both the seasoning and the cooking method are truly super simple.
This is how it looks after spending the next day in the refrigerator.
Even in the cold air of the fridge, it does not turn stiff and remains moistly coated in sauce.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you do not rinse the dried squid strips but instead toss them evenly with soju and let them sit for about 5 minutes, it removes the distinctive odor and turns stiff dried squid soft and tender.
- If the sauce cools down completely cold, it will turn stiff and the sauce will slide off, so the important key point is to toss it once it has cooled enough to no longer be hot.
FAQ
Why cook the dried squid strips without washing them in water?
Instead of rinsing them in water, tossing them with soju removes the distinctive odor and makes the dried squid strips soft and tender.
When is the best time to toss the dried squid strips in the simmered sauce?
Turn off the heat and avoid tossing while it is too hot; toss once it has cooled to a warm temperature. If it cools completely, the sauce may not adhere properly and the texture can stiffen.
What soy sauce should I use if I do not have seasoned soy sauce?
You can use an equal amount of brewed soy sauce instead of seasoned soy sauce.
How should I adjust the seasoning measurements when making this with 200g of dried squid strips?
You can prepare it by increasing the seasoning measurements from this recipe by 2 times.
