Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Baby Octopus Recipe
Making Delicious Stir-fried Baby Octopus at Home!
This weekend, I visited my parents and decided to make a delicious lunch using baby octopus I caught last fall and had frozen. I took out 3 packs of frozen baby octopus, marinated them in a flavorful sauce, and planned to stir-fry them right before eating. This recipe is for 3 packs, each the size of a small zipper bag, perfect for sharing.
Main Ingredients- 3 packs frozen baby octopus (small zipper bag size)
- 1.5 onions
- 6깻잎 (perilla leaves)
- 1/4 carrot
- 1 green onion
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
Seasoning- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp regular Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) (a 3:1 ratio with spicy gochugaru is recommended)
- 1 Tbsp spicy Gochugaru
- 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2.5 Tbsp Cooking Syrup (or Oligosaccharide)
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- Pinch of Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp regular Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) (a 3:1 ratio with spicy gochugaru is recommended)
- 1 Tbsp spicy Gochugaru
- 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2.5 Tbsp Cooking Syrup (or Oligosaccharide)
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- Pinch of Toasted Sesame Seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Take out 3 packs of frozen baby octopus from the freezer. These are the small zipper bag size, totaling 3 packs. While there might be many pieces, they are generally small in size.
Step 2
Once thawed, use clean scissors to cut the baby octopus into bite-sized pieces. Cut smaller ones into two, and larger ones into 3-4 segments of the tentacles. To save time, only clean the heads of the larger ones by removing the innards and eyes; you can leave the smaller ones as they are.
Step 3
To remove any sliminess and debris, generously add coarse salt or flour and gently rub the baby octopus. This process is crucial for cleaning out any sand, especially from the tentacles, and also helps reduce any fishy smell while improving the texture.
Step 4
After washing with salt or flour, rinse the baby octopus thoroughly under running water 3-4 times. Drain them well in a colander; ensuring they are well-drained is key for the sauce to adhere properly.
Step 5
While the octopus is draining, prepare the vegetables. First, thinly slice the green onion diagonally. Also, julienne the onion and carrot. For the perilla leaves, roll them up and slice them thinly for a fragrant touch.
Step 6
In a large bowl, combine the drained baby octopus with the prepared vegetables (onion, carrot, green onion). Set aside the perilla leaves to add later during cooking to preserve their aroma.
Step 7
Now, let’s make the delicious sauce. To the baby octopus and vegetables in the bowl, add 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 2 Tbsp Gochujang, 3 Tbsp regular Gochugaru, 1 Tbsp spicy Gochugaru, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, a pinch of black pepper, and 2.5 Tbsp cooking syrup. Adjust the sweetness to your preference.
Step 8
Gently mix everything together with your hands, ensuring the sauce is evenly distributed over the baby octopus and vegetables. Thoroughly coating everything is important for deep flavor penetration. Marinating in advance allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Step 9
Transfer the marinated baby octopus into an airtight container for transport. The short marination time during transit will further enhance the flavors. Pre-marinating like this is very convenient for quick cooking upon arrival.
Step 10
Upon arrival, heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a pan over high heat until very hot. Add the marinated baby octopus and vegetables all at once and stir-fry quickly, maintaining high heat throughout. Baby octopus cooks fast, so avoid overcooking, which can make it tough. Once the octopus is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly, turn off the heat. At this point, add the thinly sliced perilla leaves and toss gently to incorporate. (Adding perilla leaves at the end preserves their fresh aroma).
Step 11
Even though the baby octopus was frozen from last year, its chewy texture remained wonderfully intact. If you have any leftovers, mixing them with rice creates a fantastic leftover dish. Enjoy your spicy and sweet stir-fried baby octopus meal!
