Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Octopus Recipe
A Refreshing and Spicy Stir-fried Octopus with Crisp Vegetables and Sweet Pear
The ultimate choice when you lack appetite! Introducing a delightful stir-fried octopus dish featuring the chewy texture of octopus, the crisp bite of pear, the fragrant minari, and a perfectly balanced sweet and spicy sauce. Serve this delicious stir-fried octopus over warm rice and mix it all together – it’s a true mealtime savior! Give this recipe a try today!
Main Ingredients- 1 large octopus (or 3-4 small octopuses)
- 4-5 lettuce leaves
- 5-6 stalks of minari (Korean parsley)
- 1/4 onion
- 1/4 pear
- A little bit of carrot
- 1/2 red chili pepper
- 1/2 green chili pepper
- 3 bowls of cooked rice
- A little bit of seaweed (for mixing with rice)
Spicy and Sweet Sauce- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- A pinch of black pepper
- A little bit of sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- A pinch of black pepper
- A little bit of sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Alright, let’s take a look at all the ingredients prepared for making this delicious stir-fried octopus! Once you have everything ready, let’s begin our enjoyable cooking session!
Step 2
First, carefully cut open the head of the fresh octopus with scissors. It’s important to thoroughly remove the internal organs hidden inside.
Step 3
Next, use scissors to neatly cut out and remove both eyes of the octopus. Oh, and don’t forget to remove the hard beak of the octopus as well.
Step 4
Now, generously sprinkle salt and vigorously rub the surface of the octopus. This process will thoroughly clean the octopus.
Step 5
Fill a large pot with water to blanch the octopus and bring it to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add 1/2 Tbsp of salt and 1 Tbsp of vinegar. The vinegar helps remove any fishy smell and makes the octopus more firm and chewy.
Step 6
When the water is boiling vigorously again, add the prepared octopus and blanch it over high heat for about 3 minutes. Once the octopus is cooked and firm, immediately remove it and drain the water using a colander.
Step 7
While the octopus is draining, let’s prepare the other vegetables. Thinly julienne the onion, carrot, and pear into approximately 0.5 cm thickness. Slice the red and green chili peppers diagonally for garnish. Wash the minari thoroughly and cut it into 4 cm lengths. Finally, roughly chop the lettuce leaves.
Step 8
If the blanched octopus still has excess water, you can gently pat it dry with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture. This will help the sauce adhere better.
Step 9
It’s time to cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces. For the tentacles that are too large to eat in one bite, slice them diagonally into smaller pieces for easier consumption.
Step 10
The amount of octopus cut into manageable pieces will be about one plate. This quantity is considered sufficient for about 3 servings.
Step 11
Place the cut octopus in a bowl. Add all the prepared sauce ingredients: 2 Tbsp gochujang, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 Tbsp corn syrup, and a pinch of black pepper. Gently mix everything together so the sauce evenly coats the octopus. The key is to mix it thoroughly to ensure the seasoning is well-absorbed.
Step 12
To the seasoned octopus, add all the prepared vegetables except for the lettuce (onion, carrot, pear, minari, chili peppers). Mix gently again. It’s important not to overmix to keep the vegetables crisp.
Step 13
Finally, add the lettuce and mix one last time very gently, as if you were handling a baby. This preserves the freshness of the lettuce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds just before serving and arrange it beautifully on a plate. It’s ready!
Step 14
Even by itself, this finished stir-fried octopus is wonderfully sour, sweet, and spicy, making it delicious to mix with plain rice. But here’s a secret tip to make it even more enjoyable!
Step 15
Place the desired amount of warm rice on a plate. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds for added flavor.
Step 16
Prepare seasoned seaweed (seaweed with salt and oil) from your pantry and cut it into very fine shreds using scissors. Sprinkle these finely shredded seaweed strips over the rice. This will provide a richer texture and umami when mixed with the stir-fried octopus. Now, add a generous amount of the stir-fried octopus and mix well to enjoy!
