Tender & Chewy! The Ultimate Fresh Baby Octopus Shabu-Shabu Recipe
Effortless Baby Octopus Shabu-Shabu Made with Just One Dashi Pack
Enjoy a simple yet delicious baby octopus shabu-shabu! This recipe makes it easy to prepare a delightful meal featuring fresh, tender baby octopus delicately cooked in a flavorful broth. Gather your favorite fresh vegetables and dive into a satisfying and healthy feast.
Main Ingredients- 1kg fresh baby octopus
- 1/4 head napa cabbage (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 handful of vitamin greens
- 1 handful of fresh crown daisy
- 1 handful of baby bok choy
- 5 stalks of green onions (sliced diagonally)
- 1/3 pack enoki mushrooms (trim ends)
- 100g bean sprouts
Broth Base- 1 dashi pack (kombu and bonito based)
- 1L water
Dipping Sauce- Spicy and sweet cho-gochujang (Korean chili paste sauce)
- 1 dashi pack (kombu and bonito based)
- 1L water
Dipping Sauce- Spicy and sweet cho-gochujang (Korean chili paste sauce)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, in a large pot, add 1 liter of water and 1 dashi pack. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 10 minutes to create a delicious, flavorful broth. Avoid boiling for too long, as it can make the broth slightly bitter. About 10 minutes is perfect.
Step 2
If you’ve purchased live, fresh baby octopus, simply rinse them thoroughly under running water. No further preparation is needed as they are ready to cook in their pristine state! (If your octopus has visible innards or ink sacs and you prefer not to eat them, you can carefully remove them.)
Step 3
Drain the cleaned baby octopus well in a colander. Excess water can make the broth cloudy. (If your octopus is so fresh it’s still moving a bit, give it a moment to relax!)
Step 4
Once the dashi broth has been simmering for 10 minutes, artfully arrange all the prepared vegetables in the pot: the napa cabbage, vitamin greens, crown daisy, baby bok choy, green onions, enoki mushrooms, and bean sprouts. This adds wonderful texture and color to your shabu-shabu.
Step 5
Now it’s time to add the fresh baby octopus! Since they cook very quickly, it’s best to briefly poach the tentacles for about 3 minutes to maintain their tender, chewy texture. The heads can be cooked slightly longer.
Step 6
The key to perfectly tender and chewy tentacles is to cook them for just 3 minutes. This ensures they retain their delightful texture. The heads, however, should be cooked a bit longer to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
Step 7
Once the octopus tentacles are cooked, separate them from the heads and dip them generously into the spicy and sweet cho-gochujang dipping sauce. Savor the fresh, oceanic flavor and satisfying chewiness!
Step 8
The fresh taste of the sea fills your mouth! Isn’t it delicious? Enjoy your meal with happy bites.
Step 9
When you use fresh, live baby octopus, you can enjoy the delicious roe and innards that are often packed inside the heads. This adds an extra layer of richness and a wonderfully satisfying texture to your shabu-shabu experience.
