Spicy stir-fried squid (ojingeo bokkeum)

Ojingeo bokkeum (Korean Bapsang)

This squid dish is one of the most popular spicy dishes in Korean cuisine. The squid is cut into bite-sized pieces and stir fried in a slightly sweet red chili sauce along with vegetables. This recipe is certainly hot, but not fiery hot. Adjust the spiciness level to your taste. 

One way to reduce the spiciness is to use fewer fresh chili peppers (or none at all). Fresh chili peppers are called for in the classic versions of the dish, but the heat can be quite intense with certain varieties.

This dish is perfect for those craving a tasty and spicy meal. The red chili sauce adds a burst of spicy flavor to the crisp vegetables and tender squid.

Ingredients:

● 1 medium-size squid (about 400 grams)

● 1/2 medium carrot

● 1/2 medium onion

● 1/2 medium zucchini

● 1 green chili pepper (or 1/4 green bell pepper)

● 1 red chili pepper (or 1/4 red bell pepper)

● 2 scallions

● 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

● 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Sauce:
● 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste)

● 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon sugar

● 1 tablespoon minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon minced ginger

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

● Pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. 

Clean the squid. Slit the body open and flatten. Lightly score the inside in a small diamond pattern (about 0.5-centimeter squares). You can skip the scoring, but it helps the squid pieces hold more sauce and gives them an interesting look. Cut into pieces about 3 centimeters wide and 5 centimeters long. Do not make the pieces too small as they will shrink when cooked. Cut the tentacles into equal lengths. Mix the squid with the sauce, and marinate while preparing the vegetables.

Thinly slice the onion. Cut the zucchini and carrot in half lengthwise, and thinly slice diagonally. Cut the chili peppers diagonally. Cut the scallions into similar lengths. 

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the carrots, followed by the onions, zucchini, peppers and then the scallions. Stir fry the vegetables quickly only until they start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Push the vegetables to the sides of the skillet.

Add the marinated squid and any remaining sauce to the center of the skillet, and stir fry just until the squid pieces curl up and turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir to mix the vegetables and the squid for a minute. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top. (Do not overcook, or the dish will be watery and the squid tough.) Serve hot with rice.

How to clean squid: Grab the body in one hand and the head in the other. Firmly pull apart with a slight twisting motion. The head and innards should easily slip out of the body. Cut the tentacles from the head just below the eyes. Remove the skin from the flesh and the beak from the center of the tentacles.

Dalk bulgogi (chicken bulgogi)

Dalk bulgogi (chicken bulgogi) (Korean Bapsang)

If you like the sweet and savory bulgogi flavor but not red meat, this one’s for you. Bulgogi is a marinated meat dish made with thin slices of beef. Dalk bulgogi is a variation made with chicken (“dalk” means chicken). For the chicken version, I like to add a bit of lemon flavor to give the dish a tasty spark. I used boneless chicken thigh, but you can use boneless breast or a combination of both. The bite-size chicken pieces marinate and cook quickly, making this dish a good option for a weeknight meal.

2-3 servings

Ingredients:
● 500 grams boneless chicken thigh and/or breast

Marinade:

● 3 tablespoons soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon lemon juice

● 1 tablespoon brown sugar

● 1 tablespoon honey (or 1 1/3 more tablespoons brown sugar)

● 1 tablespoon rice wine (or “mirim”)

● 1 tablespoon minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon grated ginger

● 1 tablespoon sesame oil

● Pinch black pepper

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Rinse chicken and trim off excess fat. Cut chicken into small pieces. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade. Marinate for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade. Cook until cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 2 minutes each side. (The sugar and honey in the marinade will burn easily, so watch it carefully and add the reserved marinade by tablespoon when the pan gets dry. You can slightly reduce the heat to avoid burning, if needed.)