Simple Braised Abalone and Octopus
Simple Braised Abalone and Octopus
#SumineBanchan #SummerEnergyFood #HowToMakeBraisedAbalone #BraisedAbaloneAndOctopusWithOctopusAdded, Simply!!! Whole Abalone!!
In Sumine Banchan, alongside spicy stir-fried monkfish (agijjim) for a nourishing meal, they also made braised abalone for side dishes. Oh my, that braised abalone looked so simple and appetizing! Even though abalone prices have dropped recently, they are still quite expensive. So, I managed to get five abalones and made braised abalone, but it looked like there wasn’t enough. So, I added one octopus! The octopus is frozen. Simple yet delicious braised abalone. You can mix rice with the braising sauce, or serve it chilled as a cold noodle soup by topping it with braised abalone and its sauce.
Ingredients- 5 abalones
- 1 octopus (frozen)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp minced green onion
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, we need to prepare the abalone. I bought live abalone from the mart. It was wriggling! Ah, I wanted to make butter-fried abalone, but this time I’m making it as a side dish… (though the amount is small for a side dish…). Anyway, let’s start by preparing the abalone. Use a toothbrush or steel wool to thoroughly clean any dirt from the inside and outside of the abalone.
Step 2
After the initial cleaning, we need to remove the abalone meat from its shell. Use a spoon to gently slide it along one side, separating the meat and internal organs cleanly from the shell. This part requires some effort; it looks easy on TV, but it’s definitely not a simple task.
Step 3
Separate the internal organs and store them in the freezer. You can later use them to make delicious abalone porridge. So, put the organs in a container and freeze them! Finally, trim off the ‘eyes’ of the abalone. The eyes are located at the front of the abalone and should always be removed. Then, use the toothbrush again to meticulously clean every nook and cranny.
Step 4
Now that the abalone is prepped, let’s begin the braising process! Pour the water into the pan. Then, add the soy sauce. How much soy sauce? Well, enough so you can tell ‘there’s soy sauce in here!’ Haha. And then add the honey. Enough so you can tell ‘there’s honey in here!’ Haha.
Step 5
Before adding the abalone, make shallow cuts on both sides of the meat. This allows the sauce to penetrate evenly. Now, add the abalone to the soy sauce mixture. But looking at the amount… this is hardly enough for anyone!
Step 6
So, in a hurry, I thawed the frozen octopus in cold water, drained it, and cut it into bite-sized, rather generous pieces.
Step 7
When the abalone has been braising for a while, add the octopus. Octopus cooks quickly, so the flavors will meld fast. That’s why I added it last. The abalone is already starting to turn brown. I added some dried chili peppers to give it a slightly spicy kick; this is just my preference.
Step 8
First, remove the abalone that was added earlier. It’s best to transfer them to an airtight container. Then, put the remaining octopus in the container as well. And be sure to include the braising sauce! Although it appears light brown now, after being refrigerated for an hour, it will turn a deep brown. Don’t over-braise from the start trying to get a dark color, or both the octopus and abalone will become tough.
Step 9
This is a picture of the finished dish before refrigerating. It hasn’t turned deep brown yet. The abalone is plump yet tender, and the octopus is chewy and firm. The Sumine Banchan-style braised abalone is complete!
