Fresh Baby Octopus Shabu-Shabu
Seasonal Delicacy! Enjoy Baby Octopus Shabu-Shabu When Korean Baby Octopus is In Season and Affordable
As the weather grows chilly, it’s the perfect time to find plump, fresh Korean baby octopus at great prices. With these vibrant ingredients, prepare a warm and delicious dinner: a mouth-watering baby octopus shabu-shabu that you can enjoy generously at home!
Baby Octopus Shabu-Shabu Ingredients
- 1kg fresh Korean baby octopus
- 1/4 daikon radish (for added freshness)
- 500g homemade broth (or use store-bought broth)
- 1 bunch of Korean chives (buchu), washed
- 5 shiitake mushrooms
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thaw and prepare your homemade broth that you keep frozen. This broth will be the foundation for the deep flavor of your baby octopus shabu-shabu. (If you don’t have homemade broth, using store-bought is also perfectly fine.)
Step 2
Prepare the daikon radish to add a refreshing taste to the shabu-shabu broth. Peel the radish and slice it thinly (about 0.5cm thick) into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3
Pour the prepared broth into a pot and add the sliced daikon radish. Let it simmer first. Simmering with radish will infuse the broth with a subtle sweetness and a clean, refreshing taste.
Step 4
While the broth is simmering, get your other ingredients ready to enjoy with the shabu-shabu. Wash the Korean chives thoroughly under running water. For the shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems and slice them as desired. (Feel free to add other mushrooms like oyster mushrooms or enoki mushrooms according to your preference.)
Step 5
Trim any rough parts of the Korean chives and cut them into 3-4cm lengths. The fresh, aromatic scent of the chives will further enhance the flavor of your shabu-shabu.
Step 6
A quick tip! Did you know how to identify genuine Korean baby octopus? The round ‘gold seal’ mark you see in the photo is the proud mark of authenticity for Korean baby octopus. Looking for this seal ensures you are choosing a high-quality product.
Step 7
The baby octopus, cleaned under running water, may be small but it’s packed with flavor. Sadly, there have been news reports of people getting seriously ill from eating raw baby octopus due to Vibrio vulnificus. It is crucial to always cook baby octopus thoroughly. Ensure your baby octopus is properly cleaned and prepared.
Step 8
Once the daikon radish is tender and the broth is boiling, add the prepared shiitake mushrooms, Korean chives, and the cleaned baby octopus. Gently cook them. Since all ingredients are fresh, they don’t need to be cooked for long.
Step 9
Baby octopus can become tough if overcooked, so as soon as it changes color and plumps up, immediately remove it from the broth and transfer it to a plate. This way, you can savor the tender and chewy texture of the fresh baby octopus.
Step 10
After enjoying the shabu-shabu, it’s time for some kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) in the flavorful broth! Add the kalguksu noodles to the pot and cook until done. The combination of chewy noodles and the rich broth is simply exquisite. (You can also add rice and stir-fry it in the remaining broth for another delicious option.)
