Spicy and Sweet Stir-Fried Dried Squid with Gochujang
Spicy and Sweet Stir-Fried Dried Squid with Gochujang
Easy Recipe for Stir-Fried Dried Squid with Gochujang
The perfect dish for when you have a low appetite! Introducing a recipe for stir-fried dried squid with gochujang, featuring a fantastic harmony of chewy dried squid and a spicy, sweet gochujang sauce. This beloved side dish is incredibly easy to make, making it a perfect snack with drinks or a hearty accompaniment to rice. Try making it with your preferred type of dried squid, comparing the characteristics of both white and red dried squid!
Main Ingredients- 200g Dried Squid Strips (White or Red)
- 1 Green Onion (use both white and green parts)
Spicy and Sweet Sauce- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Mirin (or cooking wine)
- 3 Tbsp Water
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste – generously heaped)
- A little Sesame Oil (drizzle at the end)
- A little Sesame Seeds (for garnish at the end)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Mirin (or cooking wine)
- 3 Tbsp Water
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste – generously heaped)
- A little Sesame Oil (drizzle at the end)
- A little Sesame Seeds (for garnish at the end)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare a 200g pack of dried squid strips. You can use either white or red dried squid strips, as both are excellent.
Step 2
Red dried squid strips are also a great choice. They offer a slightly thicker texture compared to white dried squid, but both versions are delicious.
Step 3
If your dried squid strips are too long, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Then, briefly rinse them under running water for about 10 seconds and immediately drain them thoroughly. This step helps to slightly reduce the saltiness and make the squid strips more tender.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the delicious sauce! Combine 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp mirin, 3 Tbsp water, and 3 Tbsp gochujang (make sure it’s generously heaped, not flat). Mix these ingredients well.
Step 5
Pour cooking oil into a frying pan in a circular motion. Heat it over medium-low heat. Prepare about one and a half times a hand’s length of green onion, using both the white and green parts (you can add a bit more than shown in the picture!). Add the prepared green onions to the pan and stir-fry them lightly until they are just slightly golden and fragrant, infusing the oil with their aroma. Be careful not to burn them.
Step 6
As soon as the green parts of the green onions start to turn a gentle golden color, turn off the heat immediately. The aroma from the green parts will enhance the final dish’s flavor, and the white parts will be mostly hidden by the sauce, so keep that in mind.
Step 7
With the heat off, add the prepared sauce to the frying pan. Use the residual heat of the pan to stir and combine the green onions and the sauce. This prevents the sauce from burning.
Step 8
Once the sauce is somewhat mixed, add the prepared dried squid strips.
Step 9
At this point, here’s a comparison photo of white and red dried squid strips to show the difference. Both have their own charm, so choose according to your preference.
Step 10
While the heat is still off, use chopsticks to thoroughly mix the dried squid strips and the sauce, ensuring everything is evenly coated. This step allows the sauce to penetrate the squid.
Step 11
Now, turn the heat back on to medium-low and stir-fry gently for just a short time to prevent sticking. You don’t need to cook it for long; about 1-2 minutes is sufficient. Just before turning off the heat, drizzle in about one tablespoon of sesame oil, sprinkle with some sesame seeds, and give it a quick mix. Your delicious stir-fried dried squid with gochujang is ready!
Step 12
This is the result made with red dried squid strips. Notice the rich, appetizing color!
Step 13
As a tip, if you’re not using homemade gochujang which has very little sweetness, most store-bought gochujang already contains ingredients like corn syrup or rice syrup, making it sufficiently sweet. Additionally, dried squid strips themselves are often seasoned with sugar or other flavor enhancers, so you usually don’t need to add extra sweetness to the sauce.
Step 14
And here is the stir-fried dried squid with gochujang made using white dried squid strips. It has a clear and clean appearance.
Step 15
When making it with red dried squid strips, using the green parts of the green onion also enhances the dish’s visual appeal. Both versions are incredibly tasty, so be sure to try them!
