Spicy and Sweet Stir-Fried Squid with Korean Green Peppers
Alttolan Chef Lee Jong-im’s Signature Stir-Fried Squid with Korean Green Peppers Recipe
Hello everyone! Today, we’re making a delicious dish perfect for boosting your appetite. August is prime season for squid, a fantastic ingredient celebrated in traditional Korean medicine for its ability to strengthen ‘qi’ and bolster willpower, making it an excellent choice for replenishing energy. Squid is packed with taurine, boasting 16 times the amount found in beef and 47 times that in milk, which is great for eye health and combating fatigue. Furthermore, squid ink, a hallmark of ‘black foods,’ contains polysaccharides like elchinen, known for strong anti-tumor activity, offering excellent anti-cancer benefits. It also aids in promoting digestive fluid secretion. Today, we’ll be making the Alttolan Stir-Fried Squid with Korean Green Peppers, a dish bursting with smoky flavors that will fill your mouth. This recipe is by Chef Lee Jong-im. Get ready for a delightful culinary experience!
Main Ingredients
- 2 squid, cleaned and prepared
- 150g Korean green peppers (Ggwari peppers)
- 3 Tbsp brown rice oil
- 5 whole garlic cloves, halved
- 1 white part of a leek, cut into 3-4cm lengths and halved lengthwise
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Seasoning Sauce
- 3 Tbsp medium-grind gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp brewed soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 2 Tbsp rice oligosaccharide syrup (jjolcheong) or corn syrup
- 2 Tbsp ginger wine (or soju/cheongju)
- 1/2 Tbsp dried shrimp powder, finely ground
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 pinches black pepper
- 3 Tbsp medium-grind gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp brewed soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 2 Tbsp rice oligosaccharide syrup (jjolcheong) or corn syrup
- 2 Tbsp ginger wine (or soju/cheongju)
- 1/2 Tbsp dried shrimp powder, finely ground
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 pinches black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the squid by cleaning it thoroughly. Slice it into rings about 0.7mm thick. Cut the tentacles into bite-sized pieces as well. The squid’s skin is rich in nutrients and the red sauce adheres well to it, so it’s perfectly fine and even preferable to cook with the skin on. Leaving the skin on makes cooking easier and adds flavor.
Step 2
Wash the Korean green peppers thoroughly under running water. Remove the stems. If the peppers are large, cut them in half diagonally. Their mild spiciness and crisp texture will beautifully complement the chewy squid.
Step 3
Peel the onion and slice it thinly into strips about 0.5cm thick. Halve the whole garlic cloves. Cut the white part of the leek into 3-4cm lengths and slice them in half lengthwise. Sautéing the garlic and leek first will infuse the dish with a wonderful aroma and deeper flavor.
Step 4
Let’s make the perfect seasoning sauce! Combine 3 Tbsp of medium-grind gochugaru, 1 Tbsp of gochujang, 1 Tbsp of brewed soy sauce, 2 Tbsp of plum extract, 2 Tbsp of rice oligosaccharide syrup, 2 Tbsp of ginger wine, 1/2 Tbsp of finely ground dried shrimp powder, 2 Tbsp of minced garlic, and 2 pinches of black pepper in a bowl. Mix them well. Be mindful not to add too much dried shrimp powder, as its flavor can be quite strong; half a tablespoon is usually sufficient. If you don’t have dried shrimp powder, you can substitute it with finely ground dried shiitake mushroom powder or dried anchovy powder for a great umami boost. If ginger wine isn’t available, you can make your own by soaking thinly sliced fresh ginger in soju or cheongju for about a week, or simply use ginger powder mixed with soju or cheongju.
Step 5
Stir all the prepared sauce ingredients thoroughly until well combined to create a delicious seasoning sauce. Ensure everything is evenly distributed for the best flavor.
Step 6
Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add 3 Tbsp of brown rice oil. Add the halved garlic cloves and the prepared leek pieces and sauté until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Once the garlic and leek release their aroma, add half of the prepared seasoning sauce and stir-fry together. Lower the heat to avoid burning the sauce and ensure it cooks evenly.
Step 7
Here’s a special tip for that smoky ‘wok hei’ flavor! Pour 1/2 Tbsp of brewed soy sauce around the edges of the pan and let it sizzle and caramelize slightly. This technique, known as ‘pressing the soy sauce,’ adds a wonderful depth of smoky flavor to the dish.
Step 8
Now, add the sliced onions and the chopped Korean green peppers to the pan. Stir-fry them over high heat for a short time. You want the onions to become slightly translucent and the peppers to be tender-crisp, retaining some of their crunch for the best texture.
Step 9
Add the prepared squid to the pan and stir-fry quickly. Squid cooks fast and can become tough if overcooked, so stir-fry over high heat only until the color changes and it’s just cooked through. Once the squid is almost done, add the remaining half of the seasoning sauce and toss everything together to coat evenly.
Step 10
Look at this beautiful dish! The Stir-Fried Squid with Korean Green Peppers is ready. It’s delicious as is, but if you prefer it spicier, feel free to increase the amount of gochugaru or add a little bit of Cheongyang chili flakes according to your preference. This dish is so flavorful, it’ll make you want to finish a whole bowl of rice!
Step 11
Finally, drizzle in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil for a glossy finish and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds for an extra nutty aroma. Your delicious Stir-Fried Squid with Korean Green Peppers is now complete. Enjoy your meal!
