Spicy and Tangy Stir-Fried Octopus Salad
Octopus Salad Recipe: How to Boil Octopus and Make a Delicious Seasoning
Introducing a delightful octopus salad, tossed with a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce alongside a variety of fresh vegetables. Octopus, packed with more taurine than squid, is also rich in potassium, making it a fantastic health food, especially for boosting energy. This recipe features the delightful chewiness of perfectly cooked octopus combined with the crisp freshness of cucumber, radish, and aromatic minari (water parsley). Feel free to substitute minari with other seasonal greens like perilla leaves or chives for a unique flavor profile. We’ll guide you through preparing the octopus, boiling it to perfection, and creating the signature tangy dressing for this vibrant dish that’s perfect for whetting your appetite during summer.
Main Ingredients
- Octopus 500g
- 1 Tbsp flour (for cleaning octopus)
- 1L water (for boiling octopus)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (for boiling octopus)
- 1 cucumber
- 200g radish
- 1/2 Tbsp salt (for pickling cucumber and radish)
- 1-2 handfuls minari (water parsley)
- 1-2 Tbsp vinegar (for washing minari)
- 1/2 onion
Seasoning
- 3 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong (plum extract)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1-2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 3 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong (plum extract)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1-2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s wash about two handfuls of minari. Fill a bowl with enough water to cover the minari, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and let it soak for about 3 minutes. Then, rinse it thoroughly under running water. Cut the cleaned minari into manageable pieces, about 5-6cm long.
Step 2
We’ll add a crisp cucumber for texture. Lightly rub the cucumber’s skin with a little coarse salt to clean it, then slice it into half-moon shapes.
Step 3
Next, let’s slice the radish to be pickled along with the cucumber. Thinly julienne about 200g of radish. Slicing it thinly will help it pickle and cook faster.
Step 4
Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt to the sliced cucumber and radish. Mix well and let it sit for about 20 minutes to pickle. This process draws out excess moisture, ensuring a crisp texture.
Step 5
After 20 minutes, you’ll notice water has been released from the cucumber and radish. Squeeze out the excess water firmly by hand. This step is crucial to maintain the crispness after mixing.
Step 6
Thinly slice half an onion. You can also add other vegetables like carrots if you have them on hand – feel free to be generous with the vegetables based on what you have. Now that the vegetables are prepped, let’s move on to cleaning the octopus before boiling.
Step 7
Use scissors to cut out the eyes of the octopus. Then, carefully open the head area where the innards are concentrated and clean out the entrails.
Step 8
The innards can be easily pulled out by hand. Also, locate and cut away the hard beak situated in the center where the tentacles meet.
Step 9
Place the cleaned octopus in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of flour. Rub the octopus vigorously, as shown in the picture, to remove any sliminess. Flour is excellent for scrubbing off impurities. After rubbing, rinse the octopus thoroughly under cold water several times. This method effectively cleans the suckers on the tentacles, removing any debris.
Step 10
Now, let’s boil the octopus. Bring 1 liter of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Boiling with vinegar helps to eliminate any fishy odor and makes the octopus more tender.
Step 11
To achieve a nice curl in the octopus tentacles, dip them into the boiling water two or three times, briefly submerging and then lifting them out. This technique not only adds a visually appealing curl for serving but also ensures the octopus is cooked just right. Avoid overcooking, as it can make the octopus tough. For smaller octopuses, a quick boil of less than 1 minute is usually sufficient. Adjust the time based on the octopus’s size and your desired texture.
Step 12
Once boiled, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces. Aim for a thickness that provides a satisfying chew.
Step 13
Now, let’s combine all the ingredients in a large bowl for mixing. Add the prepared octopus and all the prepped vegetables to the bowl.
Step 14
Let’s make the sweet, sour, and spicy dressing. Combine 3 tablespoons of gochujang, 3 tablespoons of gochugaru, 3 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of maesil-cheong, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and a good pinch of sesame seeds. Mix everything well. Taste the dressing and adjust the sweetness or tanginess by adding a little more sugar or vinegar, if needed, to suit your preference.
Step 15
Pour the prepared dressing over the ingredients in the bowl and mix everything together thoroughly. The aroma as you mix will surely make your mouth water! The combination of chewy octopus and crisp, fresh vegetables creates a perfect appetizer or side dish that stimulates the appetite. You can also add cooked somen noodles and mix them in for an even heartier meal! Since you only need to make the sauce and gently boil the octopus, this dish offers a more abundant and flavorful experience than plain octopus sashimi. We highly recommend this recipe as a delightful summer dish to boost your appetite and invigorate you!
