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Ojingeo Bokkeum (Korean Spicy Stir-fried Squid)

Name: Ojingeo Bokkeum (Korean Spicy Stir-fried Squid)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 Squid; 0.5 Onion; 0.25 Carrot; 3 leaves Cabbage; 1 stalk Green onion; 1 Cheongyang chili; 1 tbsp Cooking oil; 2 tbsp Gochujang; 1 tbsp Gochugaru; 1 tbsp Soy sauce; 1 tbsp Sugar; 1 tbsp Minced garlic; 1 tbsp Cooking wine; 1 tsp Sesame oil; Sesame seeds; Black pepper

Squid stir-fried hot and fast with onion, carrot, and cabbage in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce. Keep it on the heat only briefly so it stays tender — spoon it over rice for an instant squid rice bowl.

Ingredients

2servings

Squid · cleaned, body + tentacles2
Onion0.5
Carrot0.25
Cabbage · optional3 leaves
Green onion1 stalk
Cheongyang chili · optional1
Cooking oil1 tbsp
Sauce
Gochujang2 tbsp
Gochugaru1 tbsp
Soy sauce1 tbsp
Sugar1 tbsp
Minced garlic1 tbsp
Cooking wine · or mirin1 tbsp
Sesame oil · to finish1 tsp
Sesame seeds · to finish
Black pepper · a pinch

Steps

Clean the squid, removing the innards and skin. Score the inside of the body diagonally and cut into bite-size pieces; cut the tentacles into manageable lengths.
⏲ 5 min
Cut the onion, carrot, and cabbage into thick strips; slice the green onion and chili on the diagonal.
⏲ 3 min
Mix all the sauce ingredients (gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, cooking wine, pepper) into a paste.
⏲ 1 min
Heat the oil in a pan over high heat, then add the onion and carrot and stir-fry briefly.
⏲ 2 min
Add the squid and stir-fry quickly over high heat, then add the sauce and toss to coat.
⏲ 2 min
Add the cabbage, green onion, and chili and stir-fry just 2-3 minutes, until the squid turns white and curls. Do not overcook or it turns rubbery.
⏲ 3 min
Turn off the heat and finish with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Spoon over rice for a squid rice bowl.

Tips & Variations

Variations

Ojingeo-jeyuk bokkeum: Add thin-sliced pork belly or shoulder for a heartier stir-fry.
With soybean sprouts: Toss in a big handful of crunchy soybean sprouts.
Squid rice bowl (deopbap): Make a little extra sauce, pile it over rice, and top with a fried egg.
Soy version: Skip the gochujang for a milder soy-based squid stir-fry.

Tips

Cook the squid hot and fast to keep it tender — overcooking makes it watery and rubbery.
Scoring the inside of the body helps it curl neatly and soak up the sauce.
If a lot of liquid pools, lift out the squid, reduce the sauce, then return it.
Dial the heat with chili and gochugaru, the sweetness with sugar or corn syrup.

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