Nakji-bokkeum, or stir-fried octopus, is one of Korea’s representative spicy dishes. It is made with octopus, a cephalopod marine creature, as the main ingredient, stir-fried in a gochujang (Korean chili paste) sauce. While the cooking method is similar to other stir-fried seafood dishes like squid or small octopus stir-fries, the unique texture and flavor of octopus set it apart. Nakji-bokkeum is typically served with little to no broth, but in some regions, it can be transformed into a stew-like dish with broth, or made into variations like nakji over rice or nakji tteokbokki (spicy rice cake stir-fry).
Simple recipe for Nakji-bokkeum:
- Prepare main ingredients: 3 octopuses (400g), 1 onion, 1 red chili, 1 green onion, 2 Cheongyang peppers, 1/2 carrot.
- Prepare the sauce: 3 tablespoons gochujang, 3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili powder), 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons minced garlic, 1.5 tablespoons minced ginger, 1.5 tablespoons sugar, sesame seeds, salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil.
- Clean the octopus: Remove the ink sac and internal organs, then rub it with flour and coarse salt to clean. Boil it for 2-3 minutes.
- Prepare the vegetables: Slice the chili diagonally, slice the green onion and onion, and cut the carrot into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the sauce: Mix the prepared sauce ingredients.
- Stir-fry: Stir-fry the vegetables and sauce together. Once the vegetables are slightly softened, add the octopus and stir-fry quickly.
Nakji-bokkeum pairs well with seafood pancakes (haemul pajeon) and spicy fish stew (maeuntang). In restaurants, it is often served with complimentary soups like soybean sprout soup or clam soup.
