Ojingeo-deopbap (Spicy Squid Rice Bowl)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide wok or 12-inch skillet
• •Sharp knife
• •Mixing bowl
• •Rice bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the squid

   Pat the squid very dry. Split the bodies open so they lie flat, then lightly score the inside in a crosshatch pattern, cutting only halfway through. Slice the bodies into 2-inch by 1-inch pieces and cut the tentacles into bite-size lengths. The scoring is not decoration; it helps the sauce cling and keeps the squid from tightening into rubbery strips.

   If your squid is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and dry it well. Wet squid drops the pan temperature and stews before it sears.
2. 2

   Mix the sauce

   Stir together the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger, water or broth, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and black pepper. Taste it now. It should be spicy, lightly sweet, and salty enough to season the rice, but not so thick with gochujang that it tastes muddy.

3. 3

   Ready the bowls

   Divide the hot rice among four wide bowls before you start cooking. This is a fast stir-fry, and the rice must be waiting for the squid, not the other way around. A deopbap bowl should land while the sauce is still glossy.

4. 4

   Cook the vegetables

   Heat a wide wok or skillet over high heat until it is fully hot, then add the neutral oil. Add the onion, cabbage, and carrot and stir-fry for 2 minutes. They should soften at the edges but still keep their bite, because they will cook once more with the sauce.

5. 5

   Add squid and sauce

   Add the squid, scallions, green chili if using, and all the sauce. Stir-fry hard for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing constantly, until the squid curls and turns opaque and the sauce loosens, then clings in a glossy layer. Stop there. A minute too long and the squid turns tough, and no apology at the table will soften it.

6. 6

   Spoon over rice

   Taste one piece of squid and a little sauce with rice. Add a pinch more salt only if the rice makes it taste flat. Spoon the squid, vegetables, and loose sauce over the prepared bowls. Scatter with a little more sesame seed if you like, and serve at once with kimchi or a clean cucumber muchim (seasoned salad) beside it.

Chef Tips

• •Buy squid that smells clean and faintly of the sea, never strong or sour. Small to medium squid stay more tender than very large ones, and bodies plus tentacles give the bowl better texture.
• •The safe shortcut is using cleaned squid and leftover rice. The corner you cannot cut is prep order. Everything must be sliced and the sauce mixed before the pan is hot.
• •Do not keep adding gochujang for heat. Use gochugaru for a cleaner chili warmth, because too much paste makes the sauce sweet and heavy.
• •If cabbage is poor at your market, use 1 small zucchini cut into half-moons or 1 cup bean sprouts added in the last minute. Cook the month you are standing in.

Advance Preparation

• •The sauce can be mixed up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Stir it before using, because the gochugaru thickens as it sits.
• •The vegetables can be cut 1 day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Cut and dry the squid the same day you cook it for the best texture.
• •Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated, but the squid firms when reheated. Warm it gently in a covered skillet with 1 tablespoon water, just until hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 390g)