Ojingeo-twigim (Korean Fried Squid)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 3 to 4 quart pot or Dutch oven
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire rack set over a tray
• •Long chopsticks or spider strainer
• •Paper towels

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the squid

   Separate the squid bodies from the tentacles if your fishmonger has not done it. Cut the bodies into 1 cm rings, or split them open and cut 2 cm wide strips. Leave the tentacles in small clusters. The pieces must be close in size, because squid gives you a short window: undercooked is slippery, overcooked is rubber.

2. 2

   Season and dry

   Toss the squid with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and rice wine or soju. Let it stand 10 minutes, then drain and pat every piece dry with paper towels. Do this properly. Wet squid throws oil and makes the batter slide off, and then the cook blames the recipe instead of the towel.

   If using dried squid, soak 120g dried squid strips in warm water for 25 minutes, drain, and pat very dry. Use it in place of the fresh squid. It will be chewier and a little sweeter, the way some market stalls make it.
3. 3

   Mix the dip

   Stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, sesame seeds, scallion, and chili if using. Let it sit while you fry so the scallion softens. This cho-ganjang, soy-vinegar dip, should be sharp enough to cut the oil, not sweet enough to taste like a sauce from a bottle.

4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Pour the oil into a heavy pot so it is at least 7 cm deep and heat it to 175 C. Set a rack over a tray. If you do not have a thermometer, drop in a little batter: it should sink halfway, rise quickly, and fizz at the edges. If it browns at once, the oil is too hot; if it sits heavy at the bottom, wait.

5. 5

   Make cold batter

   Whisk the 3/4 cup flour, potato starch, rice flour if using, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Beat the cold egg with 3/4 cup ice-cold sparkling water, then stir it into the dry mix only until streaky and loose. Lumps are allowed. Overmixing wakes up the gluten, and gluten makes a coat that chews instead of crisps.

6. 6

   Dredge and coat

   Put the 1/2 cup flour for dredging in a shallow bowl. Toss the dried squid pieces lightly in the flour, shake off every loose patch, then dip into the batter. The dry flour gives the batter something to hold. Too much flour leaves dusty pockets, so be firm with the shaking.

   Keep the batter cold. Set the bowl over ice if your kitchen is warm, and add 1 tablespoon more cold water if it thickens while you work.
7. 7

   Fry in batches

   Lower a few pieces into the oil, one by one, and do not crowd the pot. Fry rings and strips 2 to 3 minutes, tentacle clusters 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until pale golden and crisp at the ridges. The oil should stay between 170 C and 180 C. Crowding drops the temperature and turns twigim into oily breading.

8. 8

   Drain and serve

   Lift the squid to the rack and let it drain 2 minutes. Do not pile it in a bowl while it is still giving off moisture, or the bottom pieces soften. Serve at once with the cho-ganjang, and if there is tteokbokki sauce on the table, drag one piece through it. That is not formal. It is correct.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh squid should smell clean and faintly of the sea, never sour. Frozen squid is honest here. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, drain it well, and dry it harder than you think you need to.
• •Korean twigim-garu, frying mix, can replace the batter dry ingredients. Use 1 1/4 cups twigim-garu with the cold egg and 3/4 cup ice water, then adjust with 1 to 2 tablespoons more water until it coats thinly.
• •Do not chase a dark crust. Korean twigim should be pale golden and crisp, with the squid still tender inside. Dark brown usually means the squid has stayed in the oil too long.
• •The safe corner to cut is the mix: store-bought frying mix is fine. The corner not to cut is drying the squid and keeping the oil hot. Those two decide the dish.

Advance Preparation

• •The squid can be cleaned, cut, seasoned, dried, and refrigerated uncovered on a rack for up to 4 hours before frying. Covering it traps moisture, and moisture is the enemy here.
• •The cho-ganjang dip can be mixed up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Add the scallion and chili within 1 hour of serving so they stay fresh.
• •Do not mix the batter ahead. Mix it only when the oil is hot and the table is nearly ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)