Skip to content
Korean Quick & easy

Nakji Bokkeum (Spicy Stir-fried Octopus)

A spicy dish of chopped octopus stir-fried with vegetables and heavily seasoned with gochujang and gochugaru.

25 minutes
Serves 4
Dinner

Instructions

  1. 1

    Place the octopus in a bowl with coarse sea salt. Vigorously massage and rub the octopus for 2-3 minutes to remove the slimy coating and tenderize the meat. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

  2. 2

    Blanch the cleaned octopus in boiling water for exactly 30 seconds. Remove, drain, and cut into 2-inch bite-sized pieces.

  3. 3

    Prepare the spicy sauce by combining the gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic.

  4. 4

    Heat a wok or large skillet over very high heat with 2 tbsp of oil. Toss in the onion, cabbage, and carrot, stir-frying rapidly for 2 minutes until slightly softened.

  5. 5

    Add the blanched octopus and the spicy sauce to the wok. Toss everything vigorously for only 1-2 minutes. Overcooking will make the octopus rubbery.

  6. 6

    Turn off the heat, drizzle with sesame oil, toss in the chopped scallions, and serve immediately with steamed rice and blanched bean sprouts.

Plan it in Listahan

Add Nakji Bokkeum (Spicy Stir-fried Octopus) to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.

More Korean recipes