Ojingeo Muchim (Spicy Squid Salad)
User Reviews
5
Ojingeo Muchim (Spicy Squid Salad)
Description
Ojingeo Muchim combines quickly cooked squid with a colorful assortment of thinly sliced fresh vegetables including kirby cucumber, red onion, water dropwort, green chili, and scallion. The squid is briefly boiled and cooled in ice water to retain a tender but firm texture before slicing into bite-size strips. The vegetables add crunch and freshness.
The dressing is a complex mix of traditional Korean ingredients: gochugaru (red chili flakes), gochujang (fermented chili paste), soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, corn syrup, and minced garlic, balanced with salt and black pepper. This produces a spicy, slightly sweet, tangy, and savory flavor that thoroughly coats the squid and veggies. Tossing everything together just before chilling allows the flavors to meld while keeping the salad crisp and refreshing.
This dish is typically served cold as a side or appetizer in Korean cuisine and provides a contrast of heat and coolness, making it well suited for warmer weather or as a palate cleanser alongside richer meals. The recipe includes clear instructions for cleaning squid properly and suggests adjusting seasoning towards the end to taste.
Preparation of the squid is essential for texture and taste: cleaning, boiling briefly, cooling, and slicing carefully. The fresh vegetables and herbaceous minari contribute both color and texture, making the salad visually appealing as well as flavorful.
Ingredients
- 1 squid about 14 ounces, medium
- 1 kirby cucumber thinly sliced, or 1/2 Korean cucumber
- 1/4 red onion thinly sliced, medium
- minari water dropwort, cut into 2-inch pieces, a few stalks
- 1 green chili pepper thinly sliced, or red chili pepper
- 1 scallion finely chopped
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru Korean red chili pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the squid (see note).
- Bring a medium pot of water to a rapid boil. Drop the squid in, and cook briefly, about a minute. Quickly remove, and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and cool.
- Cut the squid into thin bite size strips (about ⅓ - inch thick, 2-inch long). Keep it in the fridge to cool.
- Prepare the vegetables.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together.
- Combine the sauce and squid and mix well. Add the vegetables and toss well. Add more sugar, salt, or and/or vinegar to taste. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Clean squid by pulling head and innards apart, removing beak and skin carefully.
- Boil squid briefly then plunge in ice water to prevent overcooking and ensure tenderness.
- Adjust sugar, salt, and vinegar at the end to balance the spicy and tangy flavors.
- Serve chilled for the best texture and refreshing taste.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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