Spicy stir-fried squid is one of my favorite Korean meals – it’s a good pairing with rice, simple and heartfelt. This recipe is from my maternal grandmother. This squid dish is one of the many Korean dishes she made for a number of reasons: My dad is a seafood lover, the dish is diverse in ingredients and nutrition, and it’s a perfect blend of spicy and filling. To be completely honest, it was difficult for me to get this list of albeit simple instructions, because it was the first time she had to put into words something that had always been second nature to her. My grandmother split her years between staying in South Korea and staying with my family and I in the U.S. because when my sister and I were younger in elementary school, we needed someone to be in the house while both of my parents were out working.
My grandma is why I can still speak in Korean, feel at home after eating at a Korean restaurant miles away from Virginia and continue to turn my head when someone calls out my Korean name. But, of course, regardless of her being my connection to my cultural heritage, I am thankful beyond words that she has cared and continues to care for me with such dedication and gentleness.
Ingredients (serves three):
- 1 medium-size squid (14 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
Vegetables:
- 1/2 of a medium-sized carrot
- 1/2 of a medium-sized onion
- 1/2 of a stalk of scallion
- Optional: 1 to 2 green or red peppers
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons of cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon of Korean chili pepper paste (gochujang)
- 2 tablespoons of Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tablespoon of sesame seed oil
Instructions
- First, clean the squid. Make diagonal cuts on both sides of the inside and slice it into bite-sized pieces. Separate the tentacles one by one and cut them. Marinate in 2 tablespoons of cooking wine for five to 10 minutes.
- While the squid is marinating, wash and prepare the vegetables.
- Slice the onion into thin strips.
- Cut the carrot in half, then cut diagonally to get angled slices.
- Chop the scallions into thin pieces around half of a centimeter thick.
- If you’re adding green or red peppers, cut them diagonally.
- Prepare the sauce by placing all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mixing them with your utensil of choice.
- Heat a large skillet and add the two tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- Once the skillet has warmed up, add the onions and the minced garlic.
- When the onions are not yet translucent, reduce the heat and add the sauce.
- Stir-fry the vegetables (carrots, onions and possibly peppers) in the sauce, ensuring they are evenly coated. Do not add the scallions in this step.
- Add the marinated squid. Stir-fry just until the squid pieces curl up and turn opaque which indicates that they are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the squid, as it can become rubbery and difficult to chew.
- Once the squid is cooked, add the green scallions. Stir everything together.
- Place the stir-fried squid and vegetables onto a serving dish, arranging it for presentation.
- Drizzle the sesame oil evenly over the dish for added fragrance and flavor. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top to complete the dish — adding a bit of crunch and visual appeal.
Grace Oh is a freshman from McLean, Va. studying Neuroscience. She is a Science and Technology Editor for The News-Letter.
