Today I’m pleased to introduce a kind of fermented seafood made with squid to you. Fermented seafood is called jeotgal (젓갈) in Korean. Korea is surrounded by ocean on 3 sides, so you’ll imagine that a variety of fresh fish and seafood dishes are available all year round. My Korean ancestors wanted to enjoy their fresh fish for a long time so they developed a way of preserving fresh fish by fermenting it with salt. Jeotgal is eaten by itself after being seasoned, or its used in kimchi making.
I used to make salty fermented anchovies every year when I lived in Korea. It was very easy to make! I mixed fresh anchovies with a lot of salt and put them into a huge earthenware jar. About 6 months later, the achovy jeot fermented well! I used to use them in my kimchi paste, or I took some from the jar and mixed with seasonings to use as a side dish.
Now that I’m living in the States, such fresh anchovies are not available, but I found I can make ojingeojeot with frozen small squids.
Salty fermented squid called ojingeojeot is a side dish that you can keep it in your fridge for months and months, and enjoy it right until it runs out.
Ingredients
Small squid (fresh or frozen) 1 pound 10 oz (750 grams), 5 Tbs salt, fish sauce, hot pepper flakes, green chili pepper, red chili pepper, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, mulyeot (either corn syrup or rice syrup)
Directions
- If you buy frozen small squids, thaw them out in the refrigerator.
- Clean the squid:
- Slice right below the triangle of the torso and cut crosswise.
- Then put your knife right below eyes, cut crosswise, and discard the eye part.
- Slit the torso open lengthwise and remove the innards and the plastic looking bone.
- Put the cleaned squid flesh into a bowl.
- Repeat this until all squids are cleaned.
- Scrub the squid to remove some any bubbles or foam.
- Rinse the squid in cold water a couple of times and drain it.
- Mix 1 pound 10 oz (750 grams) of squid with ¼ cup salt. Put it into a glass jar and sprinkle another 1 tbs salt on top (total 5 tbs).
*tip: For about 150 grams (5 ounces) of squid you’ll need to use 1 tbs kosher salt (or plain salt)
- Press it down to minimize exposure to the air. Close the lid and keep it in the refrigerator for 1 month.
- 1 month later, wash, rinse, and strain the fermented squid.
- Make seasoning paste. In a large bowl mix:
- ½ cup hot pepper flakes
- ½ cup corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 tbs fish sauce
- 2 chopped green onions
- 5 cloves of chopped or sliced garlic
- 1 tbs chopped ginger
- 2 chopped green chili peppers
- 2 chopped red chili peppers
- 2 tbs roasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbs sesame oil
- Dry the squid with a cotton cloth or paper towels.
- Chop the squid into small pieces and put them into the red paste and mix well.
- Transfer it into a container or jar and keep it in the refrigerator.
- Serve with rice as a side dish.
You could add more fish sauce, hot pepper flakes, and green chili peppers if you want. As you saw in the video, I made jeot but I also cooked some squid to eat:
- Put some cleaned squid into boiling water, cook for about 20 or 30 seconds and drain.
- Serve with dipping sauce or tabasco sauce.
How to make chojang (dipping sauce):
Mix 2 tbs hot pepper paste, 1 tbs vinegar, 1 ts sugar, and 1 clove of minced garlic
Posted on Thursday, November 4th, 2010 at 11:07 am.
Last updated on April 26, 2015.
Tagged: Asian cuisine, calamari, fermented seafood, fermented squid, food blogger, korean food, Korean food blog, Korean recipes, ojiengeojeot, salty fermented seafood, side dish
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Sirdanilot, don’t worry abt bad smell in yr fridge. As long as u use a good glass (preferable over plastic) container that is super airtight (if u still want extra “protection”, wrap cling wrap over the entire jar), there is NO SMELL! I hope u will try to mk coz it is VERY VERY DELICIOUS! if u like herrings (my MUST-EAT when in Amsterdam….oh, mussels too!) then u will like ojingeojeot!
Hi Maangchi
Normally I would stir-fry squid with bell pepper, onion and carrot or make Thai-style squid salad. I’ve never eaten raw fermented squid before but your casserole of ojingeojeot looks too delicious.
Yesterday I prepared my first batch salted squid but I think I need to salt some every other week to make sure I have fermented squid at hand.
I can’t wait ..sigh….
wow, 1 month later, you will make delicious ojingeojeot!
Maangchi,
Can I use a plastic container– a Rubbermaid for ex, to store the squid, or do I need to use a glass jar?
yes, you can use a plastic container, too. sorry about the late reply. I just got back home from Honduras.
Maangchi, today we bought 2kg of fresh squid at the market which I cleaned and put half of it in the freezer (we used the other half for another dish). I am a bit afraid of trying this recipe though because I don’t want my fridge to be penetrated by a fishy smell! Will it smell very horrible if I make this recipe?
“I am a bit afraid of trying this recipe though because I don’t want my fridge to be penetrated by a fishy smell! Will it smell very horrible if I make this recipe” You asked the wrong person. Be brave to make delicious food. : )
HI Maanchi, Last night I made my cousin-sisters a small dinner using some of your recipes and they loved it. Seems that they are the only family memebers who are brave enough to try some different then hamburgers. hahaha
I wanted to make this recipe but I live on the navajo reservation and stores here don’t have squid, so I use shrimp. I cut them into bite-size pieces and blanched them enough to be cooked but still soft, then mixed in with the other ingridents. I had to use Red Chile powder (used in mexican dishes) but it still came out GOOD!
Then I made Dubu buchim yangnyumjang and dubu ganjang jorim, Soegogi gui,
*** I accidently press the “Submit Comment” button before I finished typing. hahaha***
I also made Japchae, Mandu, kongnamul muchim, and Oisobagi. And all was So Delicious. Thank you for your recipes. Only one photo was taken of it, so I guess that means I have to make them all again and take better photos. So happy!! LoL
Ah!! sorry, forgot the “g” in your name. Maangchi. lol
lol lol, you are so cute!
Hello Maangchi!
It has been a long time since we have chat:) I’m Pristine from Singapore. I’m just wondering, can I use this ojingeojeot in fermenting kimchi?
By the way, I am going to make my first batch of kimchi next week! (EXCITING!:)) and i want to know if its good to add both aejeot (anchovy fish sauce, right?) and saewoojeot together in the kimchi paste?
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes:D
Did we chat? Where have you been, Pristine! lol
“can I use this ojingeojeot in fermenting kimchi?” yes, you can. Chop up the fermented squid and put it into your kimchi paste.
“both aejeot (anchovy fish sauce, right?) and saewoojeot together in the kimchi paste?”
Yes,you could use fish sauce and saewoojeot together. When you use saewoojeot, mince it with a knife https://www.maangchi.com/ingredients/salted-shrimp
Good luck with making delicious kimchi!
Do you include the tentacles, or do you just use the body portion? Anyway, I blanched some last night and it was soo good :D I love your recipes!! Thank you so much <3 ^^
“Do you include the tentacles” yes, indeed! : ) I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the blanched squid. It’s soft and sweet!
Maangchi, this is the first time I post something, I just joined your fans but have been watching your shows for a while. Thank you so much for showing the world how to eat healthy and what to do with vegetables, as in the west we are often limited to salad, stew. My husband and I love spicy food but I have three young kids. I’d love to introduce them to fermented fish, as it is soo healthy, but could you give me an idea what veggies could I mix their fermented squid with? Thank you!
I wouldn’t use a lot of vegetables to avoid watery ojingeojeot which will go bad easily. One of the reasons I use chili peppers is that they don’t contain much water. You see I dry the fermented squid with paper towels in the video.
If you want to eat it with vegetables, I recommend taking some from your ojingeot jar or container each time right before serving, and mixing it with your favorite vegetables such as cucumber, celery, carrot..etc
wouldn’t the squid go bad if it is kept in the fridge for a month? it is seafood…i’m just cautious…hehe
Don’t worry, it will ferment instead of going bad because of salt. : )
If you can’t find small squids, can you just use one regular sized one?
yes, you can use regular sized squid. https://www.maangchi.com/ingredients/squid
Sounds really yummy, I love squid! I’ll have to try it this weekend! So excited!
ooh whoo! let me know how yours turns out 1 month later after making.
So adorable. Like Kimchi with seafood, and of course not with a vegetable base but with a fish base :D By the way. How does the squid taste like? Is it sour like in regular Kimchi, or is it just salten?
Love it :)
No, it’s not sour but a little sweet, salty, chewy, and a little spicy. The best part is the flavor that comes from well fermented seafood! It’s not fishy at all
Ohh Maangchi! Can´t believe you posted!
I was dying for this recipe!!
Thank you so much!!!!!!!!
yay! 1 month project!
My favorite side dish! Thank you for posting this – I’m going to start it this weekend!
This weekend? It sounds great!
My wife loves ojingeojeot she always has it in the fridge. But it is the stuff from a jar. Now that I know how easy it is to make I will a big batch when I get home. So around Christmas I will post a pic of how it turns out.
: ) I feel your love for your wife! awesome!
Your wife is lucky to have such a thoughtful husband.