Today I’m going to introduce you to a simple, flavorful seafood dish called ojingeo-bokkeum. It’s spicy Korean stir-fried squid, one of my all-time favorite dishes. It’s easy to make that if you do it once you’ll probably be able to make for the rest of your life! : )
This recipe is very special to me because it’s the first one I ever shared on YouTube, on April 9, 2007. I filmed it with a very simple point-and-shoot camera (Sony Cybershot DSCW50) so the quality is not very good, and I used music that was protected by copyright, which YouTube later removed. This video really needed a remake in HD.
I was living in Toronto, Canada at the time, and I never would have known that I would still be cooking Korean food on YouTube so many years later. But I’ve met so many wonderful people around the world through my videos that it’s truly one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.
This dish is incredibly easy to make once you get the ingredients together. I’ve been making it so long I don’t even remember where I learned it! It’s like a part of me. And I don’t remember why I decided to make a video about it except that me and my Korean coworkers used to go to a Korean restaurant all the time in Toronto and eat ojingeo-bokkeum there. They all loved it, but I thought to myself: “Mine is better.”
You can use more or less hot pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it, and you could substitute squid for chicken, or even king oyster mushrooms if you’re a vegetarian.
Good luck with making delicious ojingeo-bokkeum!
Ingredients
- 1 pound cleaned squid, cut into bite size pieces (about 2″ x ½”)
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
For seasoning paste:
Vegetables:
- 12 green onions, cut into 2 inch long
- 1 green chili pepper, sliced
- 1 medium onion (about 7 ounces), sliced
- 1 small carrot (about ½ cup worth), sliced into thin strips (about 2″ x ½”)
Directions
Make slurry
- Combine the potato starch and ¼ cup water in a small bowl and mix well.
Make seasoning paste
- Combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hot pepper flakes, and sugar in a bowl and mix well.
Stir fry!
- Heat up a pan over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil and stir-fry the onion, carrot, green onion, and green chili pepper for about 7 to 8 minutes until the green onions are wilted and the onion is a little translucent.
- Add the squid and seasoning paste. Stir fry for a few minutes until the squid turns opaque.
- Mix in the slurry and cook for 30 seconds.
Serve
- Serve right away as a side dish for rice.
Posted Monday, April 9th, 2007 at 4:08 pm.
Tagged: easy squid recipe, 오징어, 오징어볶음, korean food, Korean recipes, korean squid dish, Korean style stir-fried squid recipe, ohjinguh, ojingeo bokkeum, ojingeobokkeum, ojinguh-bokkeum, spicy squid dish, spicy stir-fried squid, squid recipe, squid recipe Korean, stir fried squid, Stir-fried spicy squid
Jul 26th
Jul 16th
Jul 6th
We all love you too, Maangchi!!!
Thank you, my friend!
Love you, too, Maangchi ^^
Thank you for being such a great teacher. Although we never meet, I really look up to you as my “Korean mum” who teaches me great Korean foods. You are truly an inspiration ^^
Now that I am married to my husband (who is a Korean), he almost always praise me for my cookings.. Whenever he taste something nice, he would look at me and said; “Maangchi?”
I am more comfortable cooking Korean food as compared to Indonesia food.. hahahaha ^^
Stay healthy and stay cheerful ^^
By the way, your expression when you opened the champagne bottle.. was priceless hahahahaha ^^
Hi Maangchi!
I’ve alwas followed you on youtube and have been trying out your delicious recipes for some time now! I’ve made your amazing spicy stir fried squid tjis weekend and it was a big hit with my friends! They said it was their first time to taste such an awesome dish, all thanks to you! Good thing I had a kilo of squid and all of the ingredients available in my kitchen! ☺
See full size image
I’m so happy to hear that your ojingeo-bokkeum was a big hit! Yes, it looks very delicious!
I made this the other day and it was so good! I’m going to try it with tofu tonight
See full size image
Thank you for sharing the photo of your stir-fried squid! I haven’t made this for a while. I should make this soon!
I was looking for an octopus recipe when I came across this old recipe of your from 2007. I did not watch the video, just read the text. Immediately I knew I had to make this. A quick call to my local fish monger — “no! Squid season does not start until May 1st.” But … a 2-1/2 lb block of frozen, cleaned squid.
See full size image
A short time later and stir fried squid on a bowl of rice was dinner. Delicious! I will definitely make this recipe again.
See full size image
It looks so tasty! Congratulations!
Maangchi,
I had the pleasure of watching your videos pretty early on since the summer of ’07. Such a fantastic journey you’ve had thus far, and also what great resources you’ve given to the world!
In the post, it says your first video was April of 2017, you must have meant 2007!
Yes! That’s right! I just fixed it now. Thank you very much, Mikura!
nice post
10 Year Anniversary. Congratulations Maangchi. Here is my Spicy Stir-fried Squid. I used only head and tentacles (I’m lazy today next time I will use whole squid). Also I added some zucchini. Absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making Ojingeo-bokkeum again.
See full size image
After cooking the recipe Maangchi’s food really does give the same joyful expression of deliciousness she has while eating. I can make the same expression because the flavors really does taste that delicious! So yummy! Made this without the red pepper flavors. Did put in the green hot pepper which makes it spicy kick too. Super super delcious and easy, even got past the cleaning squid part. Thank you Maangchi!
HI, Maangchi, I am a college student from California and I am a new subscriber. This recipe was very simple and delicious. I made this today for dinner and it’s soooooo goooddd <3 Maangchi you're awesome. I couldn't find squid in my local market but I used calamari instead and it's just as delicious.
See full size image
Wow, I’m so impressed by your cooking skill! You even scored the squid! Yum!
Good day Maangchi!
To celebrate your 10th year on Youtube…. I cooked this Spicy Stir Fried Squid again! It’s just so delicious! And what better occasion to prepare it than on your anniversary! Thank you for sharing your recipes, I haven’t been to Korea but cooking your dishes makes me want ti visit there someday. ☺
See full size image
Congrats on 10 years Maangchi!! Hoping for 10 more!! How many minutes do you stir fry the squid?? I don’t want it to be over or under cooked! Thanks Maangchi, you are the best!!
Hey Maangchi!
I wanted to add flat noodles to this dish but I don’t know if I can and how to do so. I would really appreciate your help!!
Hi Maangchi. The dish looks great. I actually tried this recipe of yours a while back and it was fantastic. I was wondering if you had any recipes for something similar for this ojinguh-gopchang bokkeum dish…not even sure the exact name of it..but my aunt in Korea sent me a pic of it. I tried to upload it to you but not sure how. I wonder how it would taste if I added gopchang to this recipe? Do you think the same ingredients will balance out the flavors with the addition of gopchang? Or maybe it should be adjusted with other ingredients so that the ojinguh and gopchang compliment each other when combined without one overpowering the other??
I made this for dinner and it was really amazing, I love it I cannot wait to eat the leftovers for breakfast Korean style this is a link to the picture, https://picasaweb.google.com/110109869884153961552/FromPhone#5696905408936477122
Great news! I am glad it turned out good! I can’t see the photo by the way.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fA14Ch6Ppynxwb8BabSuS9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
hope u can see it this time
yes, now I can see the photo. Happy cooking!
Question…..What kind of hot pepper flakes do you use?
It’s sold at a Korean grocery store. https://www.maangchi.com/ingredients/hot-pepper-flakes
Please……LOSE THE MUSIC !!!!!!
You are hard enough to understand without it.
But….The squid looks GREAT.
I had spicy squid bokum las night at my local sushi place, and I cannot wait to make it on my boat.
But PEASE…….Lose the music.
Made this for supper last night. It smelled so good while it was cooking and tasted even better. It is very quick and easy to make and so delicious!
I used Anaheim pepper since korean peppers are impossible to get locally. Not too spicy and good flavor. Thank you for the great recipe, Maanchi.
Hello, I want to make this recipe and I can’t get to the shops. Can I use a hot red chilli instead of a green one?
I tried this today and it turned out great! I used gochujang instead of the flakes and agave instead of sugar! It was a hit, I made it for a potluck at work and it was the first dish to go! Next time i willuse the flakes, i think the texture will be great!
oh you use agave instead of sugar. That’s a great idea! “It was a hit, I made it for a potluck at work and it was the first dish to go!” Congratulations!
Hi!
i can’t find any hot pepper in town. but i have gochujang from a friend, can i use that instead of the hot pepper for the paste?
yes, use hot pepper paste instead of hot pepper flakes, but hot pepper flakes are better for this recipe. If you use hot pepper paste, don’t use soy sauce because hot pepper paste is salty. Good luck!
hi!
thanks for the advice!
this was the result of my ojinguh bokkeum with kongnamulguk http://bit.ly/jLmM5O
i think i put too much squid ;A;
love your blog <3 :3
Great! You made delicious stir-fried squid and soybean sprout soup!
Is this the same as Nakche Bokkum???
nakji is small octopus. You could use this recipe for nakji (small octopus).
i always cook this dish,my husband loves it so much,.and i do love it too..
This recipe is sooo delicious! I have lots of friends here in Sweden who love your site!
Thank you Moa! Happy cooking!
Made this dish tonight and it was sooooo good! I always orderd it in the restaurant and now that I can make it myself I am sooo happy! Thank you sooo much Maangchi!! :o)
Great news! Thank you for the update! :0)
I improvised and made Nakchi bokum. It came out delicious. It was a little too spicy for me to finish, but my Korean wife finished it. We added a little tashida and it brought out the flavor even more. Yours looked so delicious, but we usually improvise recipes to our tastes. I have made several of your recipes now, but my son dropped the digital camera, so I can’t take pictures. Hopefully we will have it replaced before too long.
“we usually improvise recipes to our tastes”
nice! You can modify the recipe according to your taste. Thank you!
Hi Maangchi,
The Hot Paste which you used it in this recipe, can I use the ready Hot Pepper Paste instead? Please advise. Thank you for sharing.
“ready Hot Pepper Paste”? I don’t know what it is. Freshly made hot paste gives the the best result.
“Prepare a small bowl and make hot paste by mixing 5 cloves of minced garlic, 2½ tbs of soy sauce, 2 tbs hot pepper flakes, and 1 tbs sugar”
Hi Maangchi,
Thank you for fast reply.. The ready hot pepper paste that I mentioned is the Korean Hot Pepper Paste in the plastic container and sold in the supermarket.. It is because I may run out of hot pepper flakes..Thank you.
Thanks for the recipe! I used to have this at the Korean restaurant in Winnipeg.
oh, Winnipeg! Now you can make this at home! : )
Hi, maangchi
i try this recipe like two days ago, but i use hot pepper paste instead of flakes (i have to go to other district if i am about to use flakes >.<). anyway, the sauce turns out to have similar taste with ddukbokki, is that right? and, instead of serving it with rice, i add ramen noodles in it.
unfortunately, i can't show you my cooking because my boyfriend and I dug on it right after it was ready. (blush) we're just too excited to taste it.
yay, it sounds like you made delicious ojingeobokkeum. Adding ramen noodles to this dish sounds great! “my boyfriend and I dug on it right after it was ready..” lol!
Hi Maangchi,
I love your cooking. I made this dish tonight and it was sooo good! My husband had to cut the squid because I was so squeamish! The eyes and guts really gross me out! I also had to add more sugar. My husband and I like it on the sweeter side. I don’t know exactly how much I added but i think it was more than double. Thanks for your expert videos. My husband wouldn’t have known how to cut that thing without your help! Thanks again Maangchi!
“My husband had to cut the squid because I was so squeamish! The eyes and guts really gross me out!” haha! Thank you for your update! I can imagine you and your husband’s battle with the dead squid in the kitchen!
Happy cooking! ^^
Hi I was watching your video and I have question on the measurements.
I’m questioning the soy sauce-in the video you call out everything in spoons then in the instructions you say 2 1/2 Tbs. What’s correct
2 1/2 Tbs or 5 spoons . I’m assuming that the spoon you are using is about the size of a Tablespoon. Tks
yes, use measuring tbs which is more exact. Forget about spoon! I usually use regular spoon instead of measuring spoon during my usual cooking, but I can’t provide exact measurement with regular spooning. For example, when I scoop (1 spoon) hot pepper paste, it can be from 2-6 tbs depending on how much I scoop at the time.
Thank cyou very much, Maangchi. I enjoy your recipes
Hi Maangchi,
Would it be ok to use shrimps instead of squid?
yes, I think so, why not! My friend used chicken breast instead of squid. She said it turned out very delicious! Smart cooks are everywhere. ; )
Hi Maangchi! I was wondering if for the stir fry you could use hot pepper powder instead of the flakes?
Yes, of course you can use either hot pepper powder or hot pepper flakes.
Hi Maangchi. Just wanted to let you know that I made this dish tonight with a shortage of vegetables but heavy supply of squid! It was delicious. Thanks for the great recipe.
I bought squid today! : ) Reading your comment is motivating me to cook this dish for myself!
your website helped me a lot in learning how to cook korean dishes, hopefully many more recipes that i can select which reach my budget…more power & JESUS LOVES YOU!
Hi,
I looked up this recipe after hearing a famous korean star talking about it. It sure does look delicious. I was just wondering if this recipe is best to use squid or can I use another type of meat like chiken? please let me know?
My friend said she replaced the squid with sliced pork and it turned out great. Chicken, why not?
Hi Maangchi,
when I was in Korea I ate some similar dish. I guess it was dried cuttle fish with some sauce on it.
It looked like the dried cuttle fish snack, except it was red and little sticky (like myeolchi bokkeum) and was used as side dish.
There were no veggies or something in.
Do you know the name of this dish and can you tell me how to make it?
oh, it’s “mareun ojinguhchae bokkeum” :”마른 오징어채 볶음” in Korean.
Ojinguh is squid and chae means shredded stuff, so the side dish is made with shredded dried squid.
The recipe will be posted in the future. It’s one of popular Korean lunch box side dishes.
Maangchi, you are the best!
I am awaiting this one… :)
I tried so many of your recipes by now and they are all so delicous!!
Hi Maangchi,
I love all your recipes because they’re so easy to make. I just finished cooking this dish but my squid came out tough and a bit bitter. Do you have any recommandations or tell me what I did wrong?
Maybe you cooked the squid too long? I don’t know about the bitter taste. It is not supposed to be bitter. Check the taste of all the other ingredients, please.
Hmm, maybe I will try rubbing some lemon on the squid first and not over cook it. I remember the squid being very tender and flavorful at the restaurants and I cant seem to get it that way.. But I will keep trying, thank you for all your energy to help others cook =D