Tangy Korean squid salad
Dress chilled blanched squid, crunchy cucumber, radish and carrot with a tangy gochujang dressing.
- Prep
- 22 min
- Cook
- 10 min
Scale the recipe
Ingredients
- cleaned raw squid body and tentacles weighed after refrigerator thawing, removing the innards, quill and beak, rinsing and drying
- 250 g
- Cucumber without the watery seed core
- 80 g
- Korean radish (mu) peeled
- 70 g
- Carrot peeled
- 30 g
- Scallions
- 15 g
- blanching water
- 4 C
Seasonings
- Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 1 T + 1/2 T
- Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 T
- Rice vinegar
- 2 T
- Sugar
- 1 T
- Minced garlic
- 1/2 T
- Brewed soy sauce
- 1/2 T
- Toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 T
Level measures: 1 T (tablespoon) = 15 mL, 1 C (paper cup) = 180 mL. Household spoons and cups can vary in size.
Method
-
Clean and weigh the squid
Thaw frozen squid in the refrigerator. Remove the innards, clear quill, beak and eyes, rinse under running water and pat dry. Weigh 250 g of the cleaned squid.
-
Score and slice
Lightly crosshatch the inside of the body, then cut lengthwise into strips about 2 cm wide. Cut the tentacles into bite-sized lengths. Wash your hands and utensils after contact with raw squid.
-
Boil the blanching water
Bring 4 C to a boil over high heat in a pot large enough to submerge the squid.
-
Blanch the squid through
Add the squid. When the water returns to a boil, reduce to medium heat. Check with a food thermometer that the center of the thickest part stays at 85°C or above for 1 minute, then lift the squid out.
-
Cool and drain the squid
Transfer to a clean strainer to release steam briefly. Spread the squid in a clean shallow container and refrigerate. Pat its surface dry so water does not dilute the dressing.
-
Cut the vegetables
Cut cucumber 80 g, radish 70 g and carrot 30 g into thin, short sticks. Wash scallions 15 g under running water and cut into lengths about 3 cm long.
-
Dry the vegetables
Briefly spread the vegetables on clean paper towels to blot residual moisture. Chill them in the refrigerator until they are as cold as the squid.
-
Mix the tangy gochujang dressing
Mix gochujang 1 T + 1/2 T, gochugaru 1 T, rice vinegar 2 T, sugar 1 T, minced garlic 1/2 T and brewed soy sauce 1/2 T in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
-
Toss the squid and vegetables
Add the squid and vegetables to the dressing, then gently toss with a spoon, lifting from the bottom.
-
Add sesame and serve
Toss with toasted sesame seeds 1/2 T and serve. Refrigerate leftovers at 4°C or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C.
