Squid & Octopus
오징어 · 낙지 · 쭈꾸미o-jing-eo · nak-ji · jjuk-ku-mi
Squid, long-arm octopus and webfoot octopus for stir-fries and stews
Squid (ojingeo), long-arm octopus (nakji) and small webfoot octopus (jukkumi) are some of the most loved seafood in Korea. They are quick-cooking, absorb spicy sauces beautifully and show up in stir-fries, stews, pancakes and salads.
- Korean name
- 오징어 · 낙지 · 쭈꾸미 (o-jing-eo · nak-ji · jjuk-ku-mi)
- What it is
- Squid, long-arm octopus and webfoot octopus for stir-fries and stews
- Storage
- Cook fresh squid and octopus within a day.
- Substitute
- Squid, octopus and cuttlefish can replace each other in most recipes; shrimp works in stir-fries.
- Recipes
- Used in 58 recipes on coo K food
The main kinds
Squid is the everyday choice: stir-fried with gochujang (ojingeo-bokkeum), sliced into seafood pancakes or dried into shredded snacks. Nakji has long, thin arms and a tender bite and is famous in spicy stir-fries (nakji-bokkeum) and in hot pots. Jukkumi is small and in season in spring, when it is often full of roe.
Cleaning and cooking
Rub octopus with coarse salt or flour and rinse to remove slime. Score squid in a crosshatch so it curls and holds sauce. Cook quickly over high heat or blanch briefly — overcooking makes both rubbery. A splash of rice wine removes any fishy smell.
🧊 How to store it
Cook fresh squid and octopus within a day. Cleaned and blanched, they freeze well for a couple of months.
🔄 Substitutes
Squid, octopus and cuttlefish can replace each other in most recipes; shrimp works in stir-fries.
🛒 Where to buy
This is a fresh ingredient, so it is best bought in person at a Korean or pan-Asian grocery store such as H Mart, or through an online Asian grocer that delivers fresh produce in your area. Look for it under its Korean name, 오징어 · 낙지 · 쭈꾸미 (ojingeo · nakji · jjukkumi).
