Spicy Fermented Squid Side Dish (Ojingeo-jeot)

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1. 1
   Clean the squid by removing the intestines, mouth, and eyes. If using pre-cleaned squid from a Korean market, you can use it directly. Measure out 1 pound of squid for this recipe.
   ▶ ≈0:44
2. 2
   Mix the 1 pound of squid with 3 tablespoons of salt, coating the squid evenly with the salt.
   ▶ ≈2:59
3. 3
   Place the salted squid in an airtight container and refrigerate for one month. Every week, flip the container so the brine settles to the bottom. Mix it 2-4 times during fermentation and return it to the refrigerator.
   ▶ ≈4:01
4. 4
   After one month, remove the fermented squid and rinse it thoroughly to remove excess salt. Pat dry with paper towels and remove the outer skin.
   ▶ ≈5:11
5. 5
   Prepare the seasoning ingredients: chop 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 large green chili pepper (seeds removed), and 2 green onions. Chop by hand rather than using a food processor to preserve texture.
   ▶ ≈6:47
6. 6
   Combine the chopped ingredients with 1/3 cup gochugaru, 1/3 cup rice syrup, and 1 teaspoon fish sauce, mixing until you have a sticky paste.
   ▶ ≈8:27
7. 7
   Add the seasoning paste to the cleaned and dried fermented squid and mix well. Stir in about 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and 2 teaspoons sesame oil.
   ▶ ≈9:36
8. 8
   Transfer the seasoned fermented squid into an airtight container and press down gently. Seal and refrigerate. Serve in small portions alongside other rice dishes whenever desired.
   ▶ ≈10:22