Chewy and Flavorful Octopus Porridge Made with Wild Rock Octopus
A Nutritious Octopus Porridge Recipe Cooked with Wild Rock Octopus from Tongyeong
Hello everyone! ‘Bap-sim’ is strength from a hearty meal. Today, we’ll be making ‘Octopus Porridge,’ a dish that captures both nutrition and flavor, using the precious wild rock octopus from the southern coast. Rock octopus, which inhabits rocky areas, boasts a superior taste and richer nutrients compared to other types of octopus. Especially, Tongyeong’s wild rock octopus has a wonderfully firm yet tender texture and a delightfully chewy bite. As a high-protein, low-calorie food, octopus is effective for dieting and skin beauty, and its abundance of taurine makes it an excellent ingredient for those feeling fatigued or needing an energy boost. Start your day with a bowl of this carefully simmered, warm octopus porridge for a healthy and satisfying meal!
Octopus Porridge Ingredients- 3 prepared rock octopus tentacles
- 1 cup soaked rice (about 180g)
- 5 cups octopus simmering broth (about 1,000ml)
- 1 handful finely minced carrots (about 30g)
- 1 handful rehydrated dried zucchini (about 20g)
- 1 handful rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms (about 20g)
- 1 handful finely minced onion (about 30g)
- 1/2 handful chopped chives (about 15g)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (about 30ml)
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce or coarse salt (adjust to taste)
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your fresh rock octopus. Today’s star ingredient is packed with the rich flavors of the sea.
Step 2
Let’s start by cleaning the octopus. Cut off the head with scissors and remove the entrails. Thoroughly cleaning it is key to a delicious porridge without any gamey odor.
Step 3
It’s important to clean the octopus surface meticulously. Place the cleaned octopus in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt and 2 tablespoons of flour. Now, rub it vigorously with your hands, like ‘barak-barak’ (a scrubbing motion). The flour and salt will absorb the slimy mucus and impurities, making the octopus clean.
Step 4
Rinse the scrubbed octopus thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the salt and flour. Gently pat it dry before proceeding to the next step.
Step 5
Here’s a secret to tenderizing the octopus! Fill a pot with water and add a piece of radish. Once the water comes to a boil, add the prepared octopus and simmer for about 10 minutes. The diastase enzyme in the radish helps to tenderize the octopus meat, making it softer and more palatable.
Step 6
At this stage, try holding the octopus head and dipping it into the boiling water, then pulling it out, repeating this 2-3 times. This technique helps the tentacles curl up beautifully, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing shape. See how nicely they’ve curled!
Step 7
There you have it – perfectly simmered, firm, and chewy octopus. The natural flavor and texture of the octopus are beautifully preserved.
Step 8
Prepare the rice for the porridge in advance. Soak 1 cup of rice for about 1 hour, then drain it in a sieve for about 30 minutes. Using soaked rice will result in a smoother, more easily digestible porridge.
Step 9
Using the octopus simmering broth as your soup base is the secret to this delicious octopus porridge! This broth, infused with the octopus’s umami and nutrients, will give your porridge a much deeper flavor. Remove and discard the cooked radish, and set the broth aside.
Step 10
Select 3 tentacles from the cooked octopus to use in the porridge. You can save the rest for other dishes or chop them finely to use as a garnish if you like.
Step 11
Prepare the vegetables and mushrooms for the porridge. Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms and dried zucchini by soaking them in lukewarm water until soft. Soaking zucchini in warm water can help maintain its chewy texture, and adding a little sugar to the soaking water for shiitake mushrooms will speed up the process. Finely mince the onion and carrots, and chop the chives into about 2cm lengths.
Step 12
Squeeze out the excess water from the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and zucchini, and then mince them finely, just like the other vegetables. Finely dicing the ingredients ensures they blend well into the porridge.
Step 13
Chop the boiled octopus reserved for garnish into bite-sized pieces. Cut the chives into slightly larger pieces, about 4cm in length, for a more vibrant garnish that adds texture.
Step 14
Now, let’s start cooking the porridge. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pot. Add the drained soaked rice and sauté until the grains become translucent. Once the rice grains turn clear, add the minced carrots, onion, rehydrated zucchini, and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and sauté them together. Stir-fry until the moisture from the vegetables begins to meld with the rice.
Step 15
Once the ingredients are well sautéed, pour in the 5 cups of reserved octopus simmering broth. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the broth thickens. When the porridge is nearly thickened, add the finely chopped cooked octopus and chopped chives, and cook for just a little longer. Since the octopus and chives are already cooked, avoid overcooking to prevent them from becoming tough.
Step 16
The octopus broth gives the porridge a lovely reddish hue, making it visually appealing. Finally, season with soy sauce or coarse salt to your preference. The natural umami from the octopus is so rich that salt alone is often sufficient.
Step 17
Once the porridge is ready, serve it generously in a bowl. The deep, inherent flavor of the octopus is perfectly captured in this bowl of porridge.
Step 18
Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for a beautiful finish. The chewy octopus and creamy rice create a delightful culinary experience! Revitalize your appetite and boost your health with this incredibly nutritious wild rock octopus porridge!
