Delicious and Chewy Braised Octopus Recipe
Utilizing Leftover Food: Making Flavorful Braised Octopus
Don’t let leftover octopus from your cooking go to waste! You can transform it into a simple yet delicious braised octopus dish. Now that the children have grown and left home, it’s just my husband and I, and it seems like we often have food left over, even when buying small quantities. I decided to make a braised dish with the octopus that was sitting in the black hole of our refrigerator. The chewy octopus and crisp Korean green chili peppers create a dish that’s perfect with rice. It’s great as a side dish or even as a snack with drinks. Let’s make this amazing braised octopus right now!
Braised Octopus Ingredients
- 1 cup (200ml) seasoned soy sauce (mat-ganjang)
- 100g cleaned octopus
- 6 Korean green chili peppers (gwari-gochu)
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) honey
- 1 tsp (5g) minced garlic
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- A dash of sesame oil (5ml)
Beef Bulgogi Ingredients (Optional)
- 150g beef (for bulgogi)
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion
- 1/4 carrot
- 3 Tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)
- 3 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp (5g) minced garlic
- A pinch of black pepper
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- A dash of sesame oil (5ml)
- 150g beef (for bulgogi)
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion
- 1/4 carrot
- 3 Tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)
- 3 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp (5g) minced garlic
- A pinch of black pepper
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- A dash of sesame oil (5ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Making the Braised Octopus: Pour 1 cup of seasoned soy sauce (mat-ganjang) that was used for the garlic pickles into a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once the soy sauce is boiling, add the 100g of cleaned octopus and the 6 Korean green chili peppers with their stems removed. Cook the octopus until it’s tender but not overly tough.
Step 2
Once the octopus is cooked to your liking, reduce the heat to low and stir in 2 Tbsp of honey and 1 tsp of minced garlic. Finally, add a pinch of sesame seeds for a nutty flavor and a dash of sesame oil to enhance the aroma. Give it a gentle mix, and your delicious braised octopus is ready!
Step 3
2. Making Beef Bulgogi (Side Dish): Slice the vegetables for the bulgogi (onion, green onion, carrot) into bite-sized pieces. Place the pre-marinated beef in a pot and stir-fry over medium heat. Once the beef is browned, add the sliced vegetables and stir-fry together. When the vegetables are softened and the beef is fully cooked, finish by drizzling with a pinch of sesame seeds and a dash of sesame oil for a delicious aroma.
