Energizing Bulgogi and Octopus Hot Pot
How to Make Delicious Bulgogi and Octopus Hot Pot!
With the weather being extremely hot lately, I’ve been feeling quite sluggish. To revitalize my energy, I decided to make a hearty hot pot packed with nourishing ingredients: beef bulgogi and octopus! This dish is perfect for boosting your vitality and is bursting with flavor.
Main Ingredients- 2 live octopuses
- 100g thinly sliced beef for bulgogi
- 100g clams (pre-soaked and purged of sand; can be omitted)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 stalk of green onion
- 2 Korean green chili peppers (or jalapeños)
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
- 50g oyster mushrooms
- 50g Korean parsley (minari)
- 4 cups anchovy broth
Bulgogi Marinade- 1 shiitake mushroom, finely julienned
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice wine (mirin or cooking sake)
- A pinch of black pepper
Hot Pot Broth Seasoning- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin or cooking sake)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp Hondashi (or MSG-based soup stock)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 1 shiitake mushroom, finely julienned
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice wine (mirin or cooking sake)
- A pinch of black pepper
Hot Pot Broth Seasoning- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin or cooking sake)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp Hondashi (or MSG-based soup stock)
- A pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients as mentioned above. I used pre-soaked and frozen clams from my previous grocery run. If you don’t have clams, feel free to skip them! Slice all other vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
First, let’s make the broth for the hot pot! In a pot, combine a handful of dried anchovies, dried shrimp, dried chili peppers, a piece of radish (mu), and one sheet of dried kelp (dashima). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 20 minutes to extract a rich, savory broth.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the marinade for the beef bulgogi. In a bowl, mix 1 finely julienned shiitake mushroom, 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp chopped green onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp rice wine, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir until well combined.
Step 4
Next, create the seasoning for the hot pot broth. In a separate bowl, combine 2 Tbsp gochugaru, 1/2 Tbsp gochujang, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp rice wine, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tsp Hondashi (or another soup stock), and a pinch of black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Step 5
Soak the beef for bulgogi in cold water for about 30 minutes to remove any excess blood. This step ensures a cleaner flavor and more tender texture for the meat.
Step 6
After draining the beef, place it in the bulgogi marinade prepared in step 2. Gently mix to coat the meat evenly with the marinade and let it rest for a while.
Step 7
The star of our hot pot, octopus! Clean the octopus by cutting it in half through the head, removing the innards, beak, and eyes. Then, wash it thoroughly under running water. For extra cleanliness and to remove any fishy smell, rub it with a generous amount of flour and rinse well.
Step 8
Now, let’s briefly blanch the octopus. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 tsp of Hondashi (or soup stock). Add the cleaned octopus and blanch for about 1 minute. Be careful not to overcook, as it can become tough. Once blanched, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces.
Step 9
Let’s get our vegetables ready. Cut the Korean parsley (minari) into lengths similar to the octopus pieces. If the oyster mushrooms are thick, slice them in half. Julienne the onion and green onion. Finely chop the green chili peppers. Slice the shiitake mushrooms into desired thickness.
Step 10
It’s time to artfully arrange everything in the hot pot! In a large pot, artfully arrange the prepared vegetables, marinated bulgogi, clams, blanched octopus, and other ingredients around the pot. This beautiful arrangement will make the dish visually appealing.
Step 11
Finally, pour the 4 cups of anchovy broth (prepared in step 2) into the pot and stir in the hot pot broth seasoning (from step 3). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and cook until all ingredients are tender and cooked through. Enjoy the delicious hot pot as it simmers! It’s a perfect meal to share with family and friends.
