Easy, delicious and addictive spicy squid rice bowl recipe.
Squid (오징어) is quite cheap and easy to get in Korea. Maybe because of that there are many Korean dishes made with squid.
What is Korean Spicy Squid Rice Bowl
One of my favorite ways and also one of the most popular ways to enjoy Korean squid is turning it into a spicy squid rice bowl. This is called Ojingeo Deopbap – 오징어 덮밥 in Korean.
In essence, it is a stir fried squid dish served on a bowl of rice. Squid rings are covered in spicy and savory sauce and it is simply delicious! The squid is also cooked with vegetables to add nice crisp texture in overall dish.
This combination also produces a good amount of sauce, which can be used to mix your rice with. It’s addictive and what’s more it’s very easy and quick to make, so it will be a perfect weeknight dinner!
Squid vs. Calamari
I often thought that calamari is just another fancy name for squid. While some people might agree with this, others say there are some differences.
While calamari is a type of squid, apparently it is smaller, tenderer and more expensive.
Yet, many culinary experts and fishmongers say their difference is like splitting hair.
Anyway, if you are interested in this comparison, you can read more about it from these articles.
For convenience reasons, I used pre-cut squid tubes that are readily available in the freezer section of a grocery store. But you’re welcome to use cleaned whole squid including tentacles. You can either cut them into strips (e.g. a little finger size) or cut them into ring shapes.
Cooking Tips
- The most common stir fried vegetables for this recipe are onion, green onions, carrots, and cabbage. You could instead add some zucchini or fresh chilies too.
- A small amount of chopped kimchi (about 1/4 cup) can be added to bring out more complex taste and texture. If adding some kimchi, reduce the amount of soy sauce by 1 tsp in the seasoning sauce as kimchi will add some saltiness to the dish.
- Korean chili oil can be optional, but it really adds nice subtle spicy flavor and rich red color. I highly recommend using it. Here’s my homemade Korean chili oil recipe.
- Don’t overcook squid as it will become rubbery and lose the nice bouncy texture. For this reason, it is best to consume the dish soon after making it.
- If you don’t eat spicy food well or you like to add some extra protein, serve the squid rice bowl with a fried egg. It will neutralise the spiciness a bit.
More Korean Squid Recipes
- Spicy Dried Squid Side Dish (Ojingeochae Bokkeum, 오징어채 볶음)
- Korean Seafood Pancakes (Hgaemul Pajeon, 해물파전)
Ingredients for Spicy Squid Rice Bowl (Serves 2)
Main
- 270g / 9.5 ounces squid (calamari), cut into ring shapes or little finger sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp rice wine
- 60g / 2 ounces onion, thinly sliced
- 20g / 0.7 ounces green onion, chopped
- 50g / 1.8 ounces carrot, thinly sliced
- 80g / 2.8 ounces cabbage, chopped
- Some cooking oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cups cooked rice, to serve
- (optional) fried egg, to serve
Seasoning Sauce
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, regular kikkoman
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2.5 Tbsp Korean chili oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ground black peppers
Garnish
- (optional) sesame seeds
- (optional) green onions, thinly sliced
* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml
** If you are unfamiliar with Korean ingredients, learn about them from here – Korean ingredients.
How to Make Spicy Squid Rice Bowl
1. Put the squid / calamari rings in a medium bowl. Add the rice wine and mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine all the seasoning sauce in a bowl and set aside.
3. Pre heat a skillet over medium high heat until well heated. Add a generous amount (2 to 3 Tbsp) of cooking oil and add onions and green onions. Stir for 1-2 mins until fragrant. The oil may splash, so watch out for that.
4. Add the remaining vegetables. Stir over medium high heat until the cabbage is slightly wilted (about 2 mins).
5. Add the squid and the seasoning sauce. Stir evenly with the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid and cook further for about 5 mins or until the squid is cooked. Stir occasionally.
6. Remove from the heat. Add the sesame oil and stir around quickly.
7. Serve the cooked squid and vegetables on a bowl of rice. If adding, garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and top up with a fried egg.
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Korean Spicy Squid Rice Bowl (Ojingeo Deopbap)
Ingredients
MAIN
- 270 g squid / calamari (9.5 ounces), cut into ring shapes or little finger sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp rice wine
- 60 g onion (2 ounces), thinly sliced
- 20 g green onion (0.7 ounces), thinly sliced
- 50 g carrot (1.8 ounces), thinly sliced
- 80 g cabbage (2.8 ounces), thinly sliced
- Some cooking oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cups cooked rice , to serve
- fried egg (optional), to serve
SEASONING SAUCE
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce , regular kikkoman
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2.5 Tbsp Korean chili oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ground black pepper
GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
- sesame seeds
- green onions , thinly sliced
Instructions
- Put the squid / calamari rings in a medium bowl. Add the rice wine and mix well. Set aside.
- Combine all the seasoning sauce in a bowl and set aside.
- Pre heat a skillet over medium high heat until well heated. Add a generous amount (2 to 3 Tbsp) of cooking oil and add onions and green onions. Stir for 1-2 mins until fragrant. The oil may splash, so watch out for that.
- Add the remaining vegetables. Stir over medium high heat until the cabbage is slightly wilted (about 2 mins).
- Add the squid and the seasoning sauce. Stir evenly with the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid and cook further for about 5 mins or until the squid is cooked. Stir occasionally.
- Remove from the heat. Add the sesame oil and stir around quickly.
- Serve the cooked squid and vegetables on a bowl of rice. If adding, garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and top up with a fried egg.
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
