Small Octopus(Nakji) with Korean Pear Salad

6 min readSep 11, 2023

….This is a menu by the famous Korean chef, Ms. Young-hee Roh. She has created a protein-packed dish that is not only visually appealing but also promotes health. I had been eagerly waiting for the appearance of fresh seasonal pears… Of course, finding fresh small octopus can be quite challenging here, but I still wanted to give it a try. This recipe is said to have been created by the chef after she had the chance to try it at a street food stall and received permission from the owner to make the recipe. The warmth and charm of the master who, with permission, turned that experience into a recipe made her even more appealing. It was truly enviable that food chosen for its taste could be documented as a recipe. Nevertheless, I am grateful for being able to see and follow along with the shared recipe. Thank you so mush. This recipe is highly recommended… It’s so fancy!!!

Servings: 3–4

Times: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

8 small octopuses( 500 g whip-arm octopuses), blanched and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp sake
6 cups water
1–2 Korean pears, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
10 green onions (only the green parts), minced

For sauce:

1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp gukganjang
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp garlic juice (grate garlic and then press it through a strainer)

Cooking Instructions:

Place the small octopus in a bowl and add the flour to the bowl. Sift through with flour to remove impurities, then rinse thoroughly with water and drain.

2. Heat a pot over medium-high heat, and then add the water and sake to it, bringing it to a boil.

3. When the water begins to boil, use tongs to pick up the small octopuses one by one and dip them in the boiling water about 10 times, repeatedly dipping and removing them (do not boil until they turn red, as they will become tough). Set it aside to cool down.

4. Mix the sugar and vinegar in a bowl until the sugar melts.

5. Add the gukganjang, sesame oil, and garlic juice to the bowl and mix them well. Keep it in the refrigerator.

6. After cooling the cooked small octopus, cut it into pieces of the same size and place them on a tray. Slice the Korean pear into pieces of the same size as the octopus on the tray.