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Korean Calamari

by Nigella. Featured in KITCHEN

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Introduction

Never has a quick meal tasted so spectacular. Yes, you do need to hunt down this fabulous flavoured paste — think chilli with a sweet and smoky hit of almost liquorice intensity — but once you have it, the culinary kingdom is yours. In lieu of it, I suppose you could use any chilli paste you like, to taste, but I could never allow myself to run out of my exuberantly coloured gochujang — also stamped "Hot Pepper Paste (Chal)" — and so can’t report from experience.

In fact, I am always ready to slide down the pole and have this at a moment’s notice: the spring onions are in the fridge; the squid is in the deep-freeze; everything else is to hand; and if I don’t have any baby corn, I am more than happy to add whatever vegetable I do have.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

KITCHEN

2010

Buy Now

Image of Nigella's Korean Calamari — Photo by Lis Parsons

As featured in

KITCHEN

2010

Buy Now

Ingredients

Serves: 2

Metric Cups

150 grams sushi rice
150 - 175 grams (6 baby) squid
2 x 15ml tablespoons chinese rice wine
2 x 15ml tablespoons Korean gochujang paste
2 x 15ml tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
3 - 4 dashes sesame oil
2 teaspoons groundnut oil or other flavourless oil
75 grams baby sweetcorn (cut into 1cm / ½inch chunks)
6 thin or 3 fat spring onions (sliced)

1 cup sushi rice
5 - 6 ounces (6 baby) squid
2 tablespoons chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons Korean gochujang paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
3 - 4 dashes asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons peanut oil or other flavourless oil
large handful baby sweetcorn (cut into 1cm / ½inch chunks)
6 thin or 3 fat scallions (sliced)

Method

Put the sushi rice on to cook according to packet instructions or in a rice cooker following its instructions.
Squeeze any tentacles out of the squid bodies, then slice the calamari into rings and put in a bowl with the tentacles and the 2 tablespoons rice wine. Leave for 15 minutes, then strain, reserving the liquid in a bowl.
To this bowl add the Korean pepper paste, soy sauce, sugar and few dashes of sesame oil, and stir to combine.
Put a wok or large, heavy-based frying pan on to heat and, when it's hot, add the 2 teaspoons groundnut or other flavourless oil.
Add the sliced corn and spring onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the drained squid and stir-fry for another minute or two, until the squid turns opaque.
Tip your sauce into the hot pan, stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, until piping hot, and then divide between 2 bowls of the sushi rice.

Put the sushi rice on to cook according to packet instructions or in a rice cooker following its instructions.
Squeeze any tentacles out of the squid bodies, then slice the calamari into rings and put in a bowl with the tentacles and the 2 tablespoons rice wine. Leave for 15 minutes, then strain, reserving the liquid in a bowl.
To this bowl add the Korean pepper paste, soy sauce, sugar and few dashes of asian sesame oil, and stir to combine.
Put a wok or large, heavy-based frying pan on to heat and, when it's hot, add the 2 teaspoons groundnut or other flavourless oil.
Add the sliced corn and scallions and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the drained squid and stir-fry for another minute or two, until the squid turns opaque.
Tip your sauce into the hot pan, stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, until piping hot, and then divide between 2 bowls of the sushi rice.

Additional Information

FREEZE:
Fresh squid can be cut into rings and frozen with the tentacles for up to 3 months, in a resealable bag with as much air as possible squeezed out. But first check with fishmonger or supermarket that the squid has not been previously frozen. Defrost overnight in the fridge, on a plate to catch drips.