Korean Cooking Ingredient: Dried Squid

Dried squid is a fascinating Korean cooking ingredient that has been a staple in many traditional dishes for centuries. The host of today's video enthusiastically introduces this ingredient, explaining that it can be easily prepared and consumed in various ways.

The simplest way to enjoy dried squid is by simply slicing or tearing it into bite-sized pieces and eating it as is. This straightforward method allows the natural flavor and texture of the squid to shine through, providing a satisfying snack or appetizer. The host's excitement is palpable as he demonstrates this technique, showcasing the ease with which dried squid can be incorporated into one's diet.

For those who prefer a more savory experience, drying squid over an open flame provides a delightful contrast in texture and flavor. By toasting the squid, it becomes crispy on the outside while remaining tender and juicy within. This method requires minimal effort but yields impressive results, making it an excellent option for those looking to try something new.

The Significance of Dried Squid

Dried squid holds a special place in Korean culture, particularly when it comes to social gatherings and events. The host shares a personal anecdote about packing dried squid as part of his school lunch, along with other favorite snacks like Korean seaweed and rice rolls. This nostalgic reminder highlights the importance of shared food experiences in bringing people together.

In Korea, dried squid is a common snack found at sporting events, such as soccer games or baseball matches. Unlike its American counterpart, which typically consists of hot dogs and soda, Koreans eagerly devour dried squid, known affectionately as "ojingeo." The host humorously notes that even the name itself is an interesting fact, as it literally translates to "dried squid legs" rather than arms.

Anatomy and Preparation

As the host delves deeper into the world of dried squid, he reveals a surprising aspect of its anatomy: the creature's appendages are actually its arms! This fascinating tidbit leads him to experiment with preparing the squid in different ways. By dividing it into small pieces and adding peanuts, he creates an easy-to-roll snack that can be devoured on the go.

The host's enthusiasm for dried squid is contagious as he invites his audience to join him in trying this new ingredient. As he prepares a toasted piece of dried squid over an open flame, the aroma wafts through the air, evoking memories of joyful times and delicious flavors. The sound of jazz music fills the background, accompanied by the host's infectious laughter and excitement.

A Personal Connection

The host shares a heartwarming story about his friend Brent, who was introduced to dried squid for the first time during one of their encounters. The host's recounting of this experience highlights the significance of sharing food with others, as it creates lasting memories and fosters connections between people. As he prepares the toasted squid, the host invites his audience to join him in savoring the delightful flavors and textures of this Korean delicacy.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHi everybody!Today I'm going to show you a really interesting Korean cooking ingredient.What is it?Ohh!!!This is dried squid.Mmmm smells good!(laughs)Simplest way you can eatis just slice this this, or tear, and eat.Second simplest way: you can toast this on an open flame.And also, I can make so many different kinds of dishes.When we were young we used to go to school picnics.We had to walk for four kilometers, hiking.And with a small backpack filled with delcious foodKorean seaweed, rice rolls, gimbapAnd then my mom packed candies, cookies,but this is never skippable!So at a Korean soccer game or baseball gameeverybody goes to cheer their team.here in American they sell some hotdogs and pop soda,in Korea they sell this ojingeo!This ojingeo - dried squid.Simplest way, is to just -split.I used to call these guys ojingeo dari- dari means legs.But actually I found out some squid anatomythey are arms!and you can just tearOne or two peanuts and you can roll it.Like this.And eat.It takes time to chew all this.And also really delicious savory taste is coming out while you are chewing.So I don't have time to eat this, I hope that one of you guys volunteer to eat this.I'm going to toast one squid for you guys.Evenly...Put this over the open flame.(squid crackles)Feel like dancing!(jazz music)Squid dance!it reminds me of my friend Brent.When he saw me toasting this squidhe couldn't believe it.He saw this for the first time in his life.\"My God, this squid is dancing!\"And then laughing, laughing.So that expression \"squid dance\" I didn't create it.He created it, so whenever I toast this, I think about Brent.In the middle there is a plastic-looking bone.So remove it.And just cut...Tear like this, I always like to tear it.Really smells good.Cut in half.And then...this.I brought gochujang, hot pepper paste.This really goes well with beer.We Koreans always eat some food, side dishes, while we are drinking.And also, you can add one more bowl - mayonnaise.So this way, is dried ojingeo.But today, what I'm going to show is different.Today we are going to make ojingeo-twigim.Fried dried dquid.So come over here, I will show you.This is one dried squid.So around four and a half hours ago I soaked this in cold water.So now very flexible and well soaked.You might be wondering, \"How about fresh squid? Can you make it with fresh squid?\"Of course. But this is much better texture.The texture after cooking, this is really really more chewy and more flavorfuland much much better.So I always use this.And I'm going to show you how to cut this and soak.Let's start with one squid.This squid is large size around four ounces, three to four ounce large squid.This is mouth.And take off.Yes, remove this.Like this.So...Too much is going here, so I'm going to cut it off.And then trim this.So this is around seven inches.Just soak in water, here.So tentacles are too long.So I'm going to cut it in half.Like this. Nice! Pretty.In the middle you will see some plastic-looking stuff.This is a bone.Cut across like this.Around half inch wide.If you want to cut it in half again, you can.I like long strips, like that.So this guy, just now we soaked.And then, this is four and a half hours ago I soaked this.So we don't need this guy, I just wanted to show you.(laughs)How to cut it.So we don't need this guy...And let's work with this.I like to strain this.This water is very savory and a little salty.I'm going to use it when I make batter, and also I will never throw away any leftoversI'm going to add it to any soup.Then, put it here.This is all-purpose flour.About two tablespoons.Mix.Now this is ready.We have to make batter.I'm going to wash my hands quickly.I'm going to heat my oil, this is four cups of corn oil.This is potato starch.One third cup.And a quarter cup all-purpose flour.And this is a quarter teaspoon salt.Baking powder, just a pinch.And one egg.And now we reserved this water from soaking the squid.I'm going to use one third cup.Three hundred fifty Fahrenheit is a good temperature.Three sixty now, I'm going to turn it down just a little bit.You need these really large tongs.And also, a strainer.And batter.Then, fry!A few, use your fingers, it's easier.(sizzling)You should be really careful when you fry this, buy some really long tongs.Always a little oil splashes.So now, we did it just one minute, take all these into the strainer.And here...And next...This batter is very thin.So turn it over...It looks really crunchy.Really straight and crunchy, but just like dakgangjeong, fried chicken,this guy's going to go soggy soon.So I'm going to double fry.Ok...And the last one...Just turn it over.So I still have some left over batter. So this is celery.Celery leaves.Some leaves, I like to...as a garnish or basil, mint, all are working well.Looks so good!Adding a little green stuff really makes it pretty looking.And also tasty!And then this ojingeo, all together,Wow lots of bubbles coming up!We need to fry again for just a couple of minutes.All sides should be crunchy.First one is around one minute, one or two minutesSecond fry is three to four minutes.So this one, you don't have to fry one more time.Because so thin.Ok.You can eat this just like this, or if you want to make some sauce, you can make an easy sauce.Soy sauce.Vinegar is just half amount of soy sauce.And if you want, Korean gochugaru, hot pepper flakes.And sesame seeds, toasted sesame seeds.Celery leaves.And one ojingeo made this amount, a lot!I like to have some beer!(gurgling)So cheers, everybody!Children, you drink water, ok?(laughs)Mmm!Mmm, crunchy crunchy.Chewy, savory, and crunchy.Really really tasty.If you have never tasted this before, you gotta try this.And make a beer party.And this is also good for children's snacks.Today we made ojingeo-twigim, fried squid.Enjoy my recipe. See you next time!Bye!\n"