I made this dish inspired by 제육볶음 (Jeyuk-bokkeum), a classic Korean spicy pork stir-fry that’s both sweet and spicy at the same time. It’s one of the most popular dishes in Korea, especially among guys, for reasons I honestly don’t even know. I just remember that back in university, whenever I went out for lunch with male friends, they almost always ordered this. Maybe it’s their “soul food.”
We often make a version with squid as well, which is incredibly tasty and pairs perfectly with rice or noodles. The one I made this time actually went better with noodles. Maybe because the sauce had a slightly thicker, more saucy texture than the traditional version.
I highly recommend adding a fried egg and some crushed nori on top. The richness from the egg yolk and the nutty umami from the nori really balance out the spicy flavors beautifully.
Low cal Korean spicy pork and squid stir-fry (오징어 제육)
Difficulty: Medium6
servings20
minutes30
minutes405
kcal52
g31
g11
gIngredients
Sauce
• Gochujang 100g
• Allulose 50g
• Soy sauce 35g
• Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 25g
• Ginger paste 15g
• Dasida 10gIngredients
• Olive oil 10g
• Minced garlic 30g
• Pork tenderloin 750g
• Shaoxing wine or mirin 30g
• Cabbage 400g
• Carrot 200g
• Frozen squid (or octopus) 800g
• 50g Spring onion white part
• 50g Spring onion green part
• Potato starch 15g (mixed with a little water)
• Sesame oil 20g
• Optional: chilli flake or chopped chilli for extra spicynessGarnish
Fried egg, crushed nori, sesame seeds, chopped spring onions
Directions
- Preparation
- Make the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
- Chop the cabbage, carrot (julienned), spring onions, and pork.
- Defrost the octopus, clean and drain it well.
- Cooking
- Heat a pan over high heat. Add olive oil and garlic, and sauté until lightly golden.
- Add the pork and Shaoxing wine (or mirin). Stir-fry until the pork is mostly cooked.
- Add half of the sauce and continue stir-frying.
- Add the carrot and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the white parts of the spring onions and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped cabbage and stir-fry until softened.
- Once the cabbage is soft, add the squid and the remaining sauce.
⚠️ Cook for only a couple of minutes to prevent it from becoming chewy. - Dissolve starch in the 80-100ml of water, pour it in to the pan. Mix well and cook until slightly thickened.
- When octopus is cooked enough (takes not too long), turn off the heat.
- Add the green parts of the spring onions and sesame oil.
- Divide it into 6 servings.
- Pair it with noodles or rice. Add your choice of garnish, enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Add the squid last and cook it briefly — overcooking will make it rubbery.
- You can serve this with rice or noodles. Lee and I personally love pairing it with noodles and topping it with a fried egg!
- If you make veggie wraps using lettuce or perilla (sesame) leaves, it tastes amazing.
- I added extra Western-style chili flakes for more spiciness, but that’s totally up to you!
- If you use a different sweetener, the sweetness level may vary, so make sure to taste and adjust as needed.