Kkol Ddoo Ki Jorim
In Korea, kkol ddoo ki refers to any tiny squid or octopus. Typically, these are dried out in open air and with the help of offshore breeze, a little more than halfway through, so that they retain a pleasantly chewy texture that compliments their salty and savory flavor profile.
One of my mom’s favorite dosirak or lunchbox mit banchans growing up was kkol ddoo ki jorim. It’s quite similar and flavor, texture, and preparation as myulchi bokkeum, which was also one of her favorites. Both dishes are sweet, salty, and savory, as they are lightly glazed/candied in the pan. Adjacent thought: I wonder if my mom and I would have been friends as kids of the same age. Interesting.
This recipe for kkol ddoo ki jorim 꼴뚜기조림 is super simple and comes together faster than frying an egg. The key is bring the kkol ddoo ki to room temperature (I would advise the same when making myulchi bokkeum) and tossing in the pan at very low to no heat. Otherwise you will ma…