Jjukkumi Bokkeum (Spicy Baby Octopus Stir-fry)

Sprinkle flour over the thawed octopus, massage it in firmly, then rinse.

~5 min

Why: The flour pulls grit and slime out from between the suckers and takes the fishy smell with it.

Flip each head inside out to remove the innards, and pinch out the beak at the center of the legs.

~4 min

Blanch in boiling water for just 15 seconds, drain, and cut into bite-size pieces.

~3 min

Why: A quick blanch keeps the octopus from releasing water in the pan, so the sauce doesn't get diluted.

Mix the sauce ingredients, coat the octopus, and marinate 10 minutes.

~10 min

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat and stir-fry the onion and cabbage for 1 minute.

~2 min

Add the octopus and stir-fry over high heat for just 2-3 minutes.

~3 min

Watch out: Past the 3-minute mark it turns rubbery — the moment the legs curl into rings, you're done.

Add the green onion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, then turn off the heat.

~1 min