What is Korean Sannakji (Live Octopus) - Weirdest Foods in the World

When you think of Korean food, you probably think of succulent barbecue, fresh seafood, or spicy fried chicken. However, Sannakji is regarded as one of Korea's strangest dishes due to the images it conjures up in the minds of its diners.

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Sannakji, one of the Korean weirdest food in the world!

Live Octopus

The heebie-jeebies-inducing preparation and consumption of sannakji, also known as "wriggling octopus," has been making the Facebook rounds on various YouTube videos. This live animal entree, which is most frequently found in Seoul, Korea, includes a baby octopus that has been chopped up and is still alive.

Knowinsider.com would like to give you a ton of detailed information today about this most bizarre Korean dish!

What is Sannakji? (산낙지)

The majority of visitors to South Korea include this dish on their wish lists of foods to try while visiting the country. The tastesseoul claims that Sannakji is actually "live octopus." There are two ways to serve the dish, if we can call it that.

One method is to remove a particular species of small octopus from its tank, cut it into extremely small pieces, and serve it with sesame oil and other optional garnishes. Diners will find the octopus remains still squirming around the plate when the dish is presented. Eaters should chew actively and quickly.

How is Sannakji Prepared?

Photo: OrangeSmile.

With a chef who lacks fear and a really sharp knife. The octopus is frequently consumed whole by Koreans, who wrap it around chopsticks and pop it into their mouths like an enormous Tootsie Roll.

What does Sannakji Taste Like?

Although the flavor is incredibly mild, the slimy and chewy texture is what draws culinary adventurers. The legs are typically served with sesame oil and seeds to accentuate the dish's ocean-fresh flavor. Add red chili paste for some heat (because we're sure that won't aggravate the moving legs even more).

Where to Find Sannakji

Korean restaurants can be found both domestically and abroad. You'll need to do some serious research for the latter, according to foodandwine.com, but a few restaurants in New York and Los Angeles have made room for it on their menus. For a quick bite, travelers can also visit Seoul's renowned Noryangjin Fish Market.

How to Eat Sannakji in South Korea

With extreme caution. Choking is responsible for the deaths of approximately six people every year (those suction cups are not going down without a fight!). Make it a point to chew, chew, and chew some more if you want to avoid the preventable and humiliating cause of death that has ever been documented in the annals of human history.

Video Eating Live Octopus in South Korea:

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