Thanks, Crab Man! My Unexpected Street Food Adventure 
Walking home from work on Friday night, I passed by a truck selling steamed crabs. Now, I’ve seen these trucks around before, but let’s be honest—would you buy seafood from the side of the road? Exactly.
But that night, there was a small crowd gathered around the truck, and the crab man was handing out free samples. Free food? Okay, you’ve got my attention. I decided to give it a shot, and after a taste, I was sold. Three crabs for 20,000 won ($20)? Not bad for a street corner seafood splurge.
The Ojingeo Sundae Surprise
As the crab man was bagging up my haul, I noticed these lumpy purple things steaming away in a basket. At first glance, I thought they were Korean sweet potatoes, but upon closer inspection, I realized they were stuffed squids. He proudly declared, “Ojingeo sundae.”
Naturally, I assumed this meant squid stuffed with Korean sausage. Why not, right? I bought three, along with the free gochujang he tossed in, and headed home, feeling pretty triumphant about my Friday night dinner haul.
Crabs, Shears, and Gochujang—A Winning Combo
Back home, Eun Jeong, my girlfriend, showed me a game-changing way to open the crabs—no clumsy crab crackers and mallets involved. She whipped out some kitchen shears and snipped those crabs open like a pro. It was so quick and easy, I was left wondering why I hadn’t thought of it before. Seriously, crab crackers are over.
We devoured the crabs with a mix of gochujang and melted garlic butter, which was as glorious as it sounds. I also roasted and steamed some sweet potatoes on the side for good measure. The crabs? Pretty solid for something I picked up from a truck.
Stuffed Squid: Lost in Translation
Now, about those squid. Remember when I thought they were stuffed with sausage? Well, turns out I got that wrong. They were actually stuffed like sausage—with a bland mixture of mashed potatoes and carrots. Not exactly the flavor explosion I was expecting.
After slicing into the first one, it was clear this was not going to be the culinary highlight of the night. Three slices in, we gave up and tossed the rest. But hey, I now have a brilliant idea for actual sausage-stuffed squid. Stay tuned—I think I’m onto something evil here.
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