Learn . Laugh . Eat

Twice-Cooked Squid with Garlic, Green Chilli & Black Bean

Prep: 60 Mins

Cook: 10 Mins

In many parts of China and Hong Kong, cuttlefish are actually more popular than squid and, as cuttlefish have much thicker meat than squid, the double-cooking process detailed here is essential. I find that large squid also benefit from this pre-poaching – it softens the squid significantly, allowing the pieces to take in more flavour when stir-fried in the savoury sauce.

IngredientsMethod

  • 300g large squid tubes, cleaned, washed and sliced open to lay flat
  • 2 teaspoons cornflour
  • ½ teaspoon preserved black beans
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • a thumb-size piece of ginger
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 spring onions, plus extra to garnish
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 large green chillies
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

The Sauce

  • 2 tbsp black bean garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

The Preparation

1. Wash the squid tubes and slice them open to lay them flat. Run the tip of your knife along the squid pieces in a diagonal criss-cross pattern (this will help the squid curl up nicely when cooking).

2. Add the prepared squid to a pan of boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over a low heat for 45 minutes. Remove the squid from the water with a slotted spoon and cool under cold running water, then dain and place in a bowl with the cornflour and mix together well.

3. Give the black beans a quick rinse under cold water, then tip them into a small bowl. Finely chop the garlic and ginger and add to the black beans with a pinch of salt. Lightly crush the ingredients together with the back of a teaspoon.

4. Cut the spring onions into rough chunks and the red onion and green chillies into large dices. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

5. Build your WOK CLOCK: place the red onion at 12 o’clock, then arrange the spring onions, garlic and bean mixture, chillies, squid and sauce bowl clockwise around the plate.

Cooking

6. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok to a high heat until smoking hot, then add the onions and stir fry for 1 minute seconds until slightly softened.

7. Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, then add the green chillies and fry for 30 seconds more, maintaining a high heat all the time. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.

8. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil to the wok and bring it back to a high heat. Once smoking hot, add the squid and flash-fry for 30 seconds. Return the vegetables to the wok, pour over the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil.

9. Serve with freshly sliced spring onion to garnish.

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  • 300g large squid tubes, cleaned, washed and sliced open to lay flat
  • 2 teaspoons cornflour
  • ½ teaspoon preserved black beans
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • a thumb-size piece of ginger
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 spring onions, plus extra to garnish
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 large green chillies
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

The Sauce

  • 2 tbsp black bean garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

The Preparation

1. Wash the squid tubes and slice them open to lay them flat. Run the tip of your knife along the squid pieces in a diagonal criss-cross pattern (this will help the squid curl up nicely when cooking).

2. Add the prepared squid to a pan of boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over a low heat for 45 minutes. Remove the squid from the water with a slotted spoon and cool under cold running water, then dain and place in a bowl with the cornflour and mix together well.

3. Give the black beans a quick rinse under cold water, then tip them into a small bowl. Finely chop the garlic and ginger and add to the black beans with a pinch of salt. Lightly crush the ingredients together with the back of a teaspoon.

4. Cut the spring onions into rough chunks and the red onion and green chillies into large dices. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

5. Build your WOK CLOCK: place the red onion at 12 o’clock, then arrange the spring onions, garlic and bean mixture, chillies, squid and sauce bowl clockwise around the plate.

Cooking

6. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok to a high heat until smoking hot, then add the onions and stir fry for 1 minute seconds until slightly softened.

7. Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, then add the green chillies and fry for 30 seconds more, maintaining a high heat all the time. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.

8. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil to the wok and bring it back to a high heat. Once smoking hot, add the squid and flash-fry for 30 seconds. Return the vegetables to the wok, pour over the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil.

9. Serve with freshly sliced spring onion to garnish.

View Our Products

Have you been inspired by our tips and recipes? Why not check out our ranges below! From our exclusive range of woks to our cookery classes that will help inspire your cooking further.

Woks

Utensils

Gift Vouchers

Classes

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