Chewy Boiled Squid Rolls with Colorful Vegetables
Squid and Fresh Vegetable Rolls Recipe
These elegant squid rolls, filled with crisp vegetables, are not only beautiful but also delicious and perfect for a diet meal. They make a fantastic appetizer with wine!
Main Ingredients- 2 squids
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/3 yellow bell pepper
- 1/3 red bell pepper
- A little radish sprouts
For Boiling Squid- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
Spicy & Tangy Gochujang Sauce- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- A little fresh wasabi (optional)
- A little sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
Spicy & Tangy Gochujang Sauce- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- A little fresh wasabi (optional)
- A little sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the fresh squid. If using frozen squid, thaw it slowly at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Rinse it thoroughly under cold running water.
Step 2
Now, let’s peel the squid. Gently rub the outer skin of the squid body with a paper towel to loosen it. Then, grip the skin with your fingers and pull it off cleanly. It should come off quite easily!
Step 3
After peeling the skin, give the squid a light rinse under cold water and pat it dry.
Step 4
It’s time to score the inside of the squid body. Turn the squid over. Insert the tip of a knife into the body and make diagonal cuts inwards from the edge. Aim for cuts about 0.5 cm apart; not too deep.
Step 5
From the other edge of the body, make similar diagonal cuts inwards. Scoring the squid like this will help it unfurl beautifully when cooked.
Step 6
Repeat the scoring process on the inside of the second squid body. Make sure to trim and prepare the tentacles nicely as well, keeping their shape intact.
Step 7
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking wine (like Mirin) and then carefully add both the scored squid bodies and the tentacles.
Step 8
Using tongs, gently shape the squid bodies as they cook, encouraging them to curl slightly. It’s important to keep them somewhat separated so they don’t clump together.
Step 9
Be careful not to overcook the squid, as it can become tough! Cook the bodies for about 1 minute and the tentacles for about 20 seconds less. Overcooking will result in a mushy texture.
Step 10
Once blanched, immediately rinse the squid under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain them well in a colander. Chilling them this way will make the squid firmer and chewier.
Step 11
Wash the vibrant yellow and red bell peppers, remove the seeds, and cut them into strips about 0.5 cm thick.
Step 12
Trim the ends of the cucumber. Then, using a knife like a peeler, carefully cut away the flesh, avoiding the seedy core. This method creates clean, seedless cucumber strips.
Step 13
Cut the peeled cucumber into strips similar in thickness to the bell peppers. Cutting them slightly thicker will maintain a nice crispness.
Step 14
Arrange the prepared vegetable strips neatly. Add a small amount of radish sprouts for a fresh, green touch. You can substitute other young greens if you prefer.
Step 15
Now, let’s make the delicious gochujang sauce! In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 0.5 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix well. Finally, stir in a little fresh wasabi and sesame seeds for extra flavor. The wasabi adds a wonderfully fresh zing!
Step 16
For easier rolling, you can thinly slice off the triangular edge of the cooled squid body. These trimmings are still delicious to snack on!
Step 17
Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your cutting board. Spread the blanched squid body flat onto the wrap. Arrange the julienned cucumber, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, and radish sprouts neatly over the squid. Avoid overfilling, as it will make rolling difficult.
Step 18
Using the plastic wrap, tightly roll the squid and vegetables together. Wrap it securely to maintain the shape, ensuring it won’t come apart when sliced.
Step 19
Chill the wrapped squid roll briefly to firm up its shape, or carefully unwrap it and slice into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cm thick). If the roll seems loose, you can insert toothpicks or skewers at regular intervals before unwrapping to secure it, then slice between them. You can even serve them with the skewers intact for easy handling.
Step 20
Slice the separately prepared boiled squid tentacles into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on the plate alongside the squid rolls.
Step 21
Your visually appealing squid and vegetable rolls are ready! The combination of fresh vegetables, chewy squid, and the zesty gochujang sauce is incredibly delicious. Enjoy your meal!
