Sweet and Sour Stir-fried Squid Recipe
The Perfect Choice to Stimulate Your Appetite! Sweet and Sour Stir-fried Squid
This sweet and sour stir-fried squid dish is perfect for entertaining guests, and especially effective at reviving a dulled appetite during the hot summer months. The combination of chewy squid and crisp vegetables is truly delightful!
Main Ingredients- 1 Squid (fresh, water squid)
- 1/4 Daikon Radish
- 1/2 Cucumber
- 5 Scallions
- 1 handful Water Parsley (Mina-ri)
Seasoning Ingredients- 1 Tbsp Coarse Salt (for salting vegetables)
- 3 Tbsp Sugar
- 4 Tbsp Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- Generous amount of Sesame Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Coarse Salt (for salting vegetables)
- 3 Tbsp Sugar
- 4 Tbsp Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- Generous amount of Sesame Seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thinly slice the daikon radish into 1cm thick pieces, about 5cm long. Place the sliced radish in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of coarse salt, gently toss to coat, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. This step helps to maintain the radish’s crisp texture and remove excess moisture.
Step 2
Wash the cucumber, trim off the ends, and slice it diagonally to a similar length as the radish. Place the sliced cucumber in another bowl, add a pinch of coarse salt, gently mix, and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Salting the cucumber also helps to remove moisture and enhance its crispness.
Step 3
Water squid, common in summer, tends to be small. Clean the small squids thoroughly and blanch them whole in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Rinse the blanched squid under cold water to cool, then slice into bite-sized rings. If you have larger squid, making shallow cuts on the inside of the body before blanching will help it absorb the seasoning better and improve the texture.
Step 4
Squeeze out the excess water from the salted radish and cucumber by rinsing them lightly under running water and then firmly pressing them with your hands. Trim the water parsley and scallions and cut them into lengths similar to the radish. In a large bowl, combine the squeezed radish and cucumber, the chopped water parsley and scallions, and the blanched, sliced squid. Add the seasoning ingredients: 3 Tbsp sugar, 4 Tbsp vinegar, 2 Tbsp gochugaru, and 1 Tbsp minced garlic. Gently mix everything together with your hands until well combined. For a sweeter taste, you can substitute sugar with plum syrup (maesilcheong) for a deeper flavor.
Step 5
Finally, crush the sesame seeds between your palms and sprinkle them generously over the dish for an added nutty aroma. Give it one last gentle mix to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated. Your delicious sweet and sour stir-fried squid is now ready! It’s wonderful to enjoy immediately, or you can chill it in the refrigerator for a while for an even more refreshing taste.
