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Preparation
40 minutes
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Cooking
35 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Phá lấu is a familiar street food dish for the people of Vietnam. It is an incredibly attractive dish when combined with bread or noodles. If you are too familiar with pork or beef phá lấu, today, TasteVN will join you into the kitchen to learn a new dish of phá lấu made from squid!
Ingredients for Squid Phá lấu For 2 people
Squid 1 kg Rice wine 1 tablespoon Ginger 1 piece Minced garlic 1 tablespoon Cardamom 3 gr Dried tangerine peel 3 gr Star anise 2 gr Chinese pepper 2 gr Kaffir lime leaves 5 gr Coconut water 500 ml Coconut milk 300 ml Shrimp paste color 1/4 teaspoon Five-spice powder 1/4 teaspoon Annatto oil 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/ salt/ seasoning/ pepper/ monosodium glutamate) Fish sauce 1 teaspoon
How to choose fresh and delicious squid
- To buy fresh and delicious squid, you need to observe the color of the squid; you should choose those that have a shiny color. The brown part should be dark brown, while the body of the squid should be opaque white like milk.
- You should choose those that, when touched, feel firm with elasticity; when you remove your hand from the squid’s body, it should not leave a dent.
- When selecting fresh squid, you need to observe the squid’s eyes; choose those that do not have bulging eyes and have clear eyes where the pupil can be seen.
- Do not choose those with soft, mushy bodies, lacking elasticity, cloudy eyes, and any discharge.
Note: Ingredients such as star anise, cardamom, dried tangerine peel, and Sichuan pepper can be easily found on e-commerce sites or in stores specializing in selling ingredients and Chinese medicinal spices.
How to Prepare Squid Phá Lấu
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Prepare the Squid
After purchasing, wash the squid thoroughly with water, then flip it over and cut it open lengthwise to remove the squid’s innards. Discard the guts, keeping the squid eggs and meat from the squid’s beak.
Tips for cleaning squid quickly and effectively:For fresh squid, we prepare it in 5 steps:
- Step 1: Pulling out the head and tentacles: Use one hand to hold the body of the squid, and the other hand to hold the head, then gently pull upwards and carefully peel off the squid’s pouch.
- Step 2: Use a knife to cut off the squid’s eyes and the hard, round mass in the middle of the head (called squid teeth), and use your hands to squeeze and remove this part.
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Step 3: Peeling the squid skin: Use a knife to make a light cut at the head of the squid’s body to create a ridge between the skin and the squid meat. Hold the squid meat tightly with one hand and firmly grasp the skin with the other hand and pull it up.
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Step 4: Clean the innards and head of the squid and rinse again with water.
See details: How to Clean Squid
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Blanch the squid
To remove the fishy smell of the squid, after cleaning, place a pot on the stove, add water and a crushed piece of ginger and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the cleaned squid to blanch for 3 minutes until the squid firms up, then remove and let drain.
Tip: After boiling, immediately take the squid out and place it in a bowl of cold water to maintain its crispness!
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Marinate the squid
Put the squid in a bowl to marinate, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of annatto oil, 1/4 teaspoon of shrimp paste color, 1/4 teaspoon of five-spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce.
Use your hands to rub the spices evenly over the squid for 5 minutes, then let it sit for 30 minutes to absorb the flavor.
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Cooking Squid Stew
Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and heat, then add star anise, cardamom, Sichuan pepper, and dried tangerine peel to sauté until fragrant. Next, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and shallots, kaffir lime leaves, and then add the marinated squid to stir-fry for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Then add 500ml of coconut water and cook for another 20 minutes over medium heat. Next, add 300ml of coconut milk, and season with fish sauce and soy sauce to taste, then cook for another 5 minutes over high heat before turning off the stove.
Tip: In addition to buying ready-made coconut milk, you can also make it at home, which is simple and safe.See more:
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Final Product
Stir-fried squid with rich braising sauce, fragrant with the aroma of traditional herbal ingredients, chewy and crispy squid, dipped in salt and lime or green chili salt, then served with some fresh herbs and Vietnamese coriander is truly wonderful, isn’t it?
With the recipe for stir-fried squid provided by TasteVN, I hope you will successfully cook this delicious and appealing dish at home to serve your family members!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Huy Cook and Chill
