SAWCLicious Recipe: Stir-fried Squid with Black Beans

Have you ever tried this out in a Chinese restaurant? I believe I was introduced with this dish in one of my trips to China. They always had the perfect stir-fry with crunchy vegetables, fresh and tasty seafood, and very shiny appetizing food. I had been craving this for a while and have tried it in some restaurants here in Brussels but did not get the right taste. So, I've tried it during a Sunday Brunch with my friends (previous blog entry) and it turned out to be really good!

Stir-Fried Squid with Black Beans

Ingredients

For blanching the squid...

• 1L of chicken stock / water
• 1 cup of scallions chopped
• 5 tbsp. of ginger
• 5 tbsp. of garlic
• salt and pepper

For the wok sauce...

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. Chinese Rice Wine
• Optional: 1 tbsp. chicken powder

To combine all the other ingredients together...

• 6 pcs. medium sized squid (body only)
• 1 red bell pepper sliced into 2x2 squares
• 1 green bell pepper sliced into 2x2 squares
• 2 tbsp. fermented black beans
• 10 pcs. of  snow peas
• 2 pcs. white onions quarterd
• 2 cloves of garlic sliced
• a knob of ginger sliced
• 2 tbsp. peanut oil

Procedure

1. Cut the squid lengthwise and then cut into 2x2 squares. Using a knife, make a criss-cross pattern in the inner skin of the squid.
2. We will need to blanch the squid so that we get the beautiful curled up shape. Place a pot in high heat and add all the ingredients together. Once it starts to boil, blanch the squid for 10 seconds over the pot and drain using a colander. The squid will turn opaque and will curl up (just like in the picture above). Dry them using paper towels and set aside.
3. Combine the ingredients of the wok sauce in a bowl and set aside.
4. Heat a wok in a high heat. Once hot, pour the peanut oil and wait until the oil is hot before sauteing wok ingredients. Add the ginger and garlic first. After a minute, add the onions. Then add the red and green bell pepper. Stir a bit and add the squid, black beans, snow peas, and wok sauce. Stir for a minute and serve.