Stir-Fried Squid with Black Bean Sauce

Serves 2 as a main dish with rice or 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

When Chef Danny Chan taught me this recipe he explained that squid, which can easily become tough when cooked, cannot be marinated before stir-frying because a marinade can give it a chewy texture. Most home cooks stir-fry raw squid, but chefs blanch it first to shorten the stir-frying time. The concern is that if squid is stir-fried even a minute or two too long it becomes overcooked and loses its tenderness. The other benefit of blanching is that you can stir-fry a pound of blanched squid in a 14-inch wok (with raw squid only a half pound can be stir-fried). Once the squid is blanched, be sure to pat it dry with paper towels. If the squid is wet the stir-fry will become a braise.

• 1 pound fresh cleaned squid
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fermented black beans, rinsed and mashed
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallion, white part only
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded ginger
• 1/2 cup julienned red bell peppers
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
• 12 snow peas, strings removed

1. Cut each squid body in half lengthwise. Using a very sharp knife, lightly score the inside of the bodies in a crisscross pattern. Cut the squid into 1-1/2-inch squares and the tentacles into 2-inch pieces.

2. In a 2-quart saucepan bring 1 quart water to a boil covered over high heat. Add the squid and blanch 10 seconds or until the squid turns opaque and curl. Drain well in a colander, shaking out all the excess water. Set the squid on paper towels and blot dry to remove excess moisture. In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. In another small bowl combine the sesame oil, cornstarch, and the remaining 1 tablespoon broth.

3. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the peanut oil, add the fermented black beans, scallion, and garlic and stir-fry 10 seconds or until the aromatics are fragrant. Add the onions and ginger and stir-fry 1 minute or until the onions just wilt. Add the bell peppers, sprinkle on the salt and pepper, and stir-fry 30 seconds or until the bell pepper begins to soften. Add the rice wine and stir-fry 20 seconds or until just combined. Add the squid and snow peas to the wok, swirl in the soy sauce mixture, and stir-fry 1 minute or until the snow peas are bright green. Restir the cornstarch mixture, swirl it into the wok, and stir-fry 30 seconds or until the squid is just cooked.

• from:
  Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge:
  The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories
• by Grace Young
• Photographs by Steven Mark Needham
• Simon & Schuster 2010
• Hardcover; $35.00
• ISBN-10: 1416580573
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-8057-7
• Reprinted by permission.

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This page created September 2010