Stir-fried Squid with Fermented Black Bean Paste

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Adam Stone – Culinary Arts Student
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles

Servings: 4

Ingredients

14 oz squid, scored and cut into 1 inch x 1 inch cubes

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tbsp garlic, minced

3 tbsp fermented black bean paste

1 red chili (hot), seeded, sliced thinly

1 cup red and green bell peppers, seeded, cut 1 inch cubes

1 cup onion, cut 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp chicken stock

2 tsp tapioca powder or corn starch

Squid Preparation

1. To clean: Grip the head in one hand and the body in the other. Gently pull the head away from the body. The ink sac will come out at the same time. Pull out the yellow jelly pouch and the transparent center bone inside the body.
2. Reserve only the body for this recipe and discard the rest or keep the tentacles for some other use. Open up the body cavity and under running water rub the purplish outer skin with fingers peeling it off. On larger squid, the skin tends to be tough when cooked.
3. Rub and squeeze the squid with salt, rinse and drain well.
4. Turn the inner side of a piece of squid up, scoring gently and diagonally at 1/4" intervals, forming diamond shape crisscrosses.
5. Bring 6 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the squid immediately. Stir once and pour into a colander to drain. Arrange in a single layer on paper towels and pat dry.

Stir-fry Preparation

1. Take diced onions, and blanch with oil until translucent, set aside. Repeat with red and green bell peppers and set aside.
2. Set wok over high heat, when very hot; add the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and black bean paste, cook 10 seconds. Add the onions and bell peppers. Stir-fry for one minute, and add in salt, pepper, and red chili to taste.
3. Add squid and stir-fry 45 seconds. Stir in Shaoxing wine, and chicken stock. Re-stir to mix all the ingredients, add in starch to thicken, and finally glaze with sesame oil.
4. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, mix well and serve with jasmine rice.

Cook’s Note

Squid is cut (scored) because as it cooks it rolls up and the crosshatching cuts will catch and hold the sauce.