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Spicy Squid Stir Fry (爆炒鱿鱼)

4.80 from 5 votes
Spicy squid stir fry featuring tender juicy squid stir fried with onion and peppers in a super rich savory spicy sauce that’s loaded with aromatics. Serve this over steamed rice for a colorful delicious dinner!
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: restaurant-style
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1 lb (450 g) squid tubes (or rings) (*Footnote 1)
  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon doubanjiang (or 1 tablespoon oyster sauce for a less spicy dish)
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Stir Fry

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 thumb ginger , sliced
  • 1 small red onion , sliced into bite-size pieces
  • 1 bell pepper (or 2 to 3 hot peppers, sliced into bite-size pieces) (*Footnote 2)

Instructions

  • If using squid tube: Use a knife or a pair of scissors to cut along one side of the tube. Open the tube to lay it flat, inner side up. Score the inner flesh of the tube, first parallel to the edge, then rotate the tube and slice to create an “X” shaped pattern, spaced about 1/4” (4 mm) in between. Cut the tube in half lengthwise, then slice into 1” (2.5 cm) strips.
  • To marinate the squid: add the squid into a big bowl along with the Shaoxing wine and salt. Stir to mix well and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
  • To make the sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to mix well.
  • To cook the stir fry: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the squid. Let cook for 1 minute, until the bottom turns slightly golden. Stir and cook until the squid just curls up. Transfer the squid to a big plate and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
  • Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir fry for 1 minute. Add back the squid. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely, then pour it into the pan. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened, 1 minute or so. Transfer everything to a big plate. Serve hot as a main dish.

Notes

  1. Using the squid tube (or a whole squid) and by scoring it will create a nice presentation. The scored squid also grabs the sauce better and tastes a bit more flavorful. However, it’s entirely OK to use squid rings instead.
  2. For a spicier dish, you can use hot peppers instead of bell pepper. Or you can use a mix of bell pepper and hot

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 12.5g, Protein: 18.4g, Fat: 9.8g, Saturated Fat: 1.3g, Cholesterol: 260mg, Sodium: 399mg, Potassium: 149mg, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugar: 3.9g, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 2mg