Recipe - Steam Squid (Calamari) With Ginger And Salt

How do fishermen cook their catch of squid ?  The answer is they simply dip the squid in boiling water for 1 minute or 2 minutes after cleaning the squid ! That is probably the best way to eat squid or calamari. 

When they are fresh, the squid is very sweet. When they are cook just right, the meat is soft and juicy, almost buttery. It melts in your mouth.

When the squid is slightly overcook, the meat becomes chewy. When it becomes overcooked, the meat becomes rubbery. Then to soften it, you have to cook for a much longer time, like 15 minutes before the meat becomes soft again.

Squid or Calamari have lots of protein and also have lots of minerals such as zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and B Vitamins and also the Vitamins A, D, K and E. These minerals help boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, help the body relax, build strong bones. And Calamari will help you keep a your nice looking head of hair, nice skin, and healthy nails. And Calamari is also full of essential fatty acids and some Omega 3 oils too. Squid does contain a low amount of cholesterol compared to eggs or liver. And we do need some cholesterol in our diet to maintain a healthy nervous system and for creating hormones… so have some Calamari and enjoy life!

In this recipe, the squid is simply steamed with slices of ginger and a dash of salt.

Choosing fresh squid goes a long way in enjoying squid. If you are buying the squid from the market, the flesh must be firm and the colour is bright. If the squid is more than a day old, the flesh becomes limp and the colour becomes reddish.

Ingredients
500 grams squid, clean (3 pieces)
A few slices of ginger, julienne
A dash of salt.

Method
Clean the guts, get rid of the mouth and the spine.
I keep the eyes. They are nice to eat.
Lay on a plate, add the ginger and sprinkle a little salt.
Steam for about 4 minutes on medium high.
The moment the flesh turns white or opaque, it is done.
I slice them into rings after they are cooked.
Squeeze a bit of lime juice or lemon juice and dipping sauce of chilli and light soy.
    

A 5 minute showing how to clean a squid



In this next 3 minute video, the squid is cut into rings and boil for 30 seconds.
It is served with herbs and vegetables as a salad. Nice !



Here is another great way to cook squid.
In this video, the squid is stir fried with salted egg yolk.

Blanch the squid in boiling water with added salt and lime juice.
Heat oil, add salted egg yolk, ginger and garlic.
Toss in the squid and stir fry.
Garnish with pepper, sesame oil and spring onion.

The video is in Taiwanese, a mixture of hokkien and mandarin.