Flash-Fried Squid

Ganbian Youyu (干煸鱿鱼)

Toothsome but tender tentacles are tossed together with garden-fresh green garlic bolts garnished greatly among scrumptious sizzling and spicy Sichuan seasonings.

Flash-Fried Squid is a Dry-Fried (干煸) dish, which always involves deep-frying to remove excess moisture and then stir-frying to impart incredible flavors. However, unlike with most Dry-Fried Dishes, Flash-Fried Squid begins with an initial blanching stage. This process of briefly plunging the Squid into boiling water removes scum and unpleasant flavors from the Squid. It also allows the Squid to handle the Dry-Frying process without becoming tough and rubbery.

It’s not just the Squid that’s Dry-Fried in this dish. Fresh green Garlic Bolts are also flash-fried with the Squid par-cooking them so as to reduce the stir-frying time for both the Squid and the Garlic Bolts. Each step along the way should be brief and purposeful – the goal being toothsome yet tender Squid accompanying tender-crisp Garlic Bolts. These Garlic Bolts aren’t simply there to flavor the Squid, but are typically eaten along with the seafood. Dry-Frying truly enhances the flavor and texture of the Garlic Bolts, giving them a subtle aromatic sweetness and a pleasant bite similar to fresh Green Beans.

In this dish, I prefer to use Squid Tentacles because they’re quick and easy to prepare. However, an entire Squid could easily be used. You will need to remove the central cartilage in the body as well as the mouth, eyes, and ink sack. These are quite easy to remove (aside from the ink sack – I always spill ink over my cutting board when trying to remove it – it’s easy to wash off though). Just remember that after processing the Squid and cutting it into strips, there should be around 500 grams of usable meat. You might need more than one Squid because of this. I typically use the Tentacles from approximately 12 smallish Squids, so utilizing whole Squids would definitely be more ocean-friendly. Finally, the flavor and texture of frozen Squid is nearly identical to fresh Squid, so don’t be afraid to use frozen if that’s the only available option.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Total Time: 20 min

Serving: 2 people

Ingredients

500 grams Squid Tentacles

Aromatics
4 large cloves of Garlic
1 2-inch block of Ginger

Chilies
1 cup of 1/2-inch pieces of Dried Red Chilies (About 20 grams)
1 Tbsp. Green Sichuan Peppercorns (About 5 grams)

6 – 8 Garlic Bolts

2 – 3 Tbsp. Corn Starch

Peanut Oil

Seasonings
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. White Sugar
1/4 tsp. Chinese Five-Spice Powder OR Chinese Thirteen-Spice Powder
1/4 tsp. Ground White Pepper

1 – 2 tsp. Chili Oil

1 tsp. Sesame Seeds

Directions

1.) Wash off the Squid Tentacles, shake off the excess water, and set them on a cutting board. Cut the base of the Squid to separate the Tentacles into individual pieces.

2.) Prepare the Aromatics, placing everything together in the same bowl:

• Peel and slice the Garlic.
• Peel and slice the Ginger.

3.) Snip the Dried Red Chilies into 1/2-inch pieces and place them together with the Sichuan Peppercorns in a bowl for Chilies.

4.) Cut the Garlic Bolts into 4-inch-long pieces and set them aside in their own bowl.

5.) Fill a large pot with about 3 Liters of water, heat on high, and bring the water to a boil. Add the Squid and blanch them for just a few seconds. Pour the water into wire strainer set over a sink to quickly strain out the Squid. Then immediately rinse them with cold water.

6.) Shake off as much excess water as possible and then toss the Squid with cornstarch until every piece is lightly coated.

7.) Fill a seasoned wok at least 1/3 full with Peanut Oil and heat on medium-high until quite hot. Add the Squid Tentacles and cook them for 30 seconds while using a slotted spoon to constantly lift the Tentacles out of the Oil and briefly expose them to air before returning them to the Oil and stirring.

(DO NOT overcook the Squid; it’s very easy to overcook the Squid during this initial frying process. The purpose of this step is simply to evaporate moisture from the surface of the Squid, thus concentrating the flavor and preparing it to be stir-fried. Remember, the Squid will continue to cook once the Garlic Bolts are added and will later be stir-fried).

8.) After 30 seconds, add the Garlic Bolts and cook them along with the Squid Tentacles for about 10 seconds. Pour the contents of the wok into a wire strainer set over a large pot to quickly strain out the Squid and Garlic Bolts.

(Keep this step brief. The purpose is to par-cook the Garlic Bolts and remove excess moisture so that the Garlic Bolts will be tender-crisp after stir-frying. If the Garlic Bolts cook too long at this stage, they along with the Squid will be overcooked when stir-frying).

9.) Return about 1/8 cup of Peanut Oil back to the wok and heat the wok on medium-high heat. When the Oil is nearly smoking, pull the wok away from heat.

10.) Add the Chilies, stir-frying them off of heat for just a few seconds until fragrant, and then add the Aromatics, stir-frying them for just a few seconds until fragrant.

11.) Return the wok to heat and add the Squid with the Garlic Bolts, tossing them in the fragrant-spicy oil for just a few seconds until coated.

12.) Pull the wok away from heat and add the Seasonings (Salt, Sugar, Five-Spice, and White Pepper). Return the wok to heat and toss everything vigorously for about 20 seconds until everything is mixed thoroughly.

13.) Splash the Chili Oil around the sides of the wok, add the Sesame Seeds, and toss everything together one more time.

14.) Pour the delicious fragrant-spicy Flash-Fried Squid onto a plate and serve it immediately with individual bowls of white rice.

 

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