Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Squid
Let’s Make Simple Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Squid with Frozen Squid for Kids
The school entrance ceremony season can be tiring for children as they adjust to a new environment. This is when nutritional replenishment is essential! Today, we’ll make a simple soy sauce-based stir-fried squid with a delicious sweet and savory flavor that even kids will love. It’s perfect for a quick dinner, easily mixed with a bowl of rice. Plus, using frozen squid makes it even more convenient to prepare.
Main Ingredients- 1 frozen squid (medium size)
- 1/2 onion
- A handful of cabbage (approx. 50g)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
Seasoning Ingredients- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 5 Tbsp water
- A pinch of black pepper
- 2 Tbsp perilla oil (Korean sesame oil)
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 5 Tbsp water
- A pinch of black pepper
- 2 Tbsp perilla oil (Korean sesame oil)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the squid and vegetables by cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Thaw the frozen squid under running water or at room temperature. Once thawed, pat the squid dry with paper towels and cut it into appropriate sizes. Slice the onion and chop the cabbage into similar sizes. Cut the green onion diagonally.
Step 2
Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the chopped green onions and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, infusing the oil with the onion’s aroma. This helps remove any fishy smell from the squid.
Step 3
Once the green onions are fragrant, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and stir-fry together. Sauté for about 30 seconds, making sure not to burn the garlic, to enhance its flavor.
Step 4
Add the sliced onions and cabbage to the pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until they soften slightly. They should start to look a bit translucent before moving on to the next step.
Step 5
Add the prepared squid to the pan. Do not add the sauce yet; let the squid cook on its own first.
Step 6
As the squid starts to cook (turn opaque white), add 3 tablespoons of cooking wine (like Mirin) and stir-fry. Cooking wine helps eliminate any fishy odors and adds flavor. Sauté for about 1 minute.
Step 7
Now, pour 5 tablespoons of soy sauce evenly into the pan. Letting the soy sauce caramelize slightly at the bottom can add a deeper flavor.
Step 8
Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to sweeten the dish. The sugar will dissolve and blend well with the soy sauce mixture.
Step 9
For a glossy finish and extra sweetness, add 1 tablespoon of corn syrup (or rice syrup). Using rice syrup can give it a chewier texture.
Step 10
Finally, add 5 tablespoons of water and stir-fry everything quickly over high heat until well combined with the sauce. Be careful not to let the sauce reduce too much, stir-frying for about 1-2 minutes.
Step 11
Almost done! Sprinkle a pinch of black pepper to enhance the overall flavor. A sprinkle of sesame seeds is also a nice touch if you like.
Step 12
Just before turning off the heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of perilla oil (Korean sesame oil). The nutty aroma of the perilla oil will make the stir-fried squid even more delicious. Your flavorful stir-fried squid is now ready!
