Vietnamese Stir-Fried Squid with Pineapple

Prepare the Squid

To prepare cuttlefish, remove the outer membrane, quill, and internal organs. Also, remove the eyes and beak, then scrape off any remaining slime. Rinse the cuttlefish briefly, then rub it with coarse salt and ginger wine to clean it and remove the fishy smell.

Rinse the squid again and let it drain.

Once the squid is dry, cut it into pieces. For the tentacles, simply cut them into 3-4 cm lengths. For the fins, score them to create a leaf-like shape.

For the body, there are several ways to cut it. In this recipe, Cookbeo uses the sea cucumber shape and tulip flower shape. You can find detailed instructions on how to cut squid attractively in this article.

• How to properly clean squid before cooking

After cutting the squid, marinate it with a bit of seasoning before stir-frying. Mix the squid with 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce. Additionally, Cookbeo suggests adding a small amount of non-spicy chili powder to the marinade. Chili powder helps reduce the fishy smell and gives the squid a more attractive pink hue.

Prepare the Other Ingredients

Peel and mince the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Add a little bit of each to the squid marinade for extra flavor.

Peel the pineapple, remove the eyes, cut it into quarters, then slice into triangle pieces. If you enjoy a stronger pineapple flavor, use the whole pineapple; if you prefer a milder sweet and sour taste, use half or two-thirds of the pineapple.

Peel and julienne the carrots. Cookbeo suggests adding carrots to enhance the crispiness and sweetness of the dish, making it less greasy and more visually appealing. However, if you prefer the traditional taste of squid and pineapple, you can omit this ingredient.

Rinse the bean sprouts in salted water and drain.

Rinse the red chili and slice it diagonally.

Rinse the celery and leeks in salted water, then chop them into small pieces.

Stir-Fry the Squid with Pineapple

Heat 1.5 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, sauté the minced garlic, shallots, and ginger until fragrant, then add the marinated squid. Stir-fry the squid over high heat to keep it crispy and prevent it from releasing water.

Once the squid begins to firm up, add the carrots, as they take longer to cook than the pineapple.

About 30 seconds after adding the carrots, add the pineapple. Because pineapple releases water when stir-fried, continue cooking over high heat if you prefer a crispier dish with less liquid. If you prefer a saucier stir-fry to enjoy with rice, lower the heat and cook for a bit longer.

When the pineapple is cooked, it will become more translucent. At this point, add the bean sprouts, stir well, and season with oyster sauce and fish sauce. If you want to reduce the acidity of the pineapple, you can add a bit of sugar.

Finally, add the celery and red chili slices, stir-fry for another 10-15 seconds, then turn off the heat and transfer the stir-fried squid with pineapple to a plate.

This dish is flavorful with a balance of salty, sweet, and sour, with a slight spiciness. The combination of pineapple helps to mask the fishy smell of the squid, while cooking at high heat keeps all ingredients crisp and prevents them from becoming watery or mushy.