How to Make Vietnamese Stir-Fried Squid with Cucumber

Prepare the Ingredients

Separate the squid's head from the body, remove the ink sac, and clean off any slimy membrane at the end of the head. Also, remove the squid's eyes, as they can cause a dark, murky color when stir-fried.

Next, remove the quill along the squid's back and peel off the outer skin. The outer skin can turn a pinkish-purple when cooked.

Squid has a characteristic fishy smell, which can be eliminated by rubbing the squid with coarse salt and ginger wine, or using white wine mixed with some crushed fresh ginger.

For stir-fried squid with cucumber, you can use fresh squid, sun-dried squid, or dried squid. If using fresh squid, you can choose from different types like squid tubes, cuttlefish, baby squid, or squid tentacles. It's best to select fresh, thick-bodied squid for the most flavorful results.

After rubbing the squid with ginger wine, rinse it thoroughly and let it drain.

Then, cut the squid into bite-sized pieces. There are many ways to cut squid for an attractive presentation in stir-fried dishes; you can find some ideas here.

As for the squid tentacles, simply cut them into 4-5 cm sections. Split the head in two and remove the beak. The squid fins can be cut as desired.

Marinate the Squid:

For 600g of squid, marinate it with:

• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon seasoning powder
• 1/2 teaspoon MSG
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder if you like it spicy

If you plan to use the cucumber with the skin on, soak and wash them in salted water, then cut into bite-sized pieces. You can slice them diagonally or into long sections, with a thickness of about 1 cm to keep the cucumber crunchy.

Wash the tomato and cut it into wedges.

Peel the pineapple, remove the core, and cut into small triangular pieces.

Mince the shallots, garlic, and ginger.

Slice the red chili diagonally.

Clean the celery and cut it into 2-3 cm sections.

Stir-Fry the Squid with Cucumber

When the garlic, shallots, and ginger are golden and fragrant, add the marinated squid and stir-fry.

Stir-fry the squid over high heat until it is just cooked through, then turn off the heat and transfer the squid to a separate bowl. Later, when the cucumber is tender, you'll add the squid back in and stir it briefly. This helps keep the squid crispy and tender, not tough.

Next, add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan and sauté the remaining garlic, shallots, and ginger until fragrant. Then add the tomato and pineapple to the pan. Season with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder to enhance the flavor of these ingredients.

After about 1 minute, add the cucumber and stir-fry. Increase the heat to high and stir-fry the cucumber to keep it crispy and sweet.

When the cucumber is coated evenly with oil, season to taste with seasoning powder, a pinch of MSG, and oyster sauce. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Stir until the cucumber is almost cooked, then add the squid back into the pan.

Stir-fry for another 30 seconds on high heat, then add the celery and sliced chili, and optionally sprinkle with a bit of ground pepper. Add a bit of fish sauce for extra flavor and aroma.

Finally, stir for another 12-15 seconds, then turn off the heat and transfer the dish to a plate.

Stir-fried squid with cucumber is crispy, sweet, and aromatic. The dish is colorful and full of flavors, with tender, sweet squid, and fresh, crunchy cucumber, tomato, and pineapple. This stir-fry is both delicious and unique, without being too rich.

In addition to stir-fried squid with cucumber, you can also make stir-fried squid with pickled vegetables, stir-fried squid with onions, stir-fried squid with satay, or squid steamed with beer, or squid fried with fish sauce, all of which are delicious options.