I have always wanted to write a recipe for Chinese stir-fried squid with black bean sauce, an interesting home-cooked Cantonese dish. 

There is an intriguing story behind this dish. In Cantonese, it is known as ‘chow-yau-yu,’ 炒魷魚, which has taken on a negative connotation of being fired by one’s employer. It is unclear why this phrase has acquired such a meaning. Perhaps the squid pieces are curled up after cooking, resembling someone asked to pack their office belongings and never return to work! So, it is best to avoid mentioning this dish directly when dining with friends who are company employees!

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1. The choice of squid and black bean sauce

Story aside, it is delicious after the cooked squid absorbs the divine black bean sauce. Furthermore, it is simple to prepare, an important factor while cooking at home. 

I always get fresh squid from the market to ensure the best flavor. As for the black bean sauce, I prefer using the store-bought fermented black bean pastes since there’s no need to start from scratch. It is sold in most Asian grocery stores.

When comparing store-bought black bean paste with dry fermented black beans, the main difference lies in the potential addition of salt or garlic to the paste. This means that when using the paste, you may need to adjust the saltiness and the amount of other ingredients accordingly. The store-bought paste is more convenient as it can be used straight from the bottle. However, if using dried, fermented black beans, soak them in water for a few minutes to soften, discard the water, and mash them into a paste for use.

2. How to prepare the squid for stir-frying

This simple stir-fried squid recipe is easy to follow, except for the squid preparation process for stir-frying. It can be overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with how to cut and prepare squid. Therefore, I’ve recorded a video showing how to prepare it from scratch, which is near the end of this article. 

Below is a detailed explanation of how to prepare the squid.

1. To prepare the squid, start by placing it on a chopping board. It has two sections – the head with tentacles section and a large tube called the mantle. Hold the squid tube firmly and gently, then pull the head and tentacles away until the cartilage (also known as the cuttlebone) detaches. You may need to twist it gently to separate the cartilage from the body.
2. Next, use kitchen scissors to remove the mouth and eye. Then, cut to separate the tentacles. Be careful not to break the ink sac, as the black ink can be messy.
3. Remove the skin of the body of the squid. Rinse the squid with water and pat it dry. 
4. Cut the squid tubes in half to expose the inside.
5. With the inside facing up, score the flesh from end to end at an angle, making about 1/8 inches score lines apart. Make sure not to cut through the flesh. Make the second set of score lines by turning the squid 90 degrees to create a diamond pattern.
6. Finally, cut the squid into triangular bite-sized pieces. They are now ready to be stir-fried.

Note: The squid curls formed by cutting this way have a lovely presentation. Otherwise, cut them into squid rings, which will not affect the taste.

3. The challenge to cook squid perfectly

When cooking squid, there is a small window of time to achieve the perfect texture. It can be fishy and chewy if undercooked, while overcooking can make it rubbery and tough. However, it will become tender again if cooked for over an hour. 

I blanch the squid briefly for 30 seconds, followed by 1-2 minutes of stir-frying to achieve the best result.

4. Other ingredients for the squid stir-fry

I use multi-colored bell peppers and squid as the main ingredients to make this delicious squid dish. However, if you like spicy squid stir fry, add chili flakes or bird’s eye chilies for an extra kick. 

1. Cut the bell peppers into one-inch pieces.
2. Get ready a tablespoon of chopped garlic. 
3. For the onion, cut it into half-inch chunks. 
4. I use the store-bought black bean sauce for convenience and availability. 
5. Traditional Cantonese-style seasonings are perfect for this dish, which includes light soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, ground white pepper (or black pepper), sugar, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch slurry.

Note: I like using both red and green pepper. Sometimes, I will also add the yellow bell pepper if available. Snow peas and king oyster mushrooms are other additions that complement well with squid and the black bean sauce.

5. Steps to prepare the Chinese squid stir-fry with black bean sauce

The cooking process is divided into two parts- blanch the squid and bell pepper first, followed by stir-frying.

a. Blanch the squid and bell pepper

1. Bring the water to a boil in a stockpot. 
2. Add the bell pepper and let it blanch for a minute, then remove it from the water.
3. Next, add the squid to the boiling water and blanch for 20 to 30 seconds on high heat. 
4. Once done, remove the squid quickly with a slotted spoon and immediately place them in cold water to stop further cooking. Then, remove the excess water by drying it with a kitchen towel.

Note: Blanching the squid can remove its fishy taste while blanching the bell peppers will shorten the stir-fry time, which helps retain its vibrant color.

b. Stir-fry the squid and bell peppers with black bean sauce

1. Heat oil in a pan or wok on low heat. 
2. Once hot, add the onion and stir fry until it turns slightly brown. 
3. Next, add the black bean sauce and chopped garlic to the wok and saute until it becomes aromatic. 
4. Add the light soy sauce, sugar, ground white pepper, and oyster sauce, then mix them thoroughly with the blanched squid and bell pepper. You can add some dark soy sauce if you prefer a darker color.
5. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for one minute.
6. To enhance the flavor, drizzle some sesame oil and rice wine to mix with the stir-fried squid.
7. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Serve immediately with white rice.
8. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions (spring onions) to garnish the stir-fried squid.

6. Other related squid and stir-fry recipes

If you liked the stir-fried squid recipe, I have some other seafood dishes you might enjoy.

• One option is the curry squid recipe, popular in Malaysia and commonly found in Malay and Mamak restaurants. 
• Alternatively, try the easy Chinese-style garlic shrimp if you like seafood dishes. The garlic and shrimp flavors complement each other wonderfully, and the pan-fried preparation is an excellent example of this pairing.

Continue to Content

Stir-fried squid with black bean sauce

Yield: 3 serviings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Delicious stir-fried squid with black bean sauce prepared in the traditional Chinese method. It's an easy recipe perfect for any occasion.

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Ingredients

• 300g squid
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 medium size onion, cut into bite-size
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp fermented black beans
• 1 tsp cornstarch (add 1 tbsp water to form a slurry)
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Thinly sliced green onions to garnish

Instructions

Prepare the squid

1. Hold the squid tube firmly and gently, then pull the head and tentacles away until the cartilage detaches.
2. Next, use scissors to remove the mouth and eye. Then, cut to separate the tentacles.
3. Remove the skin of the body of the squid. Rinse the squid with water and pat it dry. 
4. Cut the squid tubes in half to expose the inside.
5. With the inside facing up, score the flesh from end to end at an angle. Make the second set of score lines by turning the squid 90 degrees to create a diamond pattern.
6. Finally, cut the squid into triangular bite-sized pieces. 

Blanch the squid and bell pepper

1. Blanch the bell pepper in boiling water for a minute, then remove.
2. Next, add the squid to the boiling water and blanch for 20 to 30 seconds on high heat. 
3. Once done, transfer the squid immediately to cold water to stop further cooking. Then, remove the excess water by drying it with a kitchen towel.

Stir-fry the squid

1. Fry the onion until slightly brown. 
2. Next, add the black bean sauce and chopped garlic to the wok and saute until it becomes aromatic. 
3. Add the light soy sauce, sugar, ground white pepper, and oyster sauce, then stir-fry with the blanched squid and bell pepper for one minute.
4. Drizzle some sesame oil and rice wine to mix with the squid.
5. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
6. Garnish with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 261Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 233mgSodium: 962mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 19g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 10/6/2023