Johor Black Squid Recipe

Black squid is a special dish from the state of Johor in Malaysia that is not known to many outside.. It looks a bit unusual due to its black color but it is very tasty and quite easy to prepare. This recipe is based on a recipe from my mother -in -law and has become a favorite of our family.

The stir-fry ingredients in this black cooking cuttlefish recipe are pureed in a blender to get a dark and thick sauce. When the stir -fry ingredients are ground, squid ink is easier to absorb and blend. Squid ink also contains natural flavoring ingredients that will add flavor to this dish.

The secret to cooking squid or any seafood is not to cook it for too long, stop the cooking process before the squid is fully cooked as the squid will continue to cook even after taken off the stove. The protein in squid reacts very quickly with heat and will shrink and release moisture and when too much moisture is released, the squid will become hard and chewy.

Ingredients

500g squid with ink sacks separated
40g ( 2 tablespoons) chili paste
1 lemongrass stalks , bruised
salt to taste
sugar to taste
1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder

To be ground

1cm ginger
75g (5 ) shallots
10g belacan / shrimp paste
1cm fresh turmeric / 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
50g (5 cloves) garlic

Method

1. Blend the stir-fry ingredients that need to be pureed.
2. Heat a little oil and sauté the mixture of ground ingredients together with the chili paste.
3. Mix well and add the lemongrass that has been bruised to release its flavours.
4. When the sautéed ingredients are browned, add the squid and the squid ink pouch. Mix well.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of water so that the color of the squid ink is well distributed in the gravy. Mix and add a little more water but not too much as the gravy needs to be thick.
6. Add salt, sugar to taste and 1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste. Do not add tamarind paste too early because the acid in the tamarind paste will make the squid tough.
7. You can also add a little seasoning powder if you like.
8. Do not cook the squid for too long, remove from heat before the squid is fully cooked as the squid will continue to cook even after the heat is turned off .
9. This dish should be served immediately after cooking.
10. Serve with chopped chilli garnish and Chinese celery leaves