Refreshing Stir-Fried Squid and Luffa Recipe: A Culinary Delight for Every Palate

Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its sophistication in combining ingredients, and stir-fried squid with sponge gourd is the clearest testament to this. You don’t need expensive ingredients or complicated techniques; with just a little skill and understanding, you can completely create a dish that is delicious, beautiful, and nutritious for the whole family.

The flavors of the ocean blend with the refreshing sweetness of the countryside, creating a culinary picture that is both refined and familiar. Each piece of crunchy and chewy squid, pearly white, mingled with soft, cool, and translucent green sponge gourd, is a symphony for the palate—gentle yet profound, simple yet captivating.

Preparing ingredients for delicious stir-fried squid with sponge gourd

Great cuisine starts with fresh ingredients. Whether you are a professional chef or a simple home cook, the ingredient selection process determines 70% of the dish’s success. With stir-fried squid with sponge gourd, the ingredients are easy to find but must be selected and prepared carefully so that the flavor is not tainted by unwanted odors and retains its natural sweetness.

Main Ingredients

For a serving of 3 people, you need to prepare:

• 2 fresh squids (300 – 350g)
• 5 young fragrant sponge gourds (about 500g)
• 150g bean sprouts
• 2 stalks of green onions
• 2 shallots, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 small piece of fresh ginger

Squid is a popular choice because when stir-fried, the meat retains its characteristic crunch and sweetness, without becoming mushy like cuttlefish or bigfin reef squid. Fragrant sponge gourd brings a gentle, refreshing flavor, helping to balance the rich taste of the squid while soothing any fishy sensation.

If you want a variation, you can add green bell peppers, carrots, or straw mushrooms to increase color and richness for the dish, but the original flavor of stir-fried squid with sponge gourd remains the best.

Necessary Seasonings

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon seasoning powder or soup powder
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• ½ tablespoon quality fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• Cooking oil as needed
• (Optional) A bit of unsalted butter for a light buttery aroma

The stir-fried squid with sponge gourd dish does not need too many seasonings, because the squid and sponge gourd already possess a natural light sweetness. The secret is to stir-fry on high heat, season lightly, and avoid letting the seasonings overpower the main flavors of the ingredients.

Tips for choosing fresh and high-quality squid

For a perfectly flavored dish, fresh squid is the key factor.

• Good squid has a shiny body, firm skin, translucent white color, reflecting a light pink or pale purple hue.
• The head should be tightly attached to the body, the tentacles naturally retracted, and the eyes clear, which are signs that the squid is very fresh.
• If you press lightly on the body, you should feel elasticity; if it doesn’t leave an indentation, the squid is fresh. Conversely, squid that is slimy, mushy, or has a strong foul fishy smell is stale and should absolutely not be purchased.

A small piece of folk wisdom: freshly caught squid usually has a thin silvery film covering the skin, which still glistens when washed with water. Choose those squids, and you will have an excellent stir-fried squid with sponge gourd dish.

Tips for choosing young, fresh fragrant sponge gourd without bitterness

The best sponge gourd is young, with a powdery skin and a firm feel. You should choose straight gourds with smooth, light green skin and no bruises or black spots. When you press lightly with your fingernail, if the skin is soft and easily scratched, it is a young gourd perfect for stir-frying.

Old sponge gourds are often fibrous and easily bitter, reducing the tastiness and making the dish taste harsh. Additionally, when peeling the gourd, if you notice a faint fragrance, slightly sweet like the scent of young rice, that is a true fragrant sponge gourd.

Quick instruction for pre-processing ingredients

The pre-processing stage is a step that cannot be skipped if you want the dish to be fishy-free, retaining a gentle aroma and the natural crunch of the squid.

• First, pull out the squid head, remove the black ink sac, eyes, and the squid beak between the tentacles. These are parts that can easily cause a fishy smell or make the dish bitter if not handled carefully. Next, remove the backbone from the body, peel off the thin outer membrane, and scrape away the internal slime.
• After cleaning, massage the squid with granulated salt and ginger wine (you can use white wine with crushed fresh ginger) for 3-5 minutes. This method not only removes the fishy smell but also helps the squid firm up, becoming whiter and crunchier after stir-frying.
• When cutting, you can create a checkerboard pattern by scoring diagonally along the body – when stir-fried, the squid will curl up, creating a beautiful “dragon scale” effect. Cut the tentacles into 7-8 cm lengths, and slice the body into bite-sized pieces.
• Next, marinate the squid with ½ teaspoon seasoning powder, a little pepper, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• For the sponge gourd, peel, wash, and cut diagonally into pieces about 2.5 cm thick. Wash the bean sprouts, soak them in diluted salt water for 5 minutes, and then drain. Cut the green onions into segments, and finely mince the garlic, shallots, and ginger.

With just these few meticulous steps, you are ready for the most important part: stir-frying the squid and sponge gourd.

How to cook delicious and flavorful stir-fried squid with sponge gourd

Culinary arts are the arts of fire and time. With stir-fried squid with sponge gourd, just a slight deviation in temperature or stir-frying order can make the dish lose its characteristic tastiness. Therefore, please follow each step very carefully.

• Step 1: Marinate the squid

Place the cleaned squid in a bowl, add ½ teaspoon seasoning powder, a little ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 minutes. Marinated squid will be more flavorful and won’t dry out when stir-fried.

• Step 2: Stir-fry squid and sponge gourd

Place a pan on the stove, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sauté the minced shallot, garlic, and ginger mixture until fragrant. When the aroma arises, add the squid and stir-fry quickly over high heat, stirring continuously so the squid cooks evenly while remaining crunchy. When the squid turns opaque white, immediately transfer it to a separate bowl to avoid it becoming tough.

Use the same pan, add a little more cooking oil, and continue to sauté the remaining shallots and garlic. Then, add the sponge gourd and stir-fry quickly. Season with ½ teaspoon seasoning powder and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce.

To keep the sponge gourd green and prevent it from releasing too much water, you must stir-fry on high heat. When the gourd starts to soften and release its fragrance, pour the juices released from the squid back into the pan; this is the natural sweet essence that makes the dish more flavorful.

Continue by adding the lightly stir-fried squid and bean sprouts. Season with an additional ½ tablespoon of fish sauce, stir well for 10 seconds. Finally, sprinkle with green onions and turn off the heat.

• Step 3: Complete the dish

Ladle the stir-fried squid with sponge gourd onto a plate, sprinkle with a little more ground pepper and a few slices of red chili for eye-catching appeal. The finished dish should have the ivory white color of the squid, the translucent green of the sponge gourd, and the golden brown of the sautéed garlic and shallots—one look and you’ll want to enjoy it immediately!

The gentle fragrance of the sponge gourd blends with the characteristic scent of squid, onion, and ginger, creating a sophisticated harmony. The crunchy pieces of squid, interspersed with soft and cool sponge gourd, melt on the tip of the tongue with just one bite.

Little tips to make stir-fried squid with sponge gourd more attractive

• Do not stir-fry squid for too long; this is the golden rule. Properly cooked squid is crunchy; if overcooked, it will shrink, become tough, and lose its sweetness.
• Keep the heat high throughout the stir-frying process to help the ingredients sear and prevent them from releasing too much water.
• If you like a rich, creamy aroma, you can add a small teaspoon of unsalted butter at the very end, stir quickly, and then turn off the heat.
• Sautéing onions, ginger, and garlic to the right golden degree helps mask the fishy smell and releases an attractive aroma.
• When presenting on a plate, you can sprinkle ground pepper and a few slices of fresh chili; the dish will become more vivid, beautiful, and stimulate the taste buds.

A special tip from professional chefs: if you want the squid to be crunchier, before stir-frying, blanch the squid in boiling water with ginger for 10 seconds and then remove to drain. The squid will be firmer and whiter, and not tough.

Frequently asked questions about stir-fried squid with sponge gourd

What is the best side dish for stir-fried squid with sponge gourd?

The short answer is: white rice. A hot, flavorful dish of stir-fried squid with sponge gourd served with soft, glistening white rice is the “perfect pair.” If you want to change it up, you can serve it with fresh vermicelli or white porridge, both of which are very suitable.

Some people like to dip it in a diluted garlic and chili fish sauce to highlight the squid’s flavor. For those who prefer a richer taste, you can drizzle a little sesame oil to create a luxurious and unique sensation.

Can sponge gourd be replaced with other vegetables?

Yes, it can. However, each type will bring a different flavor.

• Wax gourd: Refreshing and soft, suitable for those who like a mild taste.
• Young gourd (calabash): When stir-fried with squid, it gives a rich sweetness and a moist texture.
• Young chayote: Retains crunchiness, stir-frying with squid is very unique.
• Asparagus or sugar peas: Provides a modern crunch, fitting for younger palates.

Even so, fragrant sponge gourd remains the number one choice because of its unique fragrance that no other vegetable can replace.

See more:

• Instructions for making simple yet irresistible mixed stir-fried squid
• Recipe for making crunchy, sweet, and quick stir-fried squid with kohlrabi at home
• How to make delicious, crunchy stir-fried squid with vegetables that everyone will love

How to preserve leftover stir-fried squid with sponge gourd?

If you can’t eat it all, let it cool and then put it in an airtight container, store it in the refrigerator’s cool compartment, and use it within 24 hours for the best quality. When eating again, you just need to stir-fry quickly in a hot pan with a little cooking oil and sautéed garlic. Do not use a microwave, as it will make the squid dry and hard and lose its crunch.

However, stir-fried squid with sponge gourd is best when eaten immediately. The aroma of the sponge gourd and squid when just finished stir-frying blends together, steaming hot—just one look is “heartwarming.”

The stir-fried squid with sponge gourd dish is a perfect harmony between the flavor of the sea and the soul of the Vietnamese countryside. It is not only an appetizing dish with rice but also a symbol of sophistication in Vietnamese culinary culture. From choosing the squid, cutting the gourd, removing the fishy smell, to the stir-frying heat, everything reflects skill, meticulousness, and a love for the kitchen. A simple dish, but it contains childhood memories, the breath of the countryside, and the salty taste of the sea.

If you love the fresh flavor of squid, don’t forget to visit the Ola Squid Store right away to explore high-quality dried squid products such as whole dried squid, seasoned flattened dried squid, or sun-dried squid—ideal ingredients for creating dishes rich in Vietnamese flavors.