5 Ways to Steam Squid: Deliciously Tender, Sweet & Odor-Free

Steamed squid is a favorite dish for many people because of the natural sweetness, crispness, and chewiness of the squid. However, to steam squid deliciously, tenderly without being fishy or tough, you need to know how to prepare and steam it with the right technique. The following article is a compilation of 5 delicious ways to steam squid, appealing recipes, and effective squid cleaning tips to make the dish even more perfect.

1. How many minutes to steam squid?

Before starting to steam squid, you need to know the correct steaming time. The steaming time is crucial to maintain tenderness, sweetness, and avoid toughness or fishiness. On average, fresh squid should be steamed for 7 to 10 minutes depending on its size and preparation method.

If steamed for too long, the squid meat will become tough and lose its flavor; if not steamed long enough, the squid will not be fully cooked and will have a fishy smell. When steaming, you should check the tenderness of the squid by piercing it with chopsticks; it is ready when the meat is firm but not too tough.

See more: How long to boil squid to avoid toughness?

2. Delicious and appealing ways to steam squid

2.1. Delicious way to steam squid with beer

Beer-steamed squid is fragrant with the aroma of beer combined with the characteristic scent of lemongrass and ginger.

Ingredients needed (for 3-4 people):

• 500g fresh squid
• 2 bulbs of ginger, 5 stalks of lemongrass
• 300ml fresh beer
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

The process for making delicious beer-steamed squid is as follows:

• Step 1: First, wash the lemongrass, remove the tough outer layers, and smash them to release their aroma. Peel the ginger, smash it, and then mince it. Clean the squid and make light horizontal cuts on the body to help the spices penetrate better.
• Step 2: Marinate the squid with smashed lemongrass, minced ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir well and let it marinate for about 15 minutes for the squid to absorb the flavors.
• Step 3: Boil a mixture of water and fresh beer in a steamer. Finally, add the marinated squid and steam for about 10 minutes until tender.

2.2. How to steam squid with coconut water

To prepare squid steamed with coconut water, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

• 1kg fresh squid
• 1 fresh coconut (use the water)
• 50g minced ginger, 5 stalks of lemongrass (smashed, cut into sections)
• 10g fried shallots
• Seasonings include sugar, salt, ground pepper, white wine, and cooking oil

Detailed instructions for steaming squid with coconut water are as follows:

• Step 1: Clean the squid, remove the eyes and the backbone. Soak the squid in a mixture of wine and ginger to remove the fishy smell, then rinse with clean water. Make light cuts on the surface of the body and cut the squid into bite-sized pieces for even flavor absorption.
• Step 2: Next, mix the squid with 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 2 tablespoons of white wine, minced ginger, fried shallots, and cut lemongrass. Mix well and let the squid marinate for about 15-20 minutes.
• Step 3: Then, place the marinated squid in a steamer, pour the fresh coconut water evenly over it. Steam for about 40-45 minutes until the squid is tender, flavorful, and fragrant.

See the process of making dried squid steamed with coconut water!

2.3. How to make ginger and lemongrass steamed squid

Ginger and lemongrass steamed squid is fragrant, retaining its natural sweetness, combined with the pungent aroma of lemongrass and ginger, and the crisp sweetness of onions.

Ingredients needed to make ginger and lemongrass steamed squid:

• 500g fresh squid
• 1 stalk of ginger, 2 stalks of lemongrass, 1 onion, and 1 ripe chili
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce and 1/4 teaspoon MSG

Instructions for preparing and steaming delicious squid with ginger and lemongrass are as follows:

• Clean the squid, remove the ink sac, eyes, and internal organs, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Peel the ginger and cut into thin shreds. Remove the tough outer layers of the lemongrass, wash, and thinly slice. Then, wash the chili and slice it thinly. Cut the onion into wedges.
• Place the squid in a bowl, marinate with fish sauce and MSG, mix well, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Arrange the squid in a deep dish, sprinkle ginger, lemongrass, onion, and chili evenly over the top. Place the squid dish in a steamer and steam for about 10 minutes. Once the squid is cooked, turn off the heat and let it sit in the pot for 1-2 more minutes to enhance the flavor.

2.4. How to make guava leaf steamed squid

Ingredients needed to make guava leaf steamed squid:

• 400g fresh squid
• 15 guava leaves (not too old)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and a little ground pepper

Detailed steps for steaming fresh squid with guava leaves:

• Step 1: Clean the squid, remove the eyes, ink sac, and internal organs. Rinse several times, then cut into pieces about 7cm long. Wash the guava leaves and let them dry.
• Step 2: Marinate the squid with salt, chili powder, and ground pepper. Mix well and let it sit for about 15 minutes for the squid to absorb the flavors.
• Step 3: Then, add water to the steamer, add 5-6 guava leaves to the water to create an aroma during steaming. Line the bottom of the steamer with the remaining guava leaves. Place the marinated squid on top of the leaves, cover tightly, and steam for about 10 minutes from the time the water boils.

2.5. How to make green onion steamed squid

To make this dish, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

• 500g fresh squid
• 150g green onions
• 1 bulb of ginger, 2 chili peppers
• Seasonings: Ground pepper, salt, seasoning powder, fish sauce

Simple method for making green onion steamed squid:

• Clean the squid and cut it into bite-sized rings. Shred the ginger, chop the chili peppers, and cut the green onions into sections about 4-5cm long.
• Put the squid in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, and a little ground pepper. Mix well and marinate for about 15 minutes for the squid to absorb the flavors.
• After the squid has absorbed the flavors, add green onions, ginger, and chili, mix well with the squid. Then, simply place the squid in a dish or steamer and steam for about 5 minutes until the squid is just cooked.

3. How to clean squid

To make delicious steamed squid that is not fishy, the step of cleaning the squid is very important.

• Step 1: Gently pull the head from the body. As you pull, the internal organs and ink sac will come out; be careful not to break the ink sac.
• Step 2: Remove the transparent plastic backbone (located along the squid’s body). Cut off the ink sac and internal organs inside the head, being careful not to break the sac to prevent the squid from becoming discolored and having a fishy smell.
• Step 3: Clean the squid head and remove the eyes. Then, use your fingers to gently squeeze the beak (located between the tentacles) to remove it.
• Step 4: Make a light cut along the squid’s body with a knife, then peel off the outer skin to make the squid whiter and more attractive when cooked.
• Step 5: Rinse the squid under cold running water, rinsing 2-3 times to remove any remaining fishy smell and dirt. If you want to remove the fishy smell more effectively, you can soak the squid in a mixture of white wine and crushed ginger for 3-5 minutes.

We hope that with the delicious ways to steam squid shared above, you have more ideas to diversify your family’s menu and make it more appealing. We wish you success! If you have any further questions, please leave a comment below or contact Ola Squid immediately at 0989.616.989!