Irresistible Coconut Steamed Squid Recipe Guide

Mực hấp nước dừa is a dish that delicately blends the natural sweetness of seafood with the mild richness of fresh coconut water. This is an easy-to-prepare dish that retains its original flavor, making family meals more complete. If you are looking for a dish that is both delicious and nutritious, steamed coconut squid is a choice you cannot miss. So let’s follow Ola Squid right away in this article to discover the delicious recipe!

What makes steamed coconut squid special?

Unlike fried and oily dishes, steamed coconut squid has a light and pure flavor. The squid, steamed to just the right doneness, retains its natural crispness and chewiness, combined with fresh coconut water to create a mild sweetness and fragrant aroma, captivating from the very first bite. In particular, the steaming method helps minimize nutrient loss, preserving the freshness of the seafood.

How to choose fresh squid for steaming

Signs of recognizing fresh squid

To ensure that the steamed coconut squid retains its natural sweetness and is not fishy, choosing the right fresh squid is very important. Here are some signs to help you easily identify fresh, quality squid:

• Fresh squid usually has a dark brown back and a milky white belly, with a shiny skin surface, not dull or peeling.
• When you gently press on the squid’s body with your hand, you will feel firmness and elasticity, an indication that the squid is still fresh.
• The squid’s eyes must be clear, not cloudy or leaking fluid. The eyes also need to be neatly in the sockets, not bulging out.
• The tentacles and suckers are tightly attached to the body, not loose or soft.
• Fresh squid has a slight, characteristic aroma of the sea, not fishy or rancid.

• Prioritize buying live squid or squid that has been freshly caught, avoiding squid that has been stored for a long time or frozen too deeply.
• If you buy squid at the market or supermarket, you can ask clearly about the origin and date of import to be more assured when buying.

Ingredients for steamed coconut squid (for 4 people)

To make delicious steamed coconut squid, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

• 1kg fresh squid
• 1 Siamese coconut
• 5 stalks of lemongrass, 1 chili
• 50g minced ginger and 3 shallots
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons of white wine and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil

Steps to make standard-flavored steamed coconut squid

Step 1: Clean and deodorize the squid

First, after buying the squid, you need to rinse it with cold water, remove the eyes, ink sac and spine inside. You can soak the squid in a mixture of white wine and crushed ginger for a few minutes to completely remove the fishy smell, making the squid more delicious after steaming. Then, separate the head and body of the squid, and lightly slash the body diagonally to help the seasoning penetrate faster.

Step 2: Prepare other ingredients

• Finely chop the ginger and slice the chili thinly
• Crush the lemongrass and cut it into short pieces.
• Fry the shallots until fragrant to create a distinctive flavor.
• Take the water from the Siamese coconut and keep it in a separate bowl.

Step 3: Marinate the squid for flavor

Prepare a large bowl, add the ingredients including finely chopped ginger, fried shallots, sugar, salt, ground pepper, cooking oil and white wine. Stir well to combine the spices, then add the prepared squid and mix well. Then, pour in the fresh coconut water, stir gently and marinate for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavor to soak deeply into each piece of squid.

Step 4: Steam the squid with coconut water

Next, place the steamer on the stove, add water to the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil. When the water boils vigorously, put the marinated squid bowl into the steamer, and add a few slices of lemongrass and ginger on top to increase the aroma. The steaming time is about 40-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the squid. The squid is cooked to perfection when it is opaque white, fragrant and not tough.

Step 5: Present the finished product

When the squid is cooked, take it out and drizzle a little of the steaming water on top for added richness. Sprinkle with pepper and garnish with rau ram or cilantro to make the dish more appealing.

Finished steamed coconut squid has a bright color, a characteristic aroma of lemongrass, ginger and fried shallots, and the sweetness of coconut water combined with the naturally sweet and chewy squid.

>>> Similar delicious dishes: How to make standard-flavored steamed dried squid, soft and delicious

Tips for making delicious, soft, and non-fishy steamed coconut squid

To achieve the full flavor of steamed coconut squid, here are some tips during the cooking process:

• Fresh squid has a characteristic fishy smell of seafood, which will affect the flavor of the dish if not cleaned thoroughly. Remove the internal organs, eyes, ink sac and wash the squid with white wine and crushed ginger to effectively remove the odor.
• To make the steamed squid more attractive and have a beautiful white color, you should peel off the thin membrane on the outside of the squid body before processing.
• Steamed coconut squid focuses on the sweetness of the squid and coconut water, so you should not season it too strongly or use salty spices like salt or seasoning.
• To increase the appeal and balance the flavor, you can eat the steamed squid with vegetables such as green bananas, star fruit, lettuce, and herbs.
• Dipping sauce is an indispensable part to make the dish more flavorful. You can make salt and pepper with lemon (salt, pepper, chili and lemon juice) or replace it with fish sauce with garlic and chili if you like a more savory flavor.
• If you don’t use it all at once, let the squid cool completely, put it in a sealed container and store it in the refrigerator.
• Some people with sensitive constitutions to seafood may experience itching, rash or allergies when eating squid. Monitor your body’s reaction and avoid use if necessary.
• Squid is cooling, if eaten in excess, it can cause stomach pain or indigestion. Should only be used about 2-3 times/week.

Above are detailed instructions on how to make fresh steamed coconut squid simply and deliciously. Wish you success and don’t forget to visit the website olasquid.com to discover more recipes for dishes from dried squid and fresh squid or learn more about Ola Squid’s dried squid products.

Ola Squid introduces high-quality whole dried squid, sun-dried properly and safely preserved, for every delicious meal.