How to Make Delicious, Crispy Dried Squid and Cucumber Salad at Home

Dried squid and cucumber salad is a refreshing, crunchy, and delicious dish featuring a harmonious combination of fresh cucumbers and flavorful dried squid. The sweet, sour, salty, and spicy dressing blends perfectly with the chewy, aromatic dried squid, creating an appealing and rich dish. In the article below, Ola Squid will guide you through how to make dried squid and cucumber salad in a simple, delicious way that keeps it crunchy for a long time.

Ingredients for dried squid and cucumber salad

To make dried squid and cucumber salad for about 3 – 4 people, you need to prepare the ingredients with the following quantities:

How to choose delicious dried squid for cucumber salad

Good dried squid will give the salad a natural sweetness, tender yet chewy meat, and a distinctive aroma. When choosing squid, you should prioritize products with a natural color, a dry body, no signs of mold, and clear origin information.

Criteria for identifying delicious dried squid: To choose delicious dried squid, you can rely on the following easily recognizable characteristics:

• Color: The squid has a natural pinkish-white color, with a thin layer of white powder covering its back, without any abnormal yellow or dark discoloration.
• Dryness: The squid body is dry, not wet, and does not stick to your hands, yet retains a certain degree of softness without being too hard.
• Shape: The squid body is firm, with the head and tentacles relatively intact, not torn or deformed.
• Smell: The squid has the characteristic aroma of dried seafood, with no sour, foul, or moldy odors.
• Squid meat: When grilled, the squid emits a clear aroma, the meat has even fibers, is easy to shred, and has a natural sweetness.

To make cucumber salad, you should choose dried squid of medium size with a moderately thin body for easy grilling and shredding. This type of squid usually has tender yet chewy meat, adequate sweetness, and easily blends with cucumbers and the dressing. If you prefer more meat and a richer flavor, you can choose large-sized dried squid, but you should grill it just right and shred it into small pieces so the salad is easy to eat and not too tough.

When buying dried squid, prioritize products with clear origin, product information, and a clear manufacturer or packaging unit. Carefully check the packaging, expiry date, and product condition before purchasing; avoid squids with mold spots, abnormal colors, or strange odors. If you are looking for dried squid to make salads and prepare dishes at home, you can refer to the products at Ola Squid with clear information and diverse choices suitable for your usage needs.

Steps to make a complete dried squid and cucumber salad

To keep the salad rich yet crunchy and delicious, you should prep each ingredient separately, mix the dressing beforehand, and then combine them in order. This method helps minimize water loss from the cucumbers, keeps the dried squid chewy and aromatic, and allows the ingredients to absorb the seasoning just right.

Step 1 – Ingredient preparation

Grill dried squid over low heat or pan-sear it until fragrant, then let it cool, gently pound it with a pestle to soften, and shred it into bite-sized strips. Wash the cucumbers, cut off both ends, cut them in half lengthwise, use a spoon to scrape out some of the core if there are too many seeds, and then slice them into moderately thin bite-sized pieces. Peel the carrots and julienne them; slice the onion thinly and soak it in ice water for about 5–10 minutes to reduce the pungent taste; wash the Vietnamese coriander, let it drain, and chop it finely.

>> Refer to popular squid grilling methods:

• How to grill dried squid with alcohol deliciously and simply at home
• How to grill dried squid using a gas stove deliciously without burning
• How to grill dried squid simply using an air fryer
• How to grill squid quickly and deliciously using a microwave at home

Step 2 – Making the salad dressing

Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of filtered water into a bowl, stirring well until the sugar dissolves. Continue adding minced garlic and chili, taste again to ensure the dressing has a balanced sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavor.

If you prefer the salad to be richer, you can slightly increase the amount of fish sauce; conversely, add a little filtered water if you want a milder taste.

Step 3 – Mixing the ingredients in order to retain crispiness

Place the cucumbers, carrots, and onions into a large bowl, drizzle about 2/3 of the dressing over them, and toss gently so the vegetables absorb the seasonings. Next, add the shredded dried squid and Vietnamese coriander, pour in the remaining dressing, and mix well, avoiding forceful squeezing which would make the cucumbers soft and release too much water. Finally, sprinkle roasted peanuts on top to keep them crunchy and fragrant.

Step 4 – Completion and enjoyment

After mixing, let the salad rest for about 5 – 10 minutes so the ingredients absorb the flavors evenly, then taste again and adjust if necessary. Transfer the salad to a plate, garnish with extra roasted peanuts, Vietnamese coriander, or fried shallots to enhance the flavor and create a highlight for the dish. Dried squid and cucumber salad should be enjoyed right after mixing to fully experience the cool crispness of the cucumber, the chewy sweetness of the dried squid, and the harmonious sweet, sour, salty, and spicy dressing.

Explore more rich squid salad recipes at home:

• How to make flavor-bursting sweet and sour squid salad at home
• How to make crispy and authentic dried squid papaya salad
• How to make super appealing, spicy, sour, and crispy dried squid green mango salad snack
• How to make refreshing, delicious, and crispy shrimp and squid pomelo salad at home
• How to make ultra-crispy taro and dried squid salad at home

Secrets to making dried squid and cucumber salad even more delicious

To ensure the dried squid and cucumber salad maintains its crispiness and harmonious flavor, you should keep in mind some tips during the preparation and mixing processes:

• Do not slice the cucumbers too thin: Moderate slicing helps the cucumbers retain their crispiness without softening quickly when mixed with the dressing.
• It is best to remove some of the cucumber core: The core contains a lot of water; removing part of it will prevent the salad from releasing too much liquid and help retain a richer taste.
• Grill the squid just right: Grill over low heat until fragrant, then lightly pound and shred it. Avoid grilling for too long as the squid will easily become dry, hard, and tough.
• Mix a balanced dressing: Fish sauce, sugar, and lemon juice should be adjusted to taste to create a harmonious sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavor.
• Mix the salad right before eating: Only add the dressing when you are ready to serve so the cucumbers do not release too much water and lose their crunch.
• Add peanuts last: Sprinkling roasted peanuts at the end helps maintain the crunchiness and characteristic aroma of the salad.

With this simple how to make dried squid and cucumber salad guide, you can easily prepare a crispy, rich dish right at home. If you are looking for delicious dried squid with a clear origin to make salad or process other dishes, you can refer to products from Ola Squid. With a diverse selection of dried squid, Ola Squid helps you easily find products that suit your culinary and home cooking needs.

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