How to Make Crispy Fried Dried Squid with Fish Sauce and Onions

Dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions is a captivating dish that fascinates many people with its rich aroma, harmonious salty-sweet flavor, and chewy, tender strips of squid that are incredibly appetizing. The combination of fragrant grilled dried squid, bold chili-garlic fish sauce, and crunchy, sweet onions not only creates a dish that pairs perfectly with rice but is also ideal for snacking during family or friend gatherings.

If you are looking to prepare this delicious dish at home yourself, join Ola Squid in discovering how to make simple yet authentic dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions in the article below.

Ingredients to prepare (for 2–4 people)

To make delicious dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions, the ingredients do not need to be complicated, but they must be selected carefully, especially the dried squid. Sun-dried squid from Ola Squid is a priority choice for many because its freshness is well-controlled, and the meat has the perfect chewiness, making it highly suitable for frying.

Below is a list of simple ingredients you need to prepare:

Ingredients	Quantity	Notes
Dried squid (sun-dried squid or regular dried squid)	300-400g	Choose thick, ivory-white meat with little fiber and no strange odors
Onion	1 large bulb (~200g)	Choose one with a taut, shiny skin that is not soft or mushy
Quality fish sauce	2 tablespoons	Select pure fish sauce with a deep, rich aroma
Sugar	1 tablespoon	White sugar or palm sugar to balance the saltiness of the fish sauce
Garlic	3 cloves	Minced to enhance the signature flavor
Shallot	1 bulb	Minced to create a light, balanced savory taste
Ground pepper	1/2 teaspoon	Add a spicy kick to the dish
Chili sauce	1 tablespoon	Adds color and mild spiciness
Cooking oil	2-3 tablespoons	Used for aromatics and frying the squid
Spring onions / cilantro	A few sprigs	For garnish

How to properly prepare dried squid

Many people skip the preparation step or do it too hastily, resulting in squid that becomes tough, loses its natural sweetness, or tastes slightly fishy after frying. Therefore, proper preparation is a crucial step to help the dried squid retain a perfect chewy and tender texture after frying, without being too tough or fishy.

Step 1: Grill the squid before frying

Grilling the squid before frying is the most important step that many recipes overlook. Pre-grilling makes the squid more fragrant, easier to shred, and gives it a distinct, attractive chewy texture when fried compared to non-grilled squid.

You can grill the squid in two ways as follows:

• Grilling directly over a gas flame: Use tongs to hold the squid over medium heat for about 30-60 seconds on each side until it slightly puffs up and releases an aroma. This method provides the best flavor.
• Grilling on a dry pan (no oil): Place the squid on a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, press gently, and flip evenly for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Suitable for induction or infrared cooktops.

Properly grilled squid will have a light yellow color on the edges, puff slightly in the middle, and emit a pleasant aroma without being burnt or having a dark brown color.

Step 2: Pounding and shredding the squid using the right technique

After grilling, let the squid cool for about 2-3 minutes, then use a pestle, knife handle, or meat mallet to pound the entire surface of the squid lightly. The purpose is to break the tough muscle fibers, making the squid easier to shred and absorb the sauce better after frying.

Next, shred the squid along the grain into strips about 1-2 cm wide. Properly sized squid strips will make the dish look appetizing and retain its natural chewy texture. However, you should not cut it with a knife as it will lose the natural fiber structure, which is a characteristic feature of fried dried squid.

Step-by-step guide to making dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions

Once the ingredients are fully prepared, you can start cooking the dish with the simple steps below:

Step 1: Prepare the onion

In this dish, onions serve to provide natural sweetness, soothe the intensity of the fish sauce, and add a light fragrance to the dish. The way you prepare them affects the texture of the onion in the final product:

• Wedging (6-8 wedges): The onions retain their crunch after stir-frying, suitable if you prefer a crisp texture.
• Thinly slicing (3-4mm): The onions cook softer and blend better with the sauce — suitable for those who don’t like crunchy onions.
• After slicing, soak the onions in cold water for 5 minutes to reduce the pungency, then remove and drain.

Step 2: Prepare the fish sauce glaze

The sauce is the soul of the dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions dish. You need to combine fish sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and a little ground pepper in a small bowl, stirring until the mixture is fully combined. You can add minced chili if you prefer a spicier taste.

Then, you should taste the sauce to check if it has achieved a balanced salty-sweet and tangy flavor. If it’s too salty, add a little sugar and lime, or if it’s too sweet, add a few drops of fish sauce. The sauce needs a balance between salty, sweet, and mild spicy flavors so that when it coats the squid, it creates a rich, enticing flavor.

Tip: You should prepare the sauce at least 10 minutes before frying the squid so the flavors meld together. Pre-mixed sauce yields better results than mixing it just as you need it.

Step 3: Fry the squid

• Place a pan on the stove, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, and heat over medium heat. When the oil is around 170 – 180°C, add the squid in batches and fry briefly until lightly golden, fragrant, and having a moderate crunch. Do not fry too much at once to ensure the squid cooks evenly and retains its natural chewiness.
• After the squid is crispy on both sides, remove it from the pan and drain the oil before moving to the glaze step. Note not to fry for too long because the squid can easily become hard and dry.

Step 4: Simmer the dried squid with fish sauce

This is the step that makes the difference between a truly delicious dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions and an average version.

• Discard the excess oil from frying the squid, then add a little fresh oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, sauté the minced garlic and shallot for about 30 seconds until fragrant and lightly golden.
• Next, add the onions and stir-fry quickly so they are just cooked but still retain their natural crunch and sweetness.
• Then, add the fried squid into the pan, toss well, and drizzle the pre-mixed fish sauce glaze over it. Lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes so the sauce thickens slightly and penetrates into each fiber of the squid, creating a rich and attractive flavor.

Step 5: Completion and presentation

The final step seems simple but has a significant impact on the dining experience.

• When the sauce has coated the squid evenly and absorbed into each strand, turn off the heat, do not cover the pan, and serve on a plate. Sprinkle with spring onions, a little ground pepper, or a few slices of chili to enhance the aroma and visual appeal.
• Dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions is best enjoyed while still hot. At that time, the squid retains its natural chewy, tender texture combined with a rich, savory-sweet flavor that is incredibly enticing.
• Serve with white rice, fried rice, or enjoy as a drinking snack.

See more: How to make rich, addictive fish sauce fried squid

Secrets to making authentic dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions

After many trials, Ola Squid has gained experience in making this dish and concluded some important principles as follows:

Ratio of fish sauce and sugar

The golden ratio applied by many home chefs is 2:1 with 2 parts fish sauce to 1 part sugar. This ratio creates a savory-sweet balance suitable for the Vietnamese palate. If you prefer a sweeter taste (Southern style), you can increase the sugar to 1.5 parts. If you prefer a saltier taste, keep the fish sauce as is but reduce the sugar to 0.5 parts.

Equally important is the quality of the fish sauce. You should use traditional fish sauce made from anchovies or mackerel, with a protein content of 40 or higher, for a natural umami flavor; avoid using pre-mixed or industrial fish sauce.

Frying the squid at the right temperature

As mentioned in the frying step, oil temperature is a key factor. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, you can apply the chopstick test rule: drop a chopstick tip into the oil; if bubbles immediately boil around the tip, the oil is hot enough (about 170-180°C).

Another practical tip is to fry twice if you want the squid to be extra crispy. The first fry at 160°C for 2 minutes, remove and let cool for 3 minutes, then re-fry at 180°C for 45-60 seconds. This technique helps the squid become evenly crispy from the inside out without burning the surface.

Add onions last

This is an important difference between a delicious version and an average one. If onions are added too early, they will become mushy, lose their crunch, and release water, diluting the sauce.

Onions only need 15-20 seconds of heat exposure—just enough for the pungent smell to dissipate, and for the onions to turn translucent, slightly soft, but still maintaining their crunch. Then, turn off the heat immediately and plate the dish.

Eat immediately after cooking

Dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions is best when eaten within 5-10 minutes after cooking. If left for too long, the sauce will absorb into the squid, causing it to lose its crispness, and the residual heat will continue to cook the onions, significantly diluting the overall flavor. Therefore, you should prepare all ingredients beforehand, then fry and make the sauce right before eating instead of making it ahead and reheating.

How to store dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions

Unlike many other fried dishes, dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions cannot be stored for long after being cooked because the fish sauce causes the squid to absorb moisture and lose its crispness very quickly.

If there are leftovers, this is the best way to handle them:

• Let the dish cool completely before storing: After cooking, let the squid cool down completely before placing it in a container. If you cover it while hot, condensation will cause the squid to soften quickly and spoil easily.
• Store in an airtight container: Place the leftover dish in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid to minimize air exposure and prevent odors from other foods in the refrigerator from affecting the dish.
• Store in the refrigerator: The dish should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within 1-2 days to maintain its delicious aroma as well as the attractive chewiness of the squid.
• Reheat before eating: When reusing, you can reheat it in a pan or air fryer at a moderate temperature to make the squid tastier. Do not heat for too long as the squid can easily become dry and tough.
• Do not keep for too long: Dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions is best when consumed right after cooking. Storing for too long will cause the onions to release water, making the squid lose its crisp and chewy texture and reducing its characteristic flavor.

Similar delicious dishes

If you love dishes made from dried squid, you can try many other attractive dishes below, simply by changing the sauce preparation and spices:

Dried squid fried with fish sauce

A simpler version, without onions, with a richer and saltier sauce. The fish sauce-to-sugar ratio is 2:1, add plenty of garlic and chili, and a little palm sugar to increase the color and depth of flavor. This dish is better served with hot white rice than as a drinking snack.

>>> SEE NOW: How to make rich, aromatic, and delicious dried squid fried with fish sauce

Dried squid fried with garlic butter

This dish replaces fish sauce with unsalted butter and minced garlic but is highly popular. After frying the squid, add butter to the pan along with minced garlic and chili, sauté until fragrant, then toss the squid in and add a little salt and white pepper. This dish goes very well with baguette or French fries.

>>> SEE NOW: How to make delicious and attractive dried squid fried with garlic butter

Pepper-crusted dried squid

Squid is deep-fried until crispy, then tossed with a mixture of roughly crushed toasted black pepper, salt, sugar, and a dash of soy sauce. The spicy, hot taste of pepper combined with the natural sweetness of the squid creates an irresistible combination. This is a favorite drinking snack at coastal seafood restaurants in Central and Southern Vietnam.

>>> SEE NOW: Tips on how to make flavorful, authentic pepper-crusted dried squid

Hopefully, with the above tips and instructions, you will easily succeed in making flavorful dried squid stir-fried with fish sauce and onions, making your meals more attractive and complete every day. To achieve an authentic, delicious taste, choosing quality ingredients, especially good dried squid, is an extremely important factor.

If you are looking for a place to buy high-quality, thick-cut dried squid with authentic coastal flavor, Ola Squid will be a reliable choice for you. Order dried squid today at Ola Squid to easily prepare delicious, authentic dishes right at home and bring more complete meals to your family every day.