How to Make Refreshing Malabar Spinach and Squid Soup Without Fishy Odor

Malabar spinach soup with squid is one of those rustic dishes that is rarely mentioned, yet unforgettable once tasted. The broth’s natural sweetness from the squid, paired with the cooling sensation of the spinach, is simple yet enough to make a complete home-cooked meal. In this article, Ola Squid guides you step-by-step from choosing the right squid to cooking it to perfection, including practical tips to ensure your soup turns out vibrant, free from fishiness, and not overly slimy. Follow along now for more details!

How to choose fresh squid for Malabar spinach soup

Ingredients determine 70% of the dish’s success. By choosing the right squid, the soup will be naturally sweet without needing extra seasonings.

For fresh tube squid, there are 4 signs to pay attention to when purchasing:

• Glossy skin with natural color: Fresh squid has shiny skin, milky white or slightly ivory in color, without unusual dark spots or slime.
• Firm, elastic flesh: Gently press the squid’s body; if the flesh indents and bounces back immediately, it is fresh. If it stays sunken, it is old.
• Clear eyes, not cloudy: Fresh squid has clear eyes, not cloudy or sunken inward.
• Tentacles firmly attached to the head: If the tentacles have detached or come off easily, the squid is no longer at its peak freshness.

Regarding size, you should select medium-sized tube squid, between 150 to 200g per piece. Squid that is too large has thick flesh that can become chewy when cooked. Squid that is too small might fall apart and lose its shape once cooked.

>>> How to choose fresh, delicious squid that not everyone knows

If you don’t have time to go to the market or want a richer soup, you can absolutely use Ola Squid dried squid, soaked until soft as a substitute. Once rehydrated, the dried squid gives the soup a deeper sweetness than fresh squid; it is a variation preferred by many in winter or on days when you want a quick yet delicious meal.

Ingredients to prepare

The recipe below is for 4 people, with about 15 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking time.

Note on cooking oil: If you have peanut oil, you should prioritize using it instead of regular cooking oil. The aroma of peanut oil pairs better with squid, and the soup will be slightly more fragrant.

Step-by-step instructions for Malabar spinach soup with squid

Step 1 – Prepare the squid

This is the most important step so that your method for cooking Malabar spinach soup with squid is not fishy. Handle the purchased squid in order:

• Pull the head and tentacles from the body, remove the ink sac (if broken, it will make the soup bitter and dark).
• Pull out the backbone from the body and discard.
• Peel the outer membrane of the squid body – this is a step many skip, but peeling the skin helps the broth remain clear and the squid meat appear white and beautiful when cooked.
• Wash the squid in diluted saltwater, then rinse with clean water.
• Secret to remove fishiness: Blanch the squid in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then remove immediately. This step helps the squid firm up on the outside, retain its sweetness inside, and eliminates any fishy odor when cooking the soup.
• Cut the squid body into rings about 1.5-2cm thick. Keep the head and tentacles whole or cut in half as preferred.

Step 2 – Prepare the Malabar spinach

Pick the tender shoots and leaves, discarding all tough stems and yellow leaves. Tender greens help the soup be less slimy and look greener when finished.

Soak the greens in diluted saltwater for about 5 minutes to clean off dirt, then rinse twice with clean water. Drain, and if the spinach stems are too long, you can cut them into bite-sized pieces of about 4-5cm.

Step 3 – Sauté shallots and squid

Peel and thinly slice the shallots. Add cooking oil to a pot (or deep pan), heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and sauté until lightly golden and fragrant.

Add the prepared squid and stir-fry over high heat, stirring quickly for about 1-2 minutes until the outside of the squid is just firm. Do not overcook as the squid will become chewy and lose its sweetness. This quick sautéing stage locks in the sweetness in the squid and creates a signature aroma for the broth.

Step 4 – Cook the soup

Pour in about 800ml of filtered water (or adjust according to the amount of soup you want). Boil over medium heat. When boiling, use a spoon to skim off any foam on the surface – this step helps the broth stay clear and clean.

Next, season with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce and 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder. Then, proceed to taste test; at this stage, you may not need salt yet because the squid has a natural saltiness. If you like it spicy, add sliced fresh chili now.

Step 5 – Add the Malabar spinach

When the soup returns to a boil and you have adjusted the seasoning, add the spinach. Use chopsticks to stir gently so the greens cook evenly. Continue to cook for another 2–3 minutes from the moment it re-boils, no longer than that.

Spinach cooked just right maintains a beautiful green color and moderate viscosity. Cooking too long makes the greens lose their color, become overly slimy, and lose all their nutrients.

Step 6 – Finishing

Taste and adjust seasoning one last time to your liking. Add chopped scallions, stir gently, and turn off the heat immediately. Scoop into a bowl and serve immediately while hot, because Malabar spinach soup with squid is best when just off the stove—clear broth, green vegetables, and firm white squid.

Delicious dishes you might be interested in: How to cook bamboo shoot soup with squid, rich in traditional flavor

Notes for cooking standard, delicious Malabar spinach soup with squid

After many test runs, the Ola Squid team has identified 4 important things to help your bowl of soup come out just right, avoiding the most common mistakes when making this dish:

• Do not cover the lid when cooking Malabar spinach: Covering the lid when cooking green vegetables will cause them to turn yellow quickly due to trapped heat. Cooking uncovered will ensure the soup retains a much better green color.
• Sauté the squid before adding water: Many people put the squid straight into boiling water, which will make the broth fishy and the flavor bland. Sautéing the squid with sautéed shallots first helps the broth become fragrant, sweet, and not fishy.
• Add salt last: Fresh squid already has a natural saltiness; if you add salt from the beginning, it can easily become too salty. Season with fish sauce and seasoning powder first, taste, and then add salt if necessary.
• Sliminess in Malabar spinach soup is normal: The slime in spinach is a natural polysaccharide, which is good for digestion. If it feels too slimy, you should cook it for a shorter time and keep it uncovered.

Variations of Malabar spinach soup with squid

The basic method for making Malabar spinach soup with squid is already delicious, but you can absolutely improvise to enrich your family menu.

Malabar spinach + squid + sponge gourd soup

Add ½ a sponge gourd (peeled, sliced diagonally) to cook along. Add the gourd before the spinach for about 2 minutes because the gourd takes longer to cook. Sponge gourd makes the broth sweeter and cooler, with a beautiful color, and is suitable for hot summer days.

Malabar spinach soup cooked with Ola Squid dried squid

If you don’t have fresh squid, you can use Ola Squid dried squid, soaked until soft for about 30 minutes in warm water, then prepared similarly. The broth from dried squid is richer than fresh squid, with a deep sweetness and the characteristic aroma of sun-dried squid. This variation is suitable for busy days when you don’t have time to go to the market but still want a delicious meal.

Malabar spinach + squid + red amaranth soup

Combine 150g of Malabar spinach and 150g of red amaranth. Amaranth adds extra iron and has a beautiful red color, so the soup will have a more harmonious color and higher nutritional value. You should add the amaranth first, cook for about 1 minute, then add the Malabar spinach afterward.

Irresistibly delicious Malabar spinach soup with squid and amaranth

Reference: What is good to cook with squid for soup? Top 11 easy-to-cook cooling soup dishes for every day

How to store Malabar spinach soup with squid

This is a soup that should be eaten immediately during the day. Malabar spinach left overnight will become much slimier and lose its green color, while squid left for a long time easily becomes chewy and loses its sweetness. A bowl of soup reheated the next morning will no longer maintain its original flavor.

If you cook too much and have leftovers:

• Let the soup cool completely at room temperature before storing.
• Place in a tightly covered container and store in the refrigerator.
• Use within 24 hours.
• When reheating, use low heat, warm it just until it lightly boils, then turn it off immediately. Do not boil for a long time as it will make the spinach slimy and the squid chewy.

Malabar spinach soup with squid is proof that simple dishes are the most delicious; you just need the right ingredients and the right technique. Hopefully, this guide from Ola Squid helps you cook this refreshing soup successfully for dinner tonight.

If you are looking for quality dried squid to try the dried squid spinach soup variation, check out the products at olasquid.com store. Here, all squid raw materials are carefully selected, sun-dried naturally, and processed in a closed system, ensuring food hygiene and safety.