How to Make Delicious, Savory Sun-Dried Squid with Fish Sauce (Non-Chewy)

One-sun-dried squid fried with fish sauce is an appealing dish thanks to its chewy yet tender, naturally sweet squid combined with a savory-sweet, richly aromatic fish sauce glaze. To prevent the squid from becoming dry, tough, or rubbery after frying, you need to pay attention to every stage from preparation and mixing the fish sauce to the frying time and temperature.

With the method shared by Ola Squid below, you can easily prepare one-sun-dried squid fried with fish sauce right at home using simple ingredients and a relatively short cooking time.

Ingredients for One-Sun-Dried Squid Fried with Fish Sauce

To make the fried one-sun-dried squid flavorful yet not overly salty, you should prepare the ingredients in the appropriate proportions. The spice quantities below can be used for about 500g of one-sun-dried squid, serving 2 – 3 people.

You can adjust the amount of chili according to your personal taste. If you prefer a spicier and more aromatic flavor, you can add some minced chili or satay. Additionally, you should choose a fish sauce with a moderate saltiness so that when reduced with sugar, the glaze does not become too harsh.

See more: What to cook with one-sun-dried squid? 7 easy and delicious home recipes

How to Make One-Sun-Dried Squid Fried with Fish Sauce

The method for making one-sun-dried squid fried with fish sauce consists of 4 steps: preparing the squid, mixing the fish sauce glaze, frying the squid, and coating it with the sauce. You should not fry the squid for too long and only coat it in the fish sauce for just the right amount of time so that the seasonings adhere evenly without drying out the squid.

Step 1: Preparing the Squid

One-sun-dried squid has already been cleaned and sun-dried once, so it does not need to be soaked in water for too long. You only need to prepare it properly to remove surface debris while retaining the squid’s natural sweetness.

• Rinse the squid quickly under clean running water, paying special attention to cleaning the belly cavity and the grooves on the body.
• Pat it thoroughly dry using paper towels or a clean towel.
• If the squid body is thick, you can lightly score a few lines on the surface so that the squid absorbs flavors easily and cooks more evenly.
• Cut the squid into bite-sized pieces or leave them whole depending on their size.

Note: You should not soak one-sun-dried squid in water for too long because the squid may absorb water, causing oil splatters during frying and altering the texture of the meat. The drier the squid is before frying, the easier it is to create a golden, fragrant outer layer.

Step 2: Mixing the Fish Sauce Glaze in the Standard Ratio

Put 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, and 1 tablespoon of filtered water into a bowl. Stir well until the sugar partially dissolves. Next, mince the garlic and chili. You can add a portion of the minced garlic and chili into the fish sauce mixture right from the beginning, and use the remaining part for sautéing later to make the dish more aromatic.

If you use a high-sodium fish sauce, you should reduce the amount of fish sauce and increase the filtered water slightly instead of adding too much sugar to balance the flavor.

Step 3: Frying the Squid

Heat the pan and add cooking oil. When the oil reaches a moderate temperature, add each piece of squid to fry. Do not let the oil become too hot because the outer part of the squid will easily burn and turn golden while the inside has not yet reached the desired tenderness.

Fry the squid for about 2 – 4 minutes depending on thickness, turning both sides evenly so the squid turns lightly golden. When the squid body firms up and slightly browns at the edges, quickly remove it. To prevent the squid from absorbing too much oil, you can place it on paper towels for a short time before coating it with the sauce.

Step 4: Coating the Squid with Fish Sauce

After frying the squid, drain excess oil from the pan, keeping only about 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the minced garlic and chili to sauté until fragrant over low heat. Next, pour the mixed fish sauce into the pan and simmer over medium heat. When the sauce starts to boil gently, reduce to low heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens slightly.

Add the fried squid into the pan, toss quickly and gently so the fish sauce coats all sides evenly. Only coat the squid for about 30 seconds – 1 minute, until the sauce clings to the squid pieces, then turn off the heat. Finally, garnish with chopped scallions or sliced chili if desired. The one-sun-dried squid fried with fish sauce tastes best when served hot with white rice.

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Secrets to Frying One-Sun-Dried Squid Tender and Non-Rubbery

One-sun-dried squid is firmer than fresh squid, so if cooked at high temperatures for a long time, the meat easily becomes tough and dry. A few notes below will help the squid retain its tenderness, sweetness, and prevent it from hardening after preparation.

Appropriate Frying Oil Temperature and Time

Heat the oil to about 160 – 170°C over medium heat. Do not fry the squid on too high of a flame. High heat causes the surface of the squid to turn golden quickly while releasing much of the internal moisture, making the squid dry and tough easily. Conversely, if the oil is not hot enough, the squid must be fried longer, absorbing more oil and failing to achieve the desired golden, fragrant outer layer.

The Right Time to Coat with Fish Sauce to Prevent Dryness and Toughness

The fried squid should be coated with the sauce immediately while still hot. However, do not put the squid into the fish sauce pan too early when the sauce is still runny and requires prolonged simmering. You should wait until the fish sauce, sugar, and seasonings simmer gently and begin to thicken before adding the squid. Toss quickly for about 30 seconds – 1 minute until the sauce clings evenly, and that is enough.

Common Mistakes Causing Tough Squid

Certain mistakes during preparation can cause the squid to lose its inherent tenderness and sweetness:

• Frying the squid for too long: This is the most common cause of dry, tough, and hard squid.
• Using excessively high heat: High heat burns the squid surface quickly while causing the internal meat to lose moisture rapidly.
• Failing to dry the squid: Remaining water on the squid body causes oil splatters and makes the frying process unstable.
• Soaking the squid too long before cooking: The squid can lose its flavor and alter its texture.
• Simmering the squid with fish sauce for too long: A more reduced sauce does not mean better squid. Once the sauce coats evenly, turn off the heat immediately.
• Choosing one-sun-dried squid that is too thin or stored too long: Subpar initial ingredients make it difficult to achieve a tender, sweet finished product.

See more:

• Simple and irresistibly delicious dried squid fried with fish sauce
• Authentic, crispy and delicious dried squid fried with fish sauce and onions
• Revealing how to make flavorful flash-fried stuffed squid with fish sauce

How to Choose Delicious One-Sun-Dried Squid for Frying with Fish Sauce

The quality of one-sun-dried squid directly affects the tenderness, sweetness, and flavor of the dish after frying. When choosing squid, you should check its color, dryness, aroma, body thickness, and elasticity sequentially to avoid purchasing old or improperly stored squid.

• Check color and dryness: Good one-sun-dried squid has an ivory white or naturally faint pink color, depending on the squid variety.
• Smell the squid: Quality squid has the characteristic aroma of seafood, not overly pungent.
• Choose squid with moderate body thickness: To make one-sun-dried squid fried with fish sauce, prioritize squid with a thick body and firm meat. Squid that is too thin easily dries out when fried, whereas a moderate body thickness helps the squid retain its sweetness and tenderness after cooking.
• Check elasticity: Press gently on the squid body with your hand. Good squid usually has a certain degree of elasticity, firm meat, and is not mushy.
• Recognize old squid to avoid purchasing: Do not choose squid with a slimy surface, liquid leakage, a sour or ammonia-like odor, abnormal colors, strange spots, or signs of mold. For packaged squid, you should also check the packaging, expiration date, product information, and storage conditions before buying.

Making one-sun-dried squid fried with fish sauce is not difficult, but to make the squid both flavorful and tenderly sweet, you need to properly control the frying temperature and time. The squid should only be fried until lightly golden, then quickly coated with the reduced fish sauce glaze.

If you love squid dishes that are convenient to prepare at home, you can explore more dried squid products from Ola Squid to choose suitable ingredients for grilling, simmering, or preparing according to your family’s taste.