Tiếng Việt
ไทยOnion-steamed squid is a beloved dish thanks to its delicately sweet flavor that preserves the full freshness of the squid, making it perfect for a family meal. With just a few familiar ingredients, you can create several appealing variations such as rich garlic-chili onion-steamed squid or fragrant, fatty scallion-oil steamed squid. In this article, Ola Squid will guide you in detail through 2 popular ways to make onion-steamed squid, while also sharing tips on picking fresh squid, steaming for the right amount of time, and mixing a delicious dipping sauce to round out the dish.
2 popular ways to make onion-steamed squid
Below are two ways to make onion-steamed squid that many people love. Each one has its own distinct flavor while still keeping the squid’s natural crisp sweetness.
How to make onion-steamed squid with garlic-chili sauce
If you love a rich, mildly spicy, and fragrant flavor, garlic-chili onion-steamed squid is well worth trying. The recipe below is suitable for about 3-4 people and is fairly easy to make at home.
Ingredients to prepare
Prepare all of the following ingredients to achieve the tastiest result.
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Fresh squid | 500 g |
| Scallions | 4 stalks |
| Cilantro | A small amount |
| Garlic | 1 bulb |
| Horn chili | 1 piece |
| Dried glass noodles | A small amount |
| Cooking oil | A small amount |
| Oyster sauce | 1 tablespoon |
| Fish sauce | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | To taste |
| Sugar | To taste |
| Ground pepper | To taste |
| MSG | To taste |
Steps to make onion-steamed squid with garlic-chili sauce
Once you have all the ingredients ready, follow the steps below in order so the squid cooks evenly, keeps its crisp sweetness, and fully absorbs the sauce.
Step 1: Prepare the squid
Clean the squid, removing the ink sac, beak, and innards, then rinse it with diluted salt water or crushed ginger to remove any fishy smell. After that, rinse again with clean water, drain, and score the body lightly so the squid absorbs the seasoning more easily.
Step 2: Marinate the squid
Put the squid in a bowl, marinate it with oyster sauce, fish sauce, a bit of ground pepper, and MSG. Mix well and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so the seasoning soaks into the squid meat.
Step 3: Make the scallion-garlic-chili sauce
Sauté the minced garlic in a bit of cooking oil until fragrant, then add the chopped scallions and sliced horn chili and stir quickly. Continue adding fish sauce, oyster sauce, a bit of sugar, and about 2-3 tablespoons of water, stirring on low heat until the sauce blends together, then turn off the heat.
Step 4: Steam the squid
Arrange the squid on a plate or in a steamer, drizzle the sauce evenly over it, then steam over medium heat. Steaming time is about 8-10 minutes for medium-sized squid (400-600 g) or 10-12 minutes for larger squid. Once the squid is just cooked through, take it out, sprinkle on some cilantro and scallions, and enjoy it right away while still hot.
How to make scallion-oil steamed squid
If you prefer a richer, lighter flavor, you can try scallion-oil steamed squid. Compared to garlic-chili onion-steamed squid, this version has no spicy kick and instead stands out with the fragrance of scallions, sesame oil, and rich scallion oil, which helps preserve the squid’s natural sweetness.
Ingredients for scallion-oil steamed squid
To make scallion-oil steamed squid, you need to prepare all of the following ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Fresh squid | 500 g |
| Oyster sauce | 2 teaspoons |
| Cooking wine | 1 tablespoon |
| Sesame oil | 1 teaspoon |
| Scallions | A small amount |
| Cilantro | A small amount |
| Minced garlic | A small amount (to taste) |
| Cooking oil | A small amount |
| Salt | To taste |
| Sugar | To taste |
| Ground pepper | To taste |
Steps to make scallion-oil steamed squid
Once the ingredients are ready, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Prepare the squid
Clean the squid, removing the ink sac, beak, and innards, then rinse it with cooking wine or diluted salt water to remove any fishy smell. Rinse again with clean water, drain, and score the body lightly so the squid cooks evenly while steaming.
Step 2: Marinate the squid
Marinate the squid with oyster sauce, sesame oil, a bit of salt, sugar, and ground pepper. Mix well and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so the seasoning is evenly absorbed into the squid meat.
Step 3: Make the scallion oil
Wash the scallions, chop them finely, then put them in a bowl with a bit of salt. Heat the cooking oil and pour it directly over the scallions, stirring well so they cook just through and release their fragrance. If you like, you can sauté some minced garlic until fragrant and mix it into the scallion oil for extra flavor.
Step 4: Steam the squid
Arrange the squid on a steamer or heatproof plate, then steam over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes for medium-sized squid or 10-12 minutes for larger squid. Once the squid is just cooked through, take it out, drizzle the scallion oil evenly over it, add some cilantro, and enjoy while still hot.
Compared to garlic-chili onion-steamed squid, the scallion-oil steamed squid version has a lighter, richer flavor, standing out with the fragrance of scallions and sesame oil instead of the mild spiciness and richness of the garlic-chili sauce. As a result, the dish still keeps the squid’s natural crisp sweetness while offering a lighter, easier-to-eat feel.
>> See more authentic delicious squid steaming recipes:
- 5 ways to steam squid that stay tender, sweet, and free of fishy smell
- How to make delicious, sweet, non-fishy beer-steamed squid at home
- Top 3 simple ways to make ginger-steamed squid that everyone loves
- How to make delicious, crisp, sweet, non-fishy lemongrass-steamed squid
Tips for steaming squid so it stays tender, not rubbery, and keeps its sweetness
To keep onion-steamed squid at its natural crisp sweetness, besides choosing fresh squid, you should also pay attention to a few small tips during preparation below.
- Don’t steam the squid too long: Steaming time should be adjusted based on the size of the squid. For medium-sized squid, just 8-10 minutes of steaming is enough; larger squid can be steamed for 10-12 minutes. Steaming for too long will cause the squid meat to shrink, lose moisture, and become rubbery.
- Blanch the squid briefly before steaming: You can blanch the squid in boiling water for about 15-20 seconds then drain it before steaming. This helps the squid meat firm up evenly, reduces the amount of liquid released during steaming, and keeps the crisp sweetness after cooking.
How to choose fresh, good squid for steaming
Fresh squid is the deciding factor for the crispness, sweetness, and flavor of the steamed dish. When buying, you should prioritize squid that meets the criteria below to achieve the best quality dish.
- Observe the color and eyes of the squid: Choose squid with a bright body, an intact skin layer with natural color, and clear, non-bulging or cloudy eyes. This is a sign that the squid is still fresh.
- Check the elasticity of the squid meat: Press lightly on the squid’s body with your finger; if the flesh quickly returns to its original shape, the squid is still fresh and will keep its crispness after steaming.
- Avoid squid showing signs of spoilage: Do not choose squid with a slimy surface, an unusually strong fishy odor, a head that easily separates from the body, or mushy flesh, as these are signs the squid has been stored too long and is no longer good quality.
See now: How to choose fresh, good squid that not everyone knows
Suggested ways to make a delicious dipping sauce for onion-steamed squid
A well-matched dipping sauce will make the onion-steamed squid richer and better balanced in flavor. Below are two simple, easy-to-make dipping sauce recipes loved by many.
Salt, pepper, and lime
Salt, pepper, and lime dip has a balanced sour-salty flavor that helps bring out the natural sweetness of the steamed squid.
Ingredients needed:
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Salt | 3 teaspoons |
| Ground pepper | 1 teaspoon |
| Sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| Lime juice | 1.5 teaspoons |
How to mix: Put the salt, pepper, and sugar into a bowl and mix well. Add the lime juice, stir until the sugar has fully dissolved, and it’s ready to use.
Ginger fish sauce
Ginger fish sauce has a distinctive aroma and a balanced salty-sweet flavor that helps make the steamed squid dish more flavorful.
Ingredients needed:
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Good fish sauce | 3 tablespoons |
| Sugar | 2 tablespoons |
| Water | 1 tablespoon |
| Lime juice | 1 tablespoon |
| Finely minced ginger | 1 teaspoon |
| Minced garlic | 1 teaspoon |
| Minced chili | 1 piece (adjust to taste) |
How to mix: Stir the sugar until dissolved with the fish sauce, water, and lime juice. Then add the ginger, garlic, and minced chili, and mix well so all the ingredients blend together before enjoying.
See more: Top 6 delicious dipping sauces for steamed squid, ready in 5 minutes
We hope that with these 2 ways to make onion-steamed squid, you can easily prepare a delicious dish that keeps the squid’s natural crisp sweetness for your family meal. If you want to switch things up with dried squid, you can contact Ola Squid to choose quality products with clear origins, suitable for preparing many delicious dishes such as grilled, braised, stir-fried squid, or appealing salads.
