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ไทยHow to make squid stir-fried with pineapple doesn’t need to be too elaborate, but to keep the natural sweetness, crunchy and chewy squid, and harmonious sweet-and-sour pineapple flavor, choosing ingredients and cooking method matter a lot. In this article, Ola Squid will guide you step by step so you can easily make this delicious squid and pineapple stir-fry at home. Don’t miss it!
How to pick fresh squid and pineapple for a flavorful stir-fry
For a delicious squid and pineapple stir-fry, fresh ingredients are the deciding factor. Fresh squid keeps its crunchy sweetness after stir-frying, while ripe pineapple gives a natural sweet-and-sour taste, balancing the flavor and making the dish more appealing.
Choosing fresh squid
Fresh squid determines the dish’s crunchiness, sweetness, and overall flavor. So when buying squid, prioritize ones with the following signs:
- Glossy body with natural color, no strange spots.
- Firm flesh with good elasticity when pressed lightly.
- Clear eyes, not cloudy or leaking fluid.
- Head and tentacles firmly attached to the body, no sign of separating.
- A light characteristic seafood smell, not overly fishy.
See details: How to pick fresh squid that not everyone knows
Choosing good pineapple
A pineapple that’s just ripe will give the dish a natural sweet-and-sour taste without being too sharp or too soft once stir-fried. Here are the signs of a good pineapple:
- Short, evenly round fruit that feels firm in the hand.
- Large, sparse, evenly opened eyes.
- Skin evenly yellow from the stem end to the tail.
- A natural sweet fragrance, with no fermented smell.
- Leaves still green and firmly attached to the stem.
Ingredients for squid stir-fried with pineapple
To make squid stir-fried with pineapple for about 2-3 people, you just need to prepare all the ingredients below. Getting the proportions right will give the dish a balanced sweet-and-sour flavor, deliciously crunchy squid, without being overpowered by seasoning.
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Fresh squid | 400 g |
| Pineapple | ½ fruit (about 200 g) |
| Garlic | 4-5 cloves |
| Horn chili | 1-2 pieces |
| Onion | ½ bulb |
| Cooking oil | 2 teaspoons |
| Fish sauce | 1.5 teaspoons |
| Oyster sauce | 1 teaspoon |
| Sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| Ground pepper | ½ teaspoon |
| Salt | To taste |
How to prep squid so it’s clean and not fishy before stir-frying
Prepping squid the right way is the secret to keeping squid and pineapple stir-fry crunchy, naturally sweet, and free of fishy odor. With just a few simple steps below, you can clean the squid thoroughly before cooking.
Cleaning the squid
After buying squid, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly to remove the organs and outer membrane.
- Gently pull out the head, removing the ink sac, organs, and eyes.
- Peel off the purple outer skin so the dish looks more appealing.
- Remove the hard beak in the middle of the tentacles.
- Rinse the squid under running water and drain.
Removing the fishy smell
After cleaning, you should remove the fishy odor so the squid smells better once cooked.
- Gently rub the squid with a bit of coarse salt for about 2-3 minutes, then rinse clean.
- Or soak the squid with crushed ginger, white wine, or lime juice for 3-5 minutes.
- Rinse again with clean water and drain completely before stir-frying.
Cutting and marinating the squid
After draining, the squid should be cut and lightly marinated so it absorbs the seasoning while staying crunchy.
- Lightly score the inner side of the squid body in a crosshatch pattern, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Marinate with 1 teaspoon fish sauce, ½ teaspoon oyster sauce, a bit of ground pepper, and minced garlic.
- Mix well and let the squid rest for about 10-15 minutes before stir-frying.
Marinating just the right amount makes the squid more flavorful without losing its characteristic seafood sweetness.
Reference: A roundup of ways to soak dried squid until soft while keeping its chewy texture
Step-by-step guide to making squid stir-fried with pineapple
After preparing all the ingredients and prepping the squid correctly, just follow the steps below to finish a squid and pineapple stir-fry that’s flavorful, crunchy, and appealing.
Step 1 – Prep pineapple and vegetables (5 minutes)
Peel the pineapple, remove the eyes, then cut into triangular or bite-sized pieces. Peel the onion and cut into petals; slice the horn chili diagonally; peel and mince the garlic. Let the pineapple drain before stir-frying so the dish doesn’t release too much water.
Step 2 – Sauté garlic and stir-fry the squid (4-5 minutes)
Heat a pan with cooking oil, add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Next, add the marinated squid and stir-fry over high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the squid just firms up, then quickly transfer it to a plate to avoid it turning chewy.
Step 3 – Stir-fry pineapple and onion (2-3 minutes)
Using the same pan you stir-fried the squid in, add the pineapple and onion and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Season with the remaining fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and a bit of salt, then stir quickly so the pineapple absorbs the flavor while staying crunchy.
Step 4 – Combine everything and stir-fry together (1 minute)
Add the cooked squid back into the pan, stir quickly with the pineapple and onion for about 1 minute so all the ingredients blend together. Finally, add the horn chili, sprinkle in ground pepper, stir well, then turn off the heat.
The finished dish
Once done, the squid and pineapple stir-fry has an appealing color, with pale white squid mixed with the yellow of pineapple and the light purple of onion. The squid stays perfectly crunchy, and its natural sweetness blends with the sweet-and-sour pineapple and the fragrant sautéed garlic. The dish is best enjoyed with hot rice as part of a family meal, or as a snack to go with drinks.
Tips for stir-frying squid that’s crunchy, doesn’t release water, and doesn’t turn chewy
To keep squid crunchy without turning chewy, you need to control everything from prepping to heat and cooking time. Here are a few simple tips for a more delicious, well-rounded dish:
- Drain the squid before stir-frying: After prepping, let the squid drain completely or pat it dry with a clean towel to limit the water released when it hits the heat.
- Stir-fry over high heat: Heat the pan first, then add the squid and stir-fry quickly so it firms up without releasing too much water.
- Don’t stir-fry the squid too long: Once the squid turns opaque white and firms up, take it off the heat right away. Cooking it too long causes it to lose moisture and turn chewy.
- Stir-fry the squid separately first: Cook the squid until just done, then add it back in the final step, so you can control the cooking time and keep it nicely crunchy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Too much squid at once drops the pan’s temperature quickly, causing the squid to release more water and end up boiled instead of stir-fried.
- Season in moderation: Avoid marinating the squid with too much sauce before stir-frying, as it can cause the squid to release water and affect its crunchiness.
Similar delicious stir-fried squid dishes you might like:
- How to make squid stir-fried with celery and garlic, flavorful and not fishy
- Recipe for squid stir-fried with green beans, crunchy, sweet, and fragrant
- 3 ways to make squid stir-fried with cauliflower, crunchy, tasty, and great with rice
Can you use dried squid for pineapple stir-fry? How to make dried squid stir-fried with pineapple
Dried squid can absolutely be used for stir-frying with pineapple, creating a dish with a distinctive chewy sweetness, combined with the sweet-and-sour taste and fragrance of pineapple. However, since dried squid has already had most of its moisture removed, it needs to be soaked and prepped properly so it becomes just soft enough and isn’t tough after stir-frying.
To make dried squid stir-fried with pineapple, just follow these steps:
Step 1: Soak the dried squid in warm water or beer for about 15-20 minutes, then rinse, drain, and cut or tear into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Sauté garlic until fragrant, stir-fry the squid briefly for about 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a plate to keep it chewy.
Step 3: Stir-fry the pineapple and onion with the remaining seasoning until just cooked through. Add the squid back to the pan, stir quickly for 1-2 minutes to absorb the flavor, then turn off the heat.
Hopefully, through this article, you now have a clear picture of how to make squid stir-fried with pineapple that’s flavorful, perfectly crunchy, and easy to make at home. If you’d like to enjoy squid in a more convenient way, check out the dried squid and seasoned pressed squid products at Ola Squid, and pick the ones that suit your family’s taste and needs!
