How to Make Stuffed Squid Simmered in Fish Sauce

Stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender yet chewy squid tubes, a fragrant and savory pork filling, and a lightly glossy fish sauce glaze coating the outside. With this simple recipe for stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce below, Ola Squid will guide you step by step on how to prepare the dish so that it absorbs all the flavors, turns out delicious, and is easy to make at home. Don’t miss it!

Ingredients for stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce

For a serving of 3 – 4 people, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

How to choose fresh squid for stuffing with meat

Fresh squid helps the outer skin retain its firmness, natural sweetness, and prevents it from becoming too chewy after simmering. When choosing to buy squid, you should prioritize ones with a firm body, glossy skin, clear eyes that are not cloudy, and tentacles firmly attached to the body.

Regarding size, you should choose medium-sized squid with a long, evenly rounded body. Squid that are too small will be difficult to stuff, while squid that are too large usually take longer to cook and tend to become chewy. Squid of uniform size also makes it easier to control the cooking time.

Steps to make authentic stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce

After preparing the ingredients, you will successively clean the squid, make the filling, stuff the meat, and lightly steam it to hold its shape. Finally, simmer the squid with fish sauce over low heat so that the sauce thickens and coats the squid body evenly.

Step 1 – Preparing the ingredients

Gently pull the head away from the body of the squid, remove the ink sac, internal organs, and the transparent cartilage bone inside. Peel off the outer membrane if you want the squid body to have a nice white color, then wash it with diluted saltwater and a little bruised ginger. Quickly rinse with water, drain thoroughly, and keep the squid head to use for the filling.

Soak the wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms in water until they expand and soften, wash them thoroughly, and finely chop them. Peel the shallots and garlic, and mince them to prepare for seasoning the filling and making the fish sauce.

Reference: How to clean squid quickly and simply for delicious and authentic dishes

Step 2 – Marinating the meat filling

Put the minced pork into a bowl, add the wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, minced shallots, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, a little seasoning powder, and ground black pepper. Mix well in one direction so that the ingredients blend together and the filling gains stickiness, then marinate for about 15 minutes for the meat to absorb the spices. You should choose minced pork with a moderate amount of fat so that the filling retains its moisture and tenderness after cooking.

Step 3 – Stuffing and steaming the squid

Use a small spoon to gradually put the meat filling inside the squid tubes. Only stuff about 80% of the squid body, avoiding packing the filling too tightly because the meat will expand when cooked, which can easily burst the squid body. After stuffing, place the squid head over the opening of the tube and use a bamboo toothpick to pin it diagonally to secure the filling.

Next, arrange the squid in a steamer basket and steam the squid for about 5-7 minutes from the time the water boils so that the filling begins to set and the squid body firms up. When the squid turns opaque white and the filling’s surface becomes firm, take it out and let it drain before frying.

Step 4 – Making the fish sauce fried squid

Mix the sauce combination including 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, and 100 ml of filtered water, stirring well until the sugar dissolves. Heat a pan with cooking oil, sauté the minced shallots and garlic until fragrant, then add the steamed squid and fry until the surface is slightly golden. Afterward, pour the sauce mixture into the pan, lower the heat to medium-low, and turn the squid frequently so that the spices absorb evenly.

Combine frying and simmering for about 10 – 15 minutes, until the squid is cooked, the sauce reduces and coats the body in a light glossy layer, then turn off the heat. During the cooking process, you should turn the squid gently so that the filling does not burst out.

Step 5 – Finished product and enjoyment

The stuffed squid fried in fish sauce, once completed, has an eye-catching golden-brown color, a lightly glossy sauce, and the fragrant aroma of fish sauce and fried garlic. Cut the squid into bite-sized round slices, arrange them on a plate, and drizzle the remaining sauce over the top. You can add scallions, coriander, or a little ground black pepper to make the dish more aromatic. The squid meat is chewy and tender, while the savory, fatty meat filling blends with the rich salty-sweet flavor, making it perfect to enjoy hot with white rice.

You can refer to the detailed instruction video if you are not confident in the kitchen yet:

See more delicious and easy-to-make simmered squid dishes right at home:

• 3 simple and flavorful ways to make simmered dried squid at home
• How to make flavorful, tender, and chewy garlic chili simmered squid
• How to make irresistible, flavorful baby squid simmered in fish sauce
• How to make flavorful sweet and salty simmered squid that makes you eat lots of rice

Secrets to keep stuffed squid from bursting and the sauce thick and flavorful

To keep the squid body in its original shape and the sauce with a nice thick consistency, you should pay attention to everything from the amount of filling to the temperature when simmering:

• Stuff just enough filling: Only put the filling into about 80% of the squid body, do not pack it too tightly to prevent the meat from expanding and bursting the squid tube.
• Pin with toothpicks properly: Use a bamboo toothpick to pin diagonally through the squid head and the tube opening to secure it firmly, limiting the filling from bursting out during cooking.
• Steam briefly before simmering: Steaming for about 5-7 minutes helps the squid body firm up and the filling hold its shape, thereby minimizing water release when simmering.
• Simmer over low heat: After the sauce boils, lower the heat so that the squid absorbs the flavors gradually without shrinking too quickly.
• Balance fish sauce and sugar: A reasonable ratio of fish sauce and sugar helps the sauce achieve a harmonious salty-sweet taste and natural thickness. Do not use overly high heat because the sugar in the sauce can easily burn, making the sauce bitter.
• Do not simmer for too long: When the sauce has thickened and coated the squid body evenly, turn off the heat to avoid making the squid chewy and the sauce dry or too salty.

Frequently asked questions when making stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce

How to keep the meat filling inside tender and sweet, without being dry and tough?

You should choose minced pork with a moderate amount of fat instead of using only lean meat. When mixing the filling, do not mince the meat too finely or pack it too tightly into the squid body. In addition, you should only steam it briefly and then simmer it over low heat so that the filling cooks gradually and retains its moisture and tenderness.

Do I need to boil the squid completely before simmering it in fish sauce?

There is no need to boil it completely before simmering. You should only steam it briefly for about 5-7 minutes to make the squid body firm and the filling hold its shape. The squid will continue to cook during the simmering process with the fish sauce, thereby preventing the squid meat from becoming chewy.

Should I boil or lightly fry the squid before simmering?

Light steaming is a suitable choice if you want the dish to be less greasy and retain the natural sweetness of the squid. If you like the outer skin to be firmer and more aromatic, you can lightly fry the squid in a pan before simmering. Whichever method you choose, do not cook the squid too thoroughly at this step because the squid will be cooked further in the sauce.

What goes best with stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce?

This dish goes best when enjoyed hot with white rice to balance the rich salty-sweet flavor of the sauce. You can serve it with cucumber, boiled vegetables, or green vegetables to make the meal lighter. The remaining sauce can also be drizzled over rice to enhance the flavor.

With the above recipe for stuffed squid simmered in fish sauce, you can easily prepare a rich, delicious, and rice-consuming dish right at home. If you want to change your palate with delicious dishes made from dried squid, please explore more products at Ola Squid to choose the right type of squid and discover many more attractive preparation methods!