Top 6 Irresistible Grilled Squid Dipping Sauce Recipes

In dishes featuring squid, the dipping sauce always plays a crucial role, as it helps to enhance the natural sweetness and add depth to the flavor. This article will explore with you easy-to-make, authentic, and versatile recipes for dipping sauce for steamed squid. Ola Squid shares the complete formulas and small tips so you can apply them right away in your kitchen.

The Important Role of Dipping Sauce in Steamed Squid

When it comes to steamed squid, people often immediately think of the natural sweetness and the crisp texture of the squid meat. But what makes the dish memorable lies in the dipping sauce for steamed squid, the factor that determines the taste experience. Even the freshest, perfectly steamed squid will lack something without a harmonious dipping sauce, missing that spark and emphasis.

The dipping sauce helps to supplement what the squid itself lacks: stimulating acidity, a burst of spiciness, aromatic herbs, or a subtle coolness. Some dipping sauces make the squid refreshing, others make the dish richer, and some help preserve the natural sweetness while still creating an interesting layer of flavor.

Therefore, understanding and correctly making each type of dipping sauce is not only a cooking trick but also an art of balancing taste, something that anyone who loves food should try.

Steamed Squid Dipping Sauce with Green Chili

Among the prominent types of dipping sauce for steamed squid, green chili consistently ranks among the “national favorites” thanks to its unique spicy heat, refreshing aroma, and ability to highlight the sweetness of the squid. The spiciness of green chili is not harsh but gently spreads from the tongue, making the dish more appealing than any other seasoning.

Ingredients:

• 10–15 green chili peppers
• 1 fresh lemon
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons condensed milk (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons good fish sauce
• A few lemon leaves (if you want to increase the aroma)

Instructions:

• First, wash the chili peppers and drain to avoid diluting the mixture.
• Put the chili peppers, sugar, salt, and condensed milk into a blender, blend until smooth.
• Finally, add the fish sauce and lemon juice, blend for a few more seconds to combine. At this point, the dipping sauce should reach a thick consistency, with a slight spiciness, refreshing sourness, and balanced sweetness.

The slight sweetness from the condensed milk helps to neutralize the spiciness and make the overall flavor more harmonious. This is a dipping sauce that is perfect for those who like a clear sour and spicy flavor but still want to preserve the sweetness of the squid.

Traditional Ginger Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce for Steamed Squid

An indispensable part of Vietnamese cuisine: ginger fish sauce, a “national soul” dipping sauce that appears in every steamed or boiled dish, from seafood to chicken. Especially when combined with steamed squid, the sweetness of the squid meets the warm saltiness of ginger fish sauce, creating an unforgettable harmony.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons good fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or white sugar
• 1 old ginger root, finely grated
• 2–3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 lemon
• 1–2 fresh chili peppers

Instructions:

• Put the garlic, ginger, and chili into a bowl, add sugar and pound or stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Pour in the fish sauce and stir well until the mixture is combined.
• Finally, add the lemon juice to preserve the aroma and prevent bitterness.

The dipping sauce should have three factors: lightly salty, sweet, and warmly spicy. When eaten with steamed squid, ginger helps to remove the fishy smell, fish sauce creates depth, and lemon makes the dish well-rounded.

Bold Red Salt and Chili Dipping Sauce for Steamed Squid

If you like a salty, spicy, and visually appealing dish, red salt and chili is a must-try. This type of dipping sauce is suitable for large parties or seafood dishes that “wake up the palate”.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely ground red chili
• A little minced garlic
• A little cooking oil to make the dipping sauce shiny

Instructions:

Combine salt and sugar in a bowl, add chili powder, minced garlic, and mix well. Pour in fish sauce and lemon juice, stirring until the mixture thickens. Finally, add 1-2 drops of cooking oil to increase shine and make the chili color more vibrant.

This dipping sauce has a strong spiciness, suitable for those who like an explosive taste. When dipped with steamed squid, red salt and chili highlight the original flavor of the squid but still have a distinctive bold style.

Unique Steamed Squid Dipping Sauce with Basil

Basil is often known in grilled dishes or vermicelli, but few people know that it can become the main ingredient to make a unique dipping sauce for steamed squid. Basil has a strong aroma, mild spiciness, and a cool aftertaste that makes the dish very “unique”.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 lemons
• 2 chili peppers
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
• 1 minced garlic clove

Instructions:

Grind or blend the basil, garlic, and chili. Add sugar to help the mixture dissolve quickly, then pour in fish sauce and lemon juice. If you want to increase the aroma, you can add a little sesame oil. The dipping sauce will be light green, fragrant, and have a mild sweetness.

This dipping sauce is especially suitable for steamed squid because of its freshness and unique aroma, creating a light but captivating feeling.

Spicy Yellow Mustard Dipping Sauce for Steamed Squid

If you’ve ever eaten seafood with yellow mustard, you’ll surely understand the explosive power of this spice. The spiciness of yellow mustard doesn’t “hit straight” like chili but creates a quick, burning sensation in the nose, perfect for stimulating the taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow chili (optional)

Instructions:

Mix the mustard with sugar first to reduce the shock of spiciness. Then add fish sauce and vinegar, stirring until the mixture is smooth. This dipping sauce should be diluted to avoid overpowering the squid flavor.

Yellow mustard with steamed squid creates a feeling of both “hot”, fragrant, and stimulating, perfect for those who like a strong flavor but not as intense as wasabi.

Refreshing Wasabi Dipping Sauce for Steamed Squid

Completely different from yellow mustard, wasabi brings a cool, slightly sweet aftertaste, stimulating the taste buds in a more “subtle” way. Wasabi is perfect for steamed squid because it doesn’t lose the natural flavor of the squid but still adds a touch of sharpness.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon fresh wasabi
• 1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
• A little lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• A little roasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

Dilute the wasabi with a little warm water to reduce the shock. Then add soy sauce, sugar, and a few drops of lemon juice, stirring well. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds to add a light aroma.

Wasabi dipping sauce has a Japanese style, suitable for meals that need simplicity and elegance.

Tips for Making Dipping Sauce for Steamed Squid More Appealing

Flavor doesn’t just come from the recipe, but also from the technique of making, the quality of ingredients, and the perception of taste.

How to Choose Fresh Ingredients for an Authentic Dipping Sauce

• Fish sauce must be clear, fragrant, and not too heavy.
• Lemon or lime should be fresh, juicy, and have thin skin.
• Chili should use fresh types to maintain beautiful color and natural spiciness.
• Old ginger helps with a warm and fragrant spice compared to young ginger.
• Palm sugar or brown sugar will give a clear sweetness than white sugar.

A low-quality ingredient can ruin the whole recipe, making the dipping sauce unbalanced.

Common Mistakes When Making Dipping Sauce and Effective Solutions

• Adding lemon too early can make the mixture bitter, so always add lemon last.
• Using low-quality fish sauce leads to a harsh taste, so choose fish sauce with 35-40% protein.
• Grinding chili quickly and adding ice cubes to preserve the color because grinding chili for too long will make the color darken.
• Avoid making the dipping sauce too thin by adding sugar before adding fish sauce to increase adhesion.

How to Store Steamed Squid Dipping Sauce Correctly and for a Long Time

• Put the dipping sauce in a clean glass jar and seal it tightly.
• Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
• Do not use a wet spoon when scooping to avoid spoiling the dipping sauce.

Types with condensed milk, basil, and wasabi should be used within 24-48 hours to ensure the flavor is fully preserved.

Tips for Enjoying Steamed Squid with the Best Dipping Sauce

• Squid should be cooked to perfection, not overcooked to make the meat tough.
• When dipping, just dip the squid lightly in the dipping sauce to preserve the natural flavor.
• Serve with Vietnamese coriander, ginger, or perilla leaves to add layers of aroma.
• With each type of dipping sauce, choose the appropriate part of the squid:
  • Squid mantle goes well with ginger fish sauce.
  • Squid pairs well with green chili peppers.
  • Squid dipped in hot sauce pairs well with wasabi or yellow mustard.

• 3 simple ways to make steamed squid with ginger that everyone will love
• How to make steamed squid with onions that’s simple yet irresistibly delicious
• How to make super delicious steamed squid with betel leaves, authentic hometown flavor

Each type of dipping sauce for steamed squid offers a unique flavor, from light and refreshing to spicy and rich, and this diversity makes steamed squid a truly rich dish. By mastering the balance of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, you can create a dipping sauce that perfectly suits your family’s taste. Hopefully, the recipes and instructions shared by Ola Squid will help you easily prepare a delicious, flavorful, and authentically Vietnamese meal. Discover more delicious and easy-to-make recipes on Ola Squid’s blog!