Tiếng Việt
ไทยSquid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms is a dish that combines the natural sweetness of squid with the distinctive aroma of shiitake mushrooms, plus a bit of sweet crunch from carrots and water chestnuts. To get the dish just right, the squid needs to be cleaned properly, stir-fried quickly over high heat, and combined with the other ingredients at the right time. In this article, Ola Squid will guide you through making squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms that’s fragrant, flavorful, and easy to make at home. Let’s take a look!
Ingredients for squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms
To prepare a plate of squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms for about 2-3 people, you’ll need fresh squid along with a few vegetables and basic seasonings. The amounts below can be adjusted to suit your taste and the number of people eating.
| Ingredient | Amount |
| Squid or cuttlefish | 300-400 g |
| Dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms | 10-15 caps |
| Carrot | 1/2 root |
| Water chestnuts | 3-4 pieces |
| Garlic | 3-4 cloves |
| Ginger | 1 small piece |
| Horn chili | 1-2 pieces |
| Scallions | A small amount |
| Annatto oil | A small amount |
| Seasoning powder | To taste |
| Fish sauce | To taste |
| Oyster sauce | To taste |
| White wine | A small amount |
| Ground pepper | To taste |
How to choose fresh squid and shiitake mushrooms
Choosing fresh ingredients is the first step to keeping the stir-fry’s natural sweetness and satisfying crunch. The squid should have good elasticity, while the shiitake mushrooms should have a natural color with no dampness, mold, or unusual smell.
- Choosing fresh squid: Go for squid with a glossy body and firm, elastic flesh when pressed lightly. The eyes should be clear, not cloudy, with the head and tentacles still firmly attached to the body and no unusually strong fishy smell.
- Choosing shiitake mushrooms: For fresh shiitake, pick caps with a natural brown color, a clean surface, no sliminess, and no mold spots. If using dried shiitake, choose ones with a bright brown color, whole caps, dryness, and a distinctive fragrant smell.
How to properly prepare squid and shiitake mushrooms
Careful preparation removes the fishy smell from the squid and the dust on the mushrooms, while also helping the ingredients cook evenly when stir-fried. This step is also essential for keeping the squid crunchy rather than tough.
Preparing fresh squid
Gently pull out the head, then remove the ink sac, innards, eyes, and the hard beak between the tentacles. Peel off the outer skin if you want the dish to have a nice white color, then rinse well with water.
Next, rub the squid gently for a few minutes with a bit of white wine and crushed ginger, then rinse again. Let the squid drain thoroughly, then score the inner surface lightly in a dragon-scale pattern and cut into bite-sized pieces.
See more: Revealing how to clean squid quickly with no fishy smell
Preparing shiitake mushrooms and vegetables
Depending on the type of shiitake mushroom you use, the preparation will differ slightly:
- For dried shiitake mushrooms: Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 15-20 minutes until softened, then rinse gently several times to remove sand and dirt. Trim off the stems, drain, then cut in half if the caps are too large.
- For fresh shiitake mushrooms: Rinse briefly under running water, trim off the tough stem ends, then drain. Avoid soaking the mushrooms too long, as they absorb water easily and lose crunch when stir-fried.
Preparing the vegetables: Peel the carrot and slice it thinly on a diagonal; peel the water chestnuts, rinse, then slice into bite-sized pieces. Cut the scallions into short lengths, slice the horn chili, and cut the ginger into thin strips, ready for the next steps.
Step-by-step guide to making squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms
Once the ingredients are ready, follow these steps to stir-fry the squid with shiitake mushrooms:
Step 1 – Sauté the aromatics
Heat a pan, add a little annatto oil, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté over medium heat until fragrant. Once fragrant, add the horn chili and stir quickly to build color and aroma for the dish.
Step 2 – Stir-fry the mushrooms and vegetables
Add the shiitake mushrooms, carrot, and water chestnuts to the pan and stir quickly over high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Season with a little seasoning powder and oyster sauce so the vegetables absorb flavor while staying crunchy.
Step 3 – Stir-fry the squid
Turn up the heat, then add the well-drained squid to the pan and stir quickly for about 2-3 minutes until the squid firms up and turns opaque white. Avoid stir-frying too long, as prolonged high heat will cause the squid to lose moisture and become tough.
Step 4 – Combine and finish
Return the stir-fried vegetables and mushrooms to the pan and toss everything together with the squid for about 1 minute. Season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and ground pepper to taste, then add the scallions, stir quickly, and turn off the heat.
Final result
The finished squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms has a harmonious look, with firm crunchy white squid, soft fragrant mushrooms, and vegetables that still keep their sweet crunch. The aroma of garlic and ginger blends with the rich flavor of the seasonings to create a satisfying dish best enjoyed while still hot.
This dish tastes best with hot rice. If you like a richer flavor, you can also prepare a small bowl of ginger fish sauce or sweet and sour dipping sauce to go with it.
Tips for making squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms crunchy and tender, not tough
To keep the squid’s natural crunch and the vegetables’ fresh bite, pay attention to the pan’s heat and the stir-frying time. A few small tips below will help squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms turn out fragrant and delicious, without becoming watery or mushy.
- Preventing watery, tough squid: Make sure the squid is well drained before stir-frying, heat the pan thoroughly, then stir-fry quickly over high heat. As soon as the squid firms up and turns opaque white, remove it from the pan right away rather than cooking it any longer.
- Avoid adding too much squid at once: Too large a quantity of squid can lower the pan’s temperature, causing the squid to release water and take longer to cook. If you need to cook a large batch, divide it into smaller portions so the squid cooks quickly and stays crunchy.
- Keeping the vegetables crunchy, not mushy: Slice the carrot and water chestnuts thinly, stir-fry quickly over high heat, and season just enough. Avoid covering the pan while stir-frying, as this will steam the vegetables and make them mushy.
- Adding ingredients at the right time: Stir-fry the mushrooms and vegetables first, then cook the squid separately before combining them in the last step. This way, each ingredient cooks to just the right point while keeping its own color, flavor, and texture.
With just a few familiar ingredients and a bit of skill, you can put together a plate of squid stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms that’s fragrant and full of sweet crunch for your family meal. If you love squid dishes and want to explore more convenient options, check out the dried squid and seasoned pressed squid products at Ola Squid to add some variety to your meals!
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