Crispy Stir-Fried Squid and Water Spinach: Tips for Tender, Non-Chewy Results

Few people think that a seemingly familiar dish like stir-fried squid with water spinach requires meticulousness in every step: from choosing the squid, how to prepare it, selecting the water spinach stems to the technique of quickly stir-frying over high heat. However, it is precisely these details that determine the crispness of the water spinach, the sweetness of the squid, and the harmony of the flavorful stir-fry sauce.

In this article, Ola Squid will provide you with a complete and detailed guide, helping you prepare this rustic yet demanding dish with the most authentic flavor.

Preparing the Ingredients for Stir-fried Squid with Water Spinach

A delicious stir-fried squid with water spinach says a lot about the freshness of the ingredients, the understanding of balancing flavors, and the correct handling of seafood. First, you need to prepare enough ingredients for 3–4 servings, including:

• 400g of fresh squid (squid tubes, flower squid, or cuttlefish).
• 1 bunch of water spinach with crisp stems.
• Garlic: use a generous amount to create aroma and sweetness.
• Horn chili or bird’s eye chili depending on your preference.
• Seasonings: coarse salt, pepper, oyster sauce, seasoning powder, cooking oil.

Each ingredient contributes to the overall flavor: sweet squid – crisp water spinach – fragrant garlic – mild chili spice. Although simple, if handled incorrectly, the dish can become tough, discolored, or watery, diminishing its inherent appeal.

Tips for Choosing Fresh Squid and Water Spinach

How to Choose Fresh Squid, Without a Fishy Smell

Squid is the ingredient that determines 70% of the deliciousness of stir-fried squid with water spinach. A standard squid must meet the following factors:

• Shiny squid body, skin not peeling much.
• Clear eyes, not cloudy, and not covered with a white film.
• Elastic flesh, pressing on the squid body will bounce back immediately.
• No strange smell, only a slight sea scent.
• With frozen squid: prioritize IQF quick-frozen types, with little water runoff when thawing.

Fresh squid stir-fried quickly retains its crispness, does not shrink, and retains its natural sweetness – a factor that makes the dish more appealing than any other stir-fry.

How to Choose Fresh, Crisp, and Tender Water Spinach

Good water spinach must have the following characteristics:

• Small to medium stems, not too large as they are easily fibrous.
• Stems are crisp when bent, leaves are straight, and free from pests.
• Naturally dark green color, without yellowing leaf tips.

An important note: to achieve the crispness in stir-fried squid with water spinach, you should prioritize the stem over the leaves. The water spinach stems, when quickly stir-fried over high heat, will retain their crisp greenness and absorb flavors better.

Detailed Instructions on How to Make Authentic Stir-fried Squid with Water Spinach

Step 1: Prepare the Squid and Other Ingredients

Preparing the squid is the most important step to prevent a fishy taste and retain its sweetness.

Standard squid processing technique:

• Remove the squid head separately, discard the black ink sac and slimy membrane.
• Remove the eyes and hard parts of the squid head to prevent toughness.
• Remove the backbone along the body.
• Wash the squid belly thoroughly, gently squeeze to remove all slime.
• Remove the fishy smell with coarse salt or ginger wine to firm up the squid and reduce the fishy odor.
• Rinse thoroughly one last time and drain.

Small squid can be kept whole to maintain crispness. Large squid should be cut in half or cut into thick rings as the squid will shrink when stir-fried.

Garlic and chili should be coarsely chopped. If chopped too finely, the garlic will easily burn over high heat, creating a bitter taste.

Step 2: Marinate the Squid Properly

Squid should be lightly marinated to retain its sweetness:

• 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder.
• A little ground pepper.
• Marinating time: 5–10 minutes.

Light marination helps retain the fresh, sweet flavor and prevents the squid from releasing water.

Step 3: Stir-fry the Squid Quickly

This step requires concentration to prevent the squid from becoming tough.

• Heat the pan, sauté 2/3 of the garlic and chili until fragrant.
• Add the squid to the pan and stir-fry over the highest heat.
• Stir-fry for about 2.5–3 minutes, until the squid firms up and turns opaque.
• Do not stir-fry for too long.
• Remove the squid to a separate bowl to prevent further cooking.

Step 4: Stir-fry the Water Spinach to Maintain Crispness

Water spinach stir-fried correctly should be green, crisp, and not too watery.

• Heat oil, sauté the remaining garlic and chili until fragrant.
• Immediately add the water spinach to the pan, stirring constantly over high heat.
• Add the squid liquid released into the pan to allow the water spinach to absorb the flavor.
• Let it sit for about 15–20 seconds for the bottom part of the vegetables to absorb the oil and liquid.
• Then stir from the bottom up so that the vegetables do not break or become mushy.
• Season lightly with a little seasoning powder.

Step 5: Complete and Present the Dish

• Add the stir-fried squid back into the pan.
• Add ½ tablespoon of oyster sauce to enhance the flavor.
• Stir well for 10–15 seconds then turn off the heat.

The finished product should have:

• White, crisp squid, lightly seasoned.
• Green, crisp, and adequately oiled water spinach.
• Thick, fragrant stir-fry sauce, not too watery.

Tips to Make Stir-fried Squid with Water Spinach More Appealing and Flavorful

A delicious stir-fried squid with water spinach depends on three factors: squid that is not fishy, green and crisp vegetables, and stable heat throughout the stir-frying process.

Some important tips:

• Stir-fry the squid and vegetables separately to prevent the vegetables from overcooking or the squid from becoming tough.
• Do not cover the pan when stir-frying water spinach as steam will cause the vegetables to darken.
• You can add a few drops of sesame oil at the end to enhance the natural aroma.
• Prefer a deep pan for easier stirring.

These small tips make the dish not only delicious but also visually appealing, retaining its characteristic freshness and crispness.

How to Enjoy and Store Stir-fried Squid with Water Spinach

Stir-fried squid with water spinach is best enjoyed hot immediately after preparation. The squid retains its crispness, the water spinach remains green, and the stir-fry sauce is fragrant with garlic and chili.

If you need to store it:

• Only keep it in the refrigerator for a maximum of 8–10 hours.
• When reheating, use steam.
• Do not use a microwave as it will make the squid tough and the water spinach discolored.

This is an ideal dish for family meals, served with white rice or vermicelli noodles.

Frequently Asked Questions About Stir-fried Squid with Water Spinach

What is the best thing to eat with stir-fried squid with water spinach?

This dish pairs best with:

• Hot white rice.
• Fresh vermicelli noodles.
• Dip with diluted fish sauce with garlic and chili or salt and lime pepper.

The combination of the crisp green vegetables and the sweetness of the squid will make the meal even more flavorful.

How to prevent the squid from becoming tough when stir-frying?

Three important principles:

• Prepare correctly, remove the fishy smell with salt or ginger wine.
• Stir-fry over high heat to quickly firm up the squid.
• Do not stir-fry the squid for more than 3 minutes.

What is the trick to stir-frying water spinach so it is green, crisp, and does not become mushy?

• Stir-fry over high heat, stir quickly.
• Do not blanch the water spinach before stir-frying.
• Do not cover the pan.
• Add the squid liquid to allow the water spinach to absorb the flavor.

How many calories are in stir-fried squid with water spinach?

On average, a 200g serving contains approximately:

• 150–180 kcal.
• High in protein but low in fat.

This is a suitable dish for people on a diet or who prefer a healthy menu.

Stir-fried squid with water spinach is a rustic dish that contains many sophisticated techniques. Just choose fresh squid, prepare it cleanly, stir-fry quickly over high heat, and season harmoniously, and you will have a dish that is crisp, sweet, green, and extremely delicious with rice.

If you want to discover more delicious squid dishes to change up your daily meals, you can visit Ola Squid’s blog for daily cooking inspiration.

Ola Squid introduces a range of high-quality whole dried squid, sun-dried properly and safely preserved, for every delicious meal.“