Equipment
Ingredients
Squid
- 350 g squid tubes, cleaned
Dressing
- 45 ml fresh lime juice
- 45 ml fish sauce
- 15 g palm sugar, finely chopped
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 5 g bird's eye chilies, finely chopped
Salad Vegetables and Herbs
- 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 50 g red onion, thinly sliced
- 40 g chinese celery, sliced diagonally
- 15 g fresh mint leaves
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 20 g green onions, sliced into 2cm pieces
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Lay the squid tubes flat on a cutting board. Open them up and score the inside surface in a tight crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut all the way through the flesh. Slice the scored squid into bite-sized pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, minced garlic, and chopped bird's eye chilies. Whisk vigorously until the palm sugar is completely dissolved.
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, reaching 100°C/212°F. Prepare an ice water bath in a separate bowl nearby.
Drop the scored squid pieces into the boiling water and blanch for exactly 45 to 60 seconds. The pieces will curl up and turn opaque white.
Immediately remove the squid from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and plunge it directly into the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Once cooled, thoroughly drain the squid pieces, pat them dry with a clean paper towel to avoid watering down the dressing, and add them to the mixing bowl containing the dressing.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, Chinese celery, mint leaves, cilantro, and green onions to the bowl. Mix everything gently to ensure the vegetables, herbs, and squid are evenly coated in the dressing.
Transfer the vibrant salad to a serving platter and serve immediately while the herbs are crisp and the flavors are at their brightest.
Chef's Notes
- Scoring the squid not only makes it look beautiful as it curls into pinecones but also dramatically increases the surface area, allowing the thin, acidic dressing to cling to the meat.
- Always taste your dressing before adding the other components. Limes vary greatly in acidity and fish sauces vary in salinity. The ideal Thai dressing balances sour, salty, sweet, and spicy perfectly.
- Patting the squid completely dry after the ice bath is a critical step; excess water will dilute the punchy dressing and mute the bold flavors of the dish.
- If you have low heat tolerance, do not omit the chilies entirely. Instead, use a milder chili or remove the seeds from the bird's eye chilies to retain the floral chili flavor without the overwhelming heat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten immediately as the acid will continue to cook the squid and degrade the herbs over time.
