Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Malaysian Sambal Sotong
馬來西亞參巴魷魚
Recipe overview
Cook onion, chilli, belacan and tamarind into a sambal, then stir-cook squid until done.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 500 g Cleaned fresh squid
- 1, about 150 g Onion
- 3, reduce to taste Red chillies
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
Sambal seasoning
- 1 tsp Belacan shrimp paste
- 1 tbsp Tamarind concentrate
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 60 ml Water
02
Tools
- Separate boards for raw seafood and vegetables
- Knife
- Wok
- Spatula
- Small bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Food thermometer
- Serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Check squid
Keep 500 g cleaned squid chilled and check for off smells or discolouration; discard if abnormal.
Step 2
Rinse and drain
Briefly rinse squid under cool water and drain. Wash hands and clean surfaces after raw seafood.
Step 3
Cut squid
On a raw-seafood board, cut squid tubes into rings and tentacles into manageable pieces.
Step 4
Slice onion
On a clean vegetable board, thinly slice 1 onion.
Step 5
Chop chillies and garlic
Finely chop 3 red chillies and 3 garlic cloves; use fewer chillies for less heat.
Step 6
Mix tamarind liquid
Mix 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate, 1 tsp sugar and 60 ml water in a small bowl; keep belacan separate.
Step 7
Heat oil
Heat a wok over medium heat and add 2 tbsp cooking oil.
Step 8
Sauté onion and garlic
Add sliced onion and garlic; stir-fry about 2–3 minutes until slightly soft.
Step 9
Fry chilli and belacan
Add chopped chillies and 1 tsp belacan; stir-fry about 2 minutes until fragrant.
Step 10
Simmer sambal
Pour in tamarind-sugar water and simmer about 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
Step 11
Cook squid thoroughly
Add squid and stir-cook until fully done. Use a clean thermometer: thickest centre must reach 75°C for 30 seconds; cook longer if not.
Step 12
Serve
Transfer the fully cooked sambal squid to a plate with clean utensils and serve hot.
Common mistakes
- Adding squid before the sambal is fragrant leaves a raw chilli taste; serving undercooked squid is unsafe.
Tips
Keep raw squid tools separate from ready-to-eat food; cook seafood centre to 75°C for 30 seconds. Belacan contains shrimp and squid is a seafood allergen.
