RECIPE: SQUID SAMBAL

I decided to make COCONUT RICE as it had been quite sometime since I had the works. This time however, I made SQUID SAMBAL instead of the traditional anchovies or prawn sambal. Not much difference in making the sambal, just be mindful of the cooking times as squid tends to get leathery if overcooked. Serve with dishes such as my CUCUMBER IN SPICY SOY SAUCE AND SESAME OIL and STIR FRIED PAK CHOY WITH SQUID AND OYSTER SAUCE.

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients – serves 4 to 6

1 kg medium sized squid – cleaned and cut into rings
2 large handfuls of long dried chillies* – de-seeded and soaked in hot water
8 large shallots*
Half a head of garlic*
½ thumb size galangal* (see my GLOSSARY post on GALANGAL)
Small piece of shrimp paste/belachan* (see my GLOSSARY post on SHRIMP PASTE)
1 heaped tbsp tamarind pulp – mixed with 1 cup water and juice extracted

Petai - optional (see my GLOSSARY post on PETAI)
¼ to ½ cup coconut milk
Salt
2 to 3 tbsp veg oil


Method

Grind together * ingredients, using the minimum of water. Heat oil in a wok and fry ingredients until oil seeps through and water has evaporated. Add in the tamarind juice and petai (if using) and cook until the paste is fairly thick again

Add in the squid, coat well with the sambal and add in the coconut milk. Cook until the squid are done. Add salt, lift and serve with COCONUT RICE (NASI LEMAK), HARD BOILED EGGS (see my tip), vegetables such as KANG KONG BELACAN or STIR FRIED PAK CHOY WITH SQUID AND OYSTER SAUCE and salads such as CUCUMBER IN SPICY SOY SAUCE AND SESAME OIL.