Southeast Asian Squid Salad Recipes

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PORK SALAD

Steps:

• Grate the lime zest and set aside, then juice half of the lime into a large bowl and cut the other half into small wedges. Whisk 1 teaspoon peanut oil and a pinch of salt into the lime juice. Add the slaw and cucumbers and toss to coat.
• Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the pork and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned in spots and no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Stir in the chili-garlic sauce, fish sauce and lime zest and remove from the heat.
• Divide the slaw mixture among bowls. Top with the pork, herbs and peanuts; serve with the lime wedges.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN SQUID SALAD

Steps:

• Make dressing:
• Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar (to taste), salt, and chile (to taste) in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.
• Cut and cook squid:
• Pull off and reserve flaps from squid bodies if attached. Cut squid bodies crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rings and halve flaps lengthwise. If tentacle clusters are large, halve lengthwise and cut longer tentacles, if attached, crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
• Bring a 4- to 5-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in squid and cook until it just turns opaque, about 30 seconds. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well, then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing (reserve remainder).
• Assemble salad:
• Cut carrots and cucumber lengthwise into thin wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
• Toss together carrot and cucumber ribbons, lettuce, cilantro, mint, and scallions in a large bowl, then add squid and reserved dressing and toss again to coat. Sprinkle squid salad evenly with peanuts before serving.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN MUSSEL SALAD

Steps:

• Put mussels in a large pot with a lid. Pour 1/4 cup water over all, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady bubble (you will hear it and see some steam escaping). Shake pot now and then.
• Meanwhile, combine coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, lime zest and chilies in a large bowl; add bean sprouts, cucumber and red pepper.
• Mussels will be done in 5 to 10 minutes, or when all or most of the shells have opened. Remove and let cool slightly, reserving cooking liquid. (If there is a great deal, reduce it while you shuck mussels.)
• When mussels are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and add them to bowl with vegetables and dressing. Add cilantro and as much of the reserved cooking liquid as you need to make mixture saucy. Toss well to combine, adjust seasonings and serve, or refrigerate for up to a few hours.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHRIMP AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Put shrimp in a saucepan with salted water to cover; bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque in center. (Alternatively, grill or saute, sprinkling shrimp with salt as they cook.) Cool in refrigerator or under cold running water, then peel (and devein if you like). Cut shrimp in half if they're large.
• Combine nam pla or soy sauce with 2 tablespoons water, sugar and lime juice, and blend or whisk until smooth.
• Arrange the lettuce on 4 plates; top each portion with a few grapefruit pieces, some shrimp, and the mint and cilantro; drizzle with the dressing, then sprinkle with a little of the minced chilies and chopped peanuts if you like, or pass them at the table.

CRISPY SALT AND PEPPER SQUID WITH SPICY ASIAN SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the chili oil, vegetable oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the salad: In a medium bowl, combine the greens, carrots and scallions, but do not add the dressing yet. Cover with a damp paper towel and set in the fridge until ready to serve.
• For the squid: Fill a wok or deep fryer halfway with vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees F, or until a tiny piece of bread browns in 15 seconds. If frying in a wok, make sure that the wok is stable on a burner or wok ring.
• Whisk together the eggs and potato starch, and then coat each squid ring well with the batter. Carefully add the squid rings to the hot oil and fry, in batches, until a light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
• When ready to serve, toss the salad with a couple tablespoons of the dressing and top with the hot crispy squid. Garnish with sthe liced scallion greens and serve.
• Cook's Notes: You can use frozen squid rings, but fresh are best.
• This dish makes a great appetizer or a shared main course.

THAI SQUID SALAD

Steps:

• cut squid into small squares.
• blanch squid for 1 minute in boiling water.
• plunge squid into cold water immediately.
• prepare remaining ingredients for dressing.
• mix with squid.
• Serve on lettuce bed Chill before serving.

SQUID SALAD WITH TAMARIND SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• In a bowl stir together tamarind and warm water, mashing tamarind gently, about 4 minutes and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Add remaining sauce ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Flower-cut squid (procedure follows) or cut squid sacs crosswise into 1/2-inch ring and halve flaps crosswise. Halve large tentacles. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook squid 45 seconds, or just until opaque, and drain in a colander. Rinse squid under cold water to stop cooking and drain well. Add squid to sauce, tossing well. Salad may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
• Add herbs and onion to salad and toss well. Serve salad drizzled with sriracha sauce.
• To Flower-Cut Squid:
• Remove flaps from body sacs and reserve. Cut each body sac lengthwise along seam to form a flat piece and rinse squid well. Spread squid inner side up on a work surface. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle to work surface, score squid diagonally every 1/8 to 1/4 inch in a cross-hatch pattern. Score flaps in same manner. Cut squid into 1-inch pieces.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN CABBAGE AND SHRIMP SALAD

Steps:

• To prepare dressing, combine first 8 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves.
• To prepare salad, combine cabbage and next 5 ingredients (through cucumber) in a large bowl.
• Drizzle dressing over salad, and toss well to coat.
• Sprinkle with peanuts; garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.