Squid Stuffed with Minced Pork in Soup

A few of my mother’s friends made a business of cooking for families whose parents both
worked. They simply cooked extra what they would serve their own family, and charged
on a weekly basis. This home catering still exists despite the onslaught of maids, frozen
prepared food and hawker centres. If I had been one of those modern working mothers in
the 1970s, and had found it challenging to work and cook, I would surely have done the
same because it just seems so much more wholesome than hawker food. Each evening, the
mothers would drive over and pick up a tiffin full of home-cooked food. In addition, there
would be a separate metal tingkat for soup. And it might surely have included this delicious
soup of sotong stuffed with minced pork.

I rarely see this soup in any restaurant. I gather that this is truly one of those dishes
you would only find at home.

makes 4 to 6 servings

450 g or 1 pound squid, whole

90 g or 3 ounces glass vermicelli
(tang hoon), soaked in warm water

230 g or 8 ounces ground pork

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper powder

3 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 stalks spring onion (scallion), use
green part only, sliced finely

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper powder

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 bunch coriander leaves (cilantro),
chopped finely

1.   Rinse the squid. Discard the head and tentacles and
pull out the insides including the quill and ink sac. Strain
in a colander or pat dry. Refrigerate for the time being.

2.   Soak the glass vermicelli in a bowl of warm water.

3.   Combine the ground pork, salt, white pepper, light soy
sauce and spring onion. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Stuff the pork mixture into the cavity of each squid, filling
up to three-quarters of the squid and not more. (The squid
will shrink after cooking).

4.   Roll the remaining pork mixture into balls. Set aside
on a plate and refrigerate.

5.   Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan and add the oil. When
the oil is warm, add the minced garlic. Fry until light brown
and fragrant, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil.

6.   Add in the stuffed squid and additional meatballs and
let boil briefly, then lower to a simmer until the squid and
meatballs float to the surface. Add the salt, pepper and light
soy sauce according to taste.

7.   Strain the glass vermicelli soaking in the bowl of warm
water. Add to the soup when just about to serve— glass
vermicelli has a tendency to soak up the soup and turn
soggy. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

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