SERVES 2 AS A MAIN COURSE, 3 TO 4 AS PART OF A MULTICOURSE MEAL
Squid—or calamari, as it is more lyrically called—can be a ghastly affair. First comes the cleaning, which is like an episode out of a Stephen King novel. Then comes the cooking, which often yields tasteless rubber tires. I’ve no answer for the first problem, but this dish is a fine remedy for the second! The squid is blanched, which leaves it velvety and fine, and is then tossed into a Hunanese mélange of spicy vegetables.
Cleaning squid is grotesque. If you can’t give the job to someone you hate, here’s the easiest way to do it yourself. For right-handers: Put the squid in a bowl on a plastic cutting board to the left of your sink. Put a bowl to catch the innards in the sink. Place a colander to hold the gutted squid to the right of the sink. (Lefties reverse directions.) Spread your first squid victim on the board, chop off the tentacles (“the crown”) just above the eyes and toss in the colander. Next, chop off the head just below the eyes and let it fall in the slop bowl. Last (and this is the worst), turn your knife over and use the dull edge to scrape the squid from the tail toward the head hole, expelling all the googly innards. Do this two or three times for good measure, then reach inside and pull out the rather pretty, translucent quill. Pull loose any skin that may still cling to the squid, then cut the body crosswise into even thin rings a scant ½ inch wide. Toss the rings in the colander, breathe deeply, and continue. When you are done, you will have a bowl of ghastly goop worthy of bagging and putting on an enemy’s doorstep, and a pristine colander of rings and crowns awaiting a good rinse with cold water. (The cold water rinse may apply to the squid handler as well.)
All such cleaning may be done a full day in advance of dealing further with the beast. Place the colander in a bowl to allow the squid to “weep,” cover the whole, and stash it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
In spite of any reluctance you might have about cleaning squid, beware of pre-cleaned squid! It is typically salted or otherwise treated, and not at all worthy of eating.
1 pound small squid (4 to 5 inches long and 1 inch wide), cleaned, tentacles reserved, and bodies cut crosswise into ½-inch rings (see How to Clean Squid, page 242)
AROMATICS:
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1½ tablespoons coarsely chopped Chinese black beans (do not rinse them)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes or 1 to 1½ teaspoons “goop” from China Moon Chili-Lemon Oil (page 12)
SAUCE:
½ cup China Moon Double Stock (page 72) or unsalted chicken stock
2½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
2 small carrots, cut diagonally into ⅛-inch rippled or plain coins
1 large red bell pepper, or 1 small red bell pepper and 1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-inch squares
3 slender zucchini, cut into ¼-inch rounds
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold chicken stock or water
Diagonally cut green and white scallion rings, for garnish
1. To cook the squid, separate the tentacles, if larger than the rings, and cook them separately. Bring a medium-sized pot of boiling water to a rolling boil. Using a Chinese mesh spoon or a wire basket that fits the pot, lower the squid into the water. Blanch just until opaque, about 6 seconds at most, then drain and plunge immediately into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. Repeat the process with any large tentacles, blanching until they curl, 8 to 10 seconds. Refrigerate the squid until ready to use, overnight if desired. Drain off any juice that might be released during storage.
2. Combine the aromatics in a small dish and cover until ready to use.
3. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Leave a spoon in the bowl. All of the above steps, along with cutting the vegetables, may be done a full day in advance. Seal and refrigerate the ingredients. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
4. About 15 minutes before serving, heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to glaze the pan. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a bit of ginger, reduce the heat to moderate and add the aromatics, adjusting the heat so they foam without browning. Stir until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the carrots and toss for 1 minute, then add the bell pepper and toss for 2 minutes more. Adjust the heat to maintain a merry sizzle and drizzle a bit more oil down the side of the pan, if needed to prevent sticking. Add the zucchini and toss to combine.
5. Stir the sauce, add it to the pan, and bring it to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, add it to the pan, and stir until the sauce turns glossy, 10 to 15 seconds.
6. Turn off the heat and fold in the drained squid. Serve immediately on heated plates of contrasting color, garnished with a flourish of the scallion rings.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: Steamed rice, cooked pasta, or toasted or grilled garlic bread are all that is wanting here.
