Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run
Gather everything first, then follow the steps
Protein· 1
- 150 g squid (cut into rings)150g
Vegetables· 1
- 45 g red onion (sliced)45g
Sauces· 3
- 22 g chili paste (cili boh)22g
- 15 g tomato purée15g
- 5 g tamarind paste (1 tsp)5g
Spices· 2
- 2 g sugar (1 pinch)(staple)2g
- pinch of salt(staple)2g
Fats & oils· 1
- 6 g cooking oil (~1 tsp)6g
Cut the squid into rings, pat completely dry with paper towel, season with a pinch of salt; soak the tamarind in 2 tbsp warm water to make tamarind juice.
Why? Drying the squid before it hits the pan is non-negotiable — surface water cools the pan into a 'boil', which toughens squid as it weeps out moisture. Dry rings sear fast and stay springy.Tip: Score a light criss-cross on the inside of the squid so it curls prettily and soaks up more sambal.
Next up:Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan, sauté the onion over medium heat for ~2 min, then add the cili boh and tomato purée and fry slowly for 2 min until fragrant and the oil turns red.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan, sauté the onion over medium heat for ~2 min, then add the cili boh and tomato purée and fry slowly for 2 min until fragrant and the oil turns red.
Why? The soul of sambal is frying the chili paste until it 'opens up' — patient cooking drives off the raw edge and coaxes out the aroma. Do this step properly and you won't need the half-bowl of oil the original uses to carry the sambal.Watch out: Cili boh has sugar and scorches easily — splash in a little water if the pan dries, and keep the heat medium, not high.Next up:Pour in the tamarind juice and a pinch of sugar, bring to a simmer and reduce into a thick sambal, about 2 min.
Pour in the tamarind juice and a pinch of sugar, bring to a simmer and reduce into a thick sambal, about 2 min.
Why? Tamarind gives the bright sour finish that makes sambal sotong so appetising; with that natural acidity in place, a single pinch of sugar is enough to balance the heat — well under half the sugar of the original.Tip: Reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon — too thin and the squid's moisture will dilute it.
Next up:Turn the heat to high, add the squid rings and stir-fry hard for 1.5–2 min; the moment they turn opaque and curl, kill the heat and plate up.
Turn the heat to high, add the squid rings and stir-fry hard for 1.5–2 min; the moment they turn opaque and curl, kill the heat and plate up.
Why? Squid cooks in a flash — past 2 min the protein over-contracts into rubber bands. A fast high-heat toss and pulling it the instant it turns opaque is the one trick to keeping that tender, high-protein bite.Tip: Serve with half a bowl of brown rice and cucumber slices — tangy, filling with protein, and easy on the stomach.