Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run
Gather everything first, then follow the steps
Protein· 1
- 140 g squid (rings)140g
Vegetables· 4
- 45 g onion (sliced)45g
- 8 g garlic (minced)8g
- 6 g ginger (minced)6g
- 8 g red chili (sliced)8g
Sauces· 2
- 15 g kicap manis (1 tbsp)15g
- 4 g dark soy (for colour)(staple)4g
Spices· 2
- 2 g sugar (a pinch)(staple)2g
- pinch of salt(staple)2g
Fats & oils· 1
- 5 g cooking oil (1 tsp)5g
Clean the squid, cut into rings, score the inside lightly and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Why? Drying the squid helps it colour instead of stewing in its own water — squid turns rubbery if overcooked, so we only flash-fry it briefly later.Tip: Score a criss-cross on the inside so the rings curl up nicely and soak up more sauce.
Next up:Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the garlic, ginger, onion and red chili over medium heat for ~2 min until the onion softens.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the garlic, ginger, onion and red chili over medium heat for ~2 min until the onion softens.
Why? Blooming the aromatics in just a teaspoon of oil builds the dish's base flavour — strong aroma means you don't lean on extra oil or sugar.Tip: Cook the onion until translucent and soft, not browned or it turns bitter.
Next up:Turn the heat high, add the squid and stir-fry 1 min, then pour in the kicap manis, dark soy, sugar and 2 tbsp water; toss 2 min to reduce.
- 2 min · hands-free
Turn the heat high, add the squid and stir-fry 1 min, then pour in the kicap manis, dark soy, sugar and 2 tbsp water; toss 2 min to reduce.
Why? Kicap manis is sugary, so one measured tablespoon gives all the sweetness and colour you need — keeping it in check is the whole calorie-saving move; the dark soy is only for colour.Watch out: Don't cook the squid more than 3 min total — overcooked squid turns tough and shrinks.02:00Next up:Taste, adjust with a pinch of salt if needed, then turn off the heat and serve with half a bowl of brown rice and cucumber slices.
Taste, adjust with a pinch of salt if needed, then turn off the heat and serve with half a bowl of brown rice and cucumber slices.
Why? Kicap manis and dark soy are already salty, so seasoning last stops you from over-salting.Tip: Cool cucumber slices cut through the rich soy and balance the plate.