Bistro Spicy: Indonesian Grilled Squid

*drooling* here comes bbq season!

The great thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t require you to play with real fire if you don’t want to, although you really really should. So you can get that nice and even char on the outside. Indulgence!

When I was little, this was one of my favourite food to eat. You really can’t get enough of this. Growing up poor means I don’t get to eat this as much as I’d like to but now, I always make sure to fire up the BBQ and cook this up once a year.

I highly recommend that you order your squid from your local fishmongers, if you live in Ireland I would suggest EatMoreFish.ie their quality is one of the best I have ever encountered and almost all of their packaging is compostable. :)

I added the salt once it was cooked – but you can also add salt during the marinating process.

Serves: 5

Ingredients:

• 1 kg fresh squid

• 1 lime

• Salt

For the spice blend:

• 1 medium onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• 3cm ginger

• 1 tsp turmeric powder or 5cm fresh turmeric

• 1 tbsp of fermented prawn paste or one cube of fish stock

• 4 tbsp oyster sauce

• 3 tbsp ketchup

• 1 tbsp sambal oelek or Asian hot sauce like sriracha

• 1 lime, juiced

• 200ml water

• 10 tbsp sweet soy sauce

• Salt, sugar, and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Clean the squid and squeeze lime over it. Leave for 15 minutes. This will help eliminate the fishy smell.

2. In a blender, grind the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, fermented prawn paste or fish stock cube, oyster sauce, ketchup, sambal oelek or sriracha, lime juice, and water until smooth.

3. Over medium-low heat, cook the sauce mixture until all water is almost evaporated, and the mixture is fragrant and bubbly. Divide it into two bowls, with ¾ of the mixture in one and ¼ in the other.

4. Rinse the squid under cold water using a mesh sieve or pat dry and cut it into pieces if desired. Mix the cooled ¾ of the sauce with the squid and leave it in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

5. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread the squid onto skewers and grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through, brushing with the reserved ¼ of the sauce.

6. Serve hot with rice and Asian coleslaw.

This Grilled Squid recipe is bursting with flavour and perfect for a summer barbecue or any time of the year. The blend of spices and sauces gives the squid a rich, savoury taste with just the right amount of heat. Don't forget to serve it with rice and Asian coleslaw for a complete and satisfying meal!