Stir-Fry Squid and Pickled Mustard Greens

Copyright 2008 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients
5-6 fresh squids, cleaned
1 package pickled mustard greens, diced
2 T sugar, or to taste
1 T Xiao Hsing wine or sherry
1 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 T cornstarch
Salt for seasoning

Cut squid into slices and score them (with a knife, gently make cross cuts on the squid), which will help them curl into a nice tube. (Or you can cut them into circles.) Season with salt and set aside.

In a wok or large skillet over very high heat, add sesame oil. Once the oil is heated, add the squid and let cook for about 2 minutes (don’t stir too often to allow for some browning of the squid). Quickly add the mustard greens and stir fry with sugar, wine and soy sauce for another minute. Taste to see if you might need to add more sugar.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with a little bit of water to create a slurry. Then add to your wok a little at a time to create a glaze and some gravy for your dish. (How much depends on your preference. If you add too much, just add some broth or water to thin it out.)

Makes 2 servings. Serve with jasmine rice.

Pair with a glass of Riesling wine.

TIP: Some of the fancier fish markets will already have fresh squid that’s been cleaned, or if you by frozen squid and defrost them, the frozen versions are often cleaned already. If you get fresh squid that hasn’t been cleaned, you need to make sure you remove the ink sac inside.

IN A PICKLE: The pickled mustard greens are sold in most Asian grocery stores in either the preserved foods section or near the vegetables but in the prepackaged sections. Most of the mustard greens are from Thailand sold in vacuum-packed bags or jars. Each brand will be different, some more salty than pickled, other more sour. That’s why you need to balance it with the sugar when creating this dish.